I have been following the stories in both the local newspapers involving the Malibu Bay Company (MBC) and its dealings with the Malibu Animal Hospital (MAH).Having recently moved to Malibu and being a veterinarian for 20 years, several aspects of the story are disturbing. I am not an attorney and do not know the specifics regarding the lease arrangement between MAH and MBC, but it does seem unfortunate if not inappropriate that the MBC chose not to deal directly or even contact Dr. Newell after they had been informed of her intention to buy MAH from Dr. Smith. It also appears that MBC did not inform either Dr. Smith or Dr. Newell that they were in negotiations with Dr. Graulich to take over the practice following their eviction. While MBC may have been within their legal rights to evict Drs. Smith and Newell and replace them with whomever they choose, it would only have made good business sense to make the opportunity available to as many veterinarians as possible. Malibu is a small community served by only a few veterinary practices. All of the veterinarians involved in this debate are outstanding practitioners and have served the community and profession well throughout the years. Hopefully all the participants will be able to sit down and work out a reasonable solution to this unfortunate situation. Doing so will ensure that the pets and pet owners of Malibu will continue to receive quality care by caring veterinarians.
David Bruyette