Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 22
Above: Dr. Terrence Ferguson examines Josephine, a rescued
turtle, at the Bonaire veterinary clinic. Right: Youngster Emersen
Sterdivant, center, gives Waffl es the cow some love after the bovine's
vet checkup by Drs. Vernard Hodges and Terrence Ferguson.
American veterinarians [in Middle Georgia], " Hodges
says. " We could have gone to Atlanta, but we wanted
to come home. "
The two worked for Fort Valley veterinarian
Earnest Corker, who encouraged them to start their
own practice.
" He was the only African American mentor
veterinarian we knew of, and he put us on the right
path, " says Hodges, who in 2017 published " Bet on
Yourself: From Zero to Millions, " a book about how
to manage a business.
Two years ago, Ferguson wrote " C is for
Critter Fixer, " a children's book based loosely on his
career path.
" I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was 8, but
I never saw anyone who looked like me, " he says.
" I want to tell kids they can do what they want, no
matter what color they are. "
The two also have tapped into their fame to
support the community.
" We're within 15 minutes of where I grew up
and went to school, " Hodges says. " We're vested
here. We want to practice good medicine
and be good for this community. In the last
20 years, we've gone out to speak in schools,
sponsored baseball teams and mentored kids
to give back to [the] Middle Georgia [community]
22 Georgia Magazine September 2022
that has embraced us. "
More than a year
ago, the two bought a
150-acre farm in Butler,
where they raise Black Angus
cattle to provide good breeding stock to locals who
want to start their own farms. They've also held
workshops there to teach owners about cattle care.
The Critter Fixer Cattle Co. is on track to sell its first
cow next spring.
And they may be raising the next generation of
vets in their own homes. Hodges' son wants to be a
vet and is a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
" The first time he said [he wanted to be a vet],
he was in fifth grade, " Hodges says. " He spent many
Christmas mornings coming to the clinic with me
and seeing the work I do. I thought he'd shy away
from it, but he's never swayed. "
Ferguson's daughter shares that aspiration.
" Our hope is she'll be in veterinary school next
fall, " Ferguson says.
H.M. Cauley is a freelance writer from Atlanta.
For more information
Critter Fixer Veterinary Hospital, critterfixerveterinaryhospital.com
" Critter Fixers: Country Vets " airs on National Geographic Wild and is
available to stream on several platforms.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC / ALEX VIEIRA
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http://www.critterfixerveterinaryhospital.com
Georgia Magazine - September 2022
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2022
Contents
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - Intro
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - Cover1
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - Cover2
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - Contents
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 4
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 5
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 6
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 7
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 8
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 9
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 10
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 11
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 12
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 13
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 14
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 15
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 16
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 17
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 18
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 19
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 20
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 21
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 22
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 23
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 24
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 25
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 26
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 27
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 28
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 29
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 30
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 31
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 32
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 33
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 34
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 35
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 36
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 37
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 38
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 39
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 40
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 41
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 42
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 43
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 44
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 45
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - 46
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - Cover3
Georgia Magazine - September 2022 - Cover4
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