In a booth at the back of Airport Diner in Kutztown, the sound of barking dogs interrupts Dr. John Prange’s lunch.
As other customers try to figure out where the noise is coming from, Prange pulls out his work cell phone and sends the incoming call to voicemail.
“Yes, it’s barking dogs,” he says, chuckling at his ring tone.
It might be a bit quirky, but after hearing it, you know Prange, a longtime veterinarian, means business. In a throwback to simpler days, Prange offers house calls, a popular service that has attracted more than 200 clients since he opened his business in January 2011.
“Our clients love us. In today’s economy, people can’t take their animals to the veterinarian. It’s convenient, more economical and less stressful for pets and owners,” says Prange, a Bowers resident.
Prange grew up on an animal farm in Missouri and always dreamed of being a small animal practitioner. After a stint in the Air Force, he worked at and then bought a veterinarian office that had a mobile clinic. The idea stuck with him, even after he left the profession to work in the pet food industry.
When he began to miss working hands-on with animals, he decided to open Prange Veterinary Services, which serves Berks and Lehigh counties. He offers house calls every Wednesday and Thursday, from 9am to 5pm, and he typically sees six clients each of those days.
Most office visits can start at $100, Prange says, but he charges a $75 flat fee that includes a full exam of all animals in the household – whether that’s one pet, 10 pets or as many as 60 for those clients who are fostering pets.
“You get to see pets in their own environment,” says Prange, who along with his wife, Lori, is certified in integrative energy therapy, a form of energy healing. “Once we get there, the animals settle down and really respond well.”
Prange cannot do x-rays or surgeries during house calls, but he works closely with three area veterinary offices, where he refers clients. He carries essential medications with him and uses an online pharmacy with next-day delivery for other prescriptions. He also uses a lab service that provides overnight results.
Prange says his business has grown through word of mouth. The company has no website or social media sites – although his clever barking ring tone might be all the marketing he needs right now.
In the meantime, Dr. Prange can be reached via that cel lwith the dog-bark ring at 610.301.5025.
