Smalley’s Animal Hospital is one of the oldest veterinary practices in our area. Dr. James L. Smalley began practicing veterinary medicine from a small office in downtown Dublin, above what is now Carrol’s Boot Store.
In those days, veterinary practice was almost all limited to large-animal calls on farms. Pigs, cows, and mules were the name of the game back then, as our area was much more dependent on the family farm than it is today. A man’s mule was his tractor, his pigs were his meat market, and if he was lucky, he had a dairy cow for butter, cheese, and fresh milk.
A problem with any of them meant big problems for the whole family. Dr. Smalley was there to answer those needs.
Dr. James L. Smalley had three sons: Daryl, Frarie, and James L. Jr. (Jimmy). All three of the boys would follow in their father’s footsteps to become veterinarians. In 1946, in conjunction with his son, Frarie, and help from the GI Bill of World War II, Dr. Smalley built the current building that now houses Smalley’s Animal Hospital. It was built of sturdy brick and mortar and had a very unique, neon sign out front showcasing the Smalley name and Dr. Smalley’s favorite English Pointer. Over the years and at various times, Dr. James L., Jimmy, Daryl, and Frarie all made a living practicing veterinary medicine out of this building.
Dr. Jimmy Smalley was the last of the family to practice veterinary medicine at Smalley’s Animal Hospital. He passed away in 1993 of an unexpected heart attack, ending a 50+ year reign of the Smalley family as local veterinarians. Despite the loss of its founders, the Smalley’s Animal Hospital practice carries on stronger and busier than ever.
With Dr. Jimmy’s passing in 1993 and no family member to take his place, the practice was sold to Dr. Fred Cullens of Sandersville. It just so happened that Dr. Cullens had a college student, Jim Hobby, working with him on farm calls that summer who was about to start his freshman year at UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine in only a few weeks.
On a handshake agreement in a rural cow lot, Jim agreed to come to work with Dr. Cullens after his completion of veterinary college and keep Smalley's Animal Hospital going. While Jim was away at college, Dr. Cullens hired a young veterinarian, Matt Masters, of Albany.
Cullens and Masters worked together until 1997. At that time, Dr. Masters went home to open his own practice, and new graduate Dr. Jim Hobby filled the void left by Matt. Jim, along with his new wife Dr. Peggy Bradburn Hobby, went on to purchase the practice from Dr. Cullens in 2000. Jim and Dr. Cullens remain good friends to this day.