Dr. Anne Cooley on earning Aspen’s trust, the unique challenges of practicing veterinary medicine at altitude, and what it takes to keep local care viable.
Interview by Bryan Welker and Stefan le Roux | For The Aspen Times
Running a successful business in Aspen depends heavily on being present, and this is especially true in veterinary medicine, where emergencies often occur far from treatment facilities.
Dr. Anne Cooley arrived in 2011 and quickly became a consistent presence in the community—first as a new veterinarian learning the rhythms of the valley, then as the owner of Aspen Animal Hospital, and now as its steady clinical leader under WellHaven ownership.
Bryan: Tell us your Aspen story. How did you get here?
Anne: I got here like a lot of people do—through a divorce and a restart. I had owned a veterinary clinic in Crosslake, Minnesota, for 15 years. I grew up skiing in Steamboat, and before vet school I lived in Vail and worked for a veterinarian. I always kept coming back to Colorado.
I fell in love with Carbondale and the valley. A job at another clinic fell through, so I walked into Aspen Animal Hospital and asked whether they had any openings. I was hired on the spot. That was in 2011.
Bryan: What did you have to learn about doing business in Aspen?
Anne: The valley is hard to crack. When you first come in, people see you as the new person and think the person before you was better. You really have to earn it in Aspen. It is more about relationships here than anything.
I spend a lot of time getting to know clients, following up on patients, and making sure people know I care. You have to put your big-girl pants on and show up every day. Treat people kindly, spend the extra time, and earn their trust.
Bryan: What makes practicing veterinary medicine here different?
Anne: We do not have referral centers nearby, so we do many things a general practice ordinarily would not: ultrasounds, echocardiograms, noninvasive and laser surgery. We bring in an anesthesiologist for difficult cases and can handle emergencies and blood transfusions in-house.
Altitude matters, too. Animals come from sea level with underlying heart conditions, and you need to know how to treat them and check for pulmonary hypertension. You have to be on your game, keep training, and keep learning.
Our doctors learn together, discuss difficult cases, and get opinions from one another. We do a lot, but we know our limits and have good specialists we can consult. We always reach for the best care we can provide.
Bryan: How do staffing and housing affect the hospital?
Anne: I have two other full-time doctors, a practice manager, and around nine support staff. Most do not live up here, so we pay significantly more to bring people upvalley. You are accounting for gas and wear and tear on their cars.
Housing is constantly a problem. I personally help staff find somewhere to live because they cannot simply go online and find an affordable place, especially with pets. One nurse lived in the back of the clinic until she had been here long enough to get Aspen housing. Without local connections, it would be nearly impossible.
Bryan: Why did you sell the practice to WellHaven?
Anne: I sold it in 2017 or 2018 because I could not get health insurance for my staff. I chose a small corporation where I could still run the clinic, make decisions, and deal with pricing for the community. They provide the support backbone and helped us acquire better equipment.
I still sometimes wish it were entirely my own because I take a lot of pride in it. But I still act like it is mine, so in that sense it does not really matter.
Bryan: How do you balance the different financial realities of your clients?
Anne: We are fortunate to have clients who can afford extensive diagnostics, but we also have locals who need us to identify the most important thing first. You have to know who your client is when you enter the room. I try every way I can to help people who cannot afford care.
I never turn anyone away because they do not have a deposit. We will work it out. Just come in.
Bryan: What advice would you give a young entrepreneur hoping to open in Aspen?
Anne: I think it would be really tough now. Rents are extremely high, and business is so seasonal. There are months when business drops, and then you are inundated during the busy season. I do not think our clinic could remain here without a longtime local landlord who cares about keeping a veterinary hospital in the building.
Aspen takes a bit of luck. Somebody helps you along the way, or it is very difficult to do it on your own.
Bryan: After everything it takes to operate here, what keeps you in the valley?
Anne: Every day, I drive upvalley from Carbondale and think, “I cannot believe I live here.” My sister was recently in town, and we hiked to Savage Lakes. I told her, “You have to drive from Kansas and take a week off work to do this. It is right outside my back door.”
I still get that feeling every day. I have been here since 2011, and it never lessens. My heart lives here. It is a really special place.
Cooley’s path in Aspen has depended on persistence, local relationships, and help arriving at pivotal moments. Her business advice is rooted in the same principle that guides her medicine: show up, care deeply, keep learning, and understand that no one builds something enduring here entirely alone.
Bryan Welker lives and breathes business and marketing in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. He is President, Co-founder, and CRO of WDR Aspen, a boutique marketing agency that develops tailored marketing solutions. Who should we interview next? Reach out and let us know bryan@wdraspen.com
