The department of Veterinary Medicine was formed in 1947 when only 70 animals were housed at the zoo. Because more and more animals were being added, there was a need for additional animal care including proper nutrition, husbandry and medical attention.

Until 1991, the zoo contracted with local veterinarians to provide medical services; however, there were shortfalls in the system. The levels of expertise were inconsistent, there was not immediate emergency medical attention, there were no preventative medical programs in place and few of the doctors had experience with exotic animal. The costs of the service, even at considerable discount, were extremely expensive.

This changed in 1991 when Dr. Ann Duncan was hired as the Staff Veterinarian. Dr. Duncan developed programs for preventative medicine and nutrition evaluation. She was hampered though by the lack of adequate facilities and funding. Unfortunately, the facility did not meet current USDA or AZA standards.

In 1995 Dr. Duncan moved to the Detroit Zoo and Dr. Curtis Eng replaced her. That year the medical facilities underwent a facelift; but, even with the improvement, the facilities were still substandard. Dr. Eng worked to obtain basic medical equipment necessary to any hospital. Most of the equipment was donated or purchased at reduced costs. Dr. Eng left in 1999 to become the Staff Veterinarian for the Phoenix Zoo.

In 1998, before his departure the American Zoo and Aquarium Association did their evaluation of the Potawatomi Zoo facilities. Unfortunately their evaluation was extremely crucial of the medical facilities, a fact that threatened the zoo accreditation. Immediately the Zoological Society formed a committee to address the situation. It was the consensus that the zoo needed a new hi-tech veterinary facility. The original cost estimates for the new hospital came in at 2.1 million dollars but were scaled back to $1.1million.

Both the State and City came on board with the project. The state committed funds through a $50,000 appropriation from the Build Indiana fund. The City of South Bend, through the Mayor’s office, committed $150,000. The Zoological Society has committed $200,000 from endowment funds. Those funds precipitated private and corporate donations of over $600,000.

Construction was completed in April 2002. Dr. Jeremy Goodman, zoo veterinarian, oversaw the construction of the facility. GM Health Systems donated and installed numerous pieces of high tech medical equipment and local hospitals made gifts of equipment and supplies. The end result is that the Potawatomi Zoo has one of the finest zoo veterinary hospitals in the country. Zoo animals now receive the highest level of care and their quality of life has been greatly enhanced.

Laura Arriaga, a registered Veterinary Technician who has been with the Potawatomi Zoo since September of 1995, and became the General Curator in 2006, worked with Dr. Eng and Dr. Goodman on the facility, and was instrumental in the design and construction and has assisted the veterinarians in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the facility at the Zoo.

In 2004, Dr. Jeremy Goodman left to become the Director and Veterinarian of the Turtleback Zoo in New Jersey. Dr. Julie Napier was hired from the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston to become the current veterinarian. With the help of Laura, Dr. Napier instituted additional safety, medical record keeping, preventative medicine, and nutrition programs that enhance the already superior care the collection animals receive at this facility. Dr. Napier left Potawatomi Zoo in the June 2006.

Dr. Richard Berlinski joined the Potawatomi Zoo as the new Veterinarian in the fall of 2006. Dr. Berlinski did his undergrad at Northern Michigan College, in Traverse City, MI, and at the University of FL, Gainesville, FL. He graduated from Ross University with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and performed clinical rotations at Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, LA. He has worked at zoos in Oregon, Texas, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.