As a boy, John Brajkovich lived in Caledon where he grew up knowing he wanted to be a veterinarian. In fact, Dr. John, as he is known, now has his veterinarian practice in Caledon Village, the very point in Caledon where he was raised.

Following his own lead as a young student, John went on from Mayfield S.S. to do his undergrad studies at the University of Guelph. Then, he stayed on at Guelph to study veterinary medicine.

After Guelph, John went to work in various clinics in the USA, where he learned the trade in a practical way.

Finally, he came back to the Caledon area, where he worked for a veterinary clinic in Bolton.

"The vet there was very kind to me and very helpful," he remembers. "He taught me a lot about the business of running a clinic — being a vet is, after all, also a business," he commented.

It is more than caring for animals that interests Dr. John. His real passion is for surgery, especially orthopaedic surgery. To this interest, he has added a stream of certificates from several institutions around the continent. The certificates line the walls of his examination rooms, proof of his thirst to continue learning and growing in his profession.

In 2002, Dr. John moved into his own clinic in Caledon Village, Caledon Mountain Veterinary Clinic, tending to small animals of all kinds, but specializing particularly in orthopaedic surgery.

One day, there was an emergency, when the dog on which John was operating was in need of whole blood. As it happened, he was able to obtain some from a clinic in Toronto and to conclude the surgery successfully. However, the incident gave him pause for thought and an idea.

It occurred to him that it might be a good plan to develop a blood donor clinic for dogs.

"I'm sorry I don't have cats' blood," he remarked, "but we have a good supply of dogs' blood here."

Here is how he makes it work. He keeps a lookout for qualified dog donors, which should be 50 pounds or heavier and in good health. He tests each donor for disease or parasites and establishes a symbiotic, as it were, relationship with each of his donor clients.

In this way, because Dr. John specializes in orthopaedic surgery, there is always fresh blood in the clinic to help deal with any emergency that might develop over the course of a surgical procedure.

Certain breeds of dogs that can be pre-deposed to needing transfusions, Dr. John told me, and having a supply in the clinic is very helpful.

In addition, there have been times, when, as he was assisted during the surgery that inspired his own blood donor clinic, his supply of blood has, at times, been useful for other clinics.

"A clinic with an emergency need for whole blood can call us and come and pick it up," he explained. "There is a cost involved, of course, for the bag and so forth."

The blood at the clinic is only kept for a month, after which it needs to be refreshed.

Of course, John does not manage his life on his own. He is married to Dana, who also works some of the time in the clinic and, generally, keeps their lives organized. They have three children, the youngest of whom is only a year old.

So, life is very full for young Dr. John with his practice and his ambitions always to learn more.

He has, perhaps even more importantly, a reputation for compassion, not only for the animals he tends but for their owners as well. There are plenty of testimonials in local papers and even one or two on his walls, as to his caring and empathetic treatment of patients and owners.

It is one thing to work hard to get where you are. It is another to earn the friendship and respect of the people you deal with on the way.

It seems this is Dr. John Brajkovich's way.