our pets: VETERINARY ADVENTURES
BY EMMA MOORMAN
NOVEMBER 2016
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
PHOTOS BY LISA STEPHENS
With a dog, a person can find the
purest form of happiness. They are
one of the only things on earth that
love their owners more than they
love themselves. This kind of joy is so
contagious it spreads like a wildfire
igniting love inside of people, a kind
of love they may have never been felt
before.
Basset hounds are famous for their
gentle nature and their fine-tuned
noses, but what many people don’t
know is that basset hounds seek
human companionship. These gentle
giants have a special place in the
hearts of many in Parker County. One
of these is the young heart of local
veterinarian Dr. Lisa Stephens.
When Earl climbed into Dr.
Stephens’ heart she was already
caring for three Jack Russells.
Regardless, she just couldn’t seem to
turn away the joyful puppy with his
goofy personality. To this day, she
says she does not regret Earl climbing into her truck. “You won’t find a
more loyal dog.” He truly “loves his
mommy,” Stephens said.
Weighing in at 85 pounds, Earl
the basset hound is a bundle full of
joy. He “has volunteered and been
a vet tech his entire life,” Stephens
says. Dr. Stephens, who is a mobile
equine vet, brings Earl on many of
her visits. “He does nights, emergencies, weekends,” and he does “billing at home,” usually flipped upside
down on his back. He is “a very
hard-working man,” Stephens said.
Other than Earl’s job of ranch security and being a vet tech he is also
a hardworking volunteer for North
58
Texas Basset Rescue. Earl and his
mom, Dr. Stephens, have fostered
several basset hound siblings in
hopes that they are able to find their
forever homes.
Earl is so dedicated to his work
he has his own seat in Stephens’ vet
clinic truck. “He loves to ride in the