Then & Now: A Country Vet In Kona
By Jolene Head
“Doc” McCoy was never one to turn people away and enjoyed giving back to the community of Kona and to the State of Hawai‘i. Before Hawai‘i was a state, Dr. Kid McCoy was appointed the Territorial Deputy Veterinarian in the District of Kona, where he served for many years. It was after this, in the 1960s, that he started Keauhou Veterinary Clinic in his own, large home. Nestled on the slope of Hualalai out on the edge of town, on Walua Road, Doc McCoy’s vision and foresight brought a new dimension to veterinary care for the island.
“Doc” McCoy saw everything from cows, pigs and chickens to horses, cats and dogs, serving as one of the veterinarians for Parker Ranch. People tell stories of waiting outside his clinic for him to come out and look things over, giving a shot for this, a prescription for that and everything in-between. He was a kind veterinarian and honest to a fault, a model of his profession and everything that it embodied. In 1962, along with retired Konawaena school principal Mark Sutherland, McCoy started the Kona Chapter of the Big Island Assoc. to Help Retarded Citizens; which today is The Arc of Kona. He also worked with the area’s young men and women encouraging them to continue their education. Dr. McCoy knew early on to think out of the box. He was ahead of his time. When he passed away in 1991, “Doc” McCoy left a legacy behind him, one that has carried forward to the 21st century and beyond. The veterinary practice he started has continued to live on for another 47 years and counting.
Keauhou Veterinary Clinic has had a few owners since those early days, remaining in the same building where Dr. McCoy lived and practiced. Originally built as a residence, the clinic and surgery facility now occupy the entire house. Built in 1963 by Yukio Yamamoto, the post and beam construction is made from koa and ‘ohi‘a. The sloping roof and the architectural details were a beautiful contrast to traditional Hawaiian-style homes in the area. The hand-carved, strong beams spanning over 30 feet are a sight to behold. With hand-crafted metal plates, they have kept the structure in place for many years, through earthquakes and storms. People who remember working on the building often recall stories from that time.
In 2007, Keauhou Veterinary Clinic was purchased by Dr. Jacob Head, a local boy, and his wife Jolene. When they arrived they found the building needed a number of repairs, with a leaking roof, overgrown landscaping and a need for cleaning and reorganizing to be brought up to date. Since purchasing the practice, they have brought a new life to this beautiful old building and updated its veterinary equipment, adding ultrasound, radiology, digital dental radiology, a dental suite, a surgical suite and more.
Though the building is no longer a home for humans, it houses the equipment and tools needed to care for the more than 3,500 clients it serves. It is a testament to the man who had a vision and built a foundation for the veterinary care that started on this island so many years ago. ❖
