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Hartington veterinarians helped showcase rural Nebraska to the nation
HARTINGTON — What started as a career decision for two young veterinarians turned into a nationally televised love letter to rural Nebraska.
Drs. Ben and Erin Schroeder, owners of Cedar County Veterinary Clinic, say choosing Hartington over opportunities in larger communities and other states was one of the best decisions they ever made.
“There were opportunities for us to go anywhere, and we decided this was the best spot to raise our family,” Ben Schroeder said. “And we’ve had the best time living here.”
The couple, who later became nationally known through the television series “Heartland Docs, DVM,” were recently featured in a Nebraska Department of Economic Development story highlighting rural living and veterinary careers in the state.
The Schroeders operate the veterinary clinic founded by Ben’s father and care for both large and small animals throughout Northeast Nebraska. Ben said the variety of work is one of the things he enjoys most about rural veterinary medicine.
“You might be delivering a litter of kittens or puppies in the morning, and then you’re doing a C-section on a cow two hours later,” he said. “That night you might get a call to go sew up a horse laceration. Literally anything that calls in, you get to handle it.”
Ben’s interest in veterinary medicine began while watching his father serve area farmers and pet owners through the Hartington clinic. After earning veterinary degrees at Kansas State University, Ben and Erin had opportunities to practice elsewhere, including near Erin’s hometown in New York.
Instead, they chose Hartington. Erin said the sense of community and family support in rural Nebraska stood out immediately.
“The support and the lifestyle for young families wasn’t necessarily there in other places,” she said. “That’s really one of the big reasons we chose to come to Nebraska. It’s a great place to raise a family.”
Their life in Cedar County eventually attracted national attention. The couple’s efforts to renovate historic Hartington buildings — including the old Hartington Hotel and Globe Clothing building — led to media coverage and ultimately caught the attention of National Geographic television producers.
Rather than traveling around the country for the proposed show, the Schroeders insisted the series be based in Nebraska and centered on their rural veterinary practice. The result was five seasons of “Heartland Docs, DVM,” which showcased life in Hartington and communities across the state.
The show followed the couple as they treated animals ranging from household pets to livestock while also highlighting Nebraska communities, agriculture and rural life.
“We go on dates in our vet truck,” Ben joked in the feature story. “We go, ‘Okay, let’s go sew up this prolapse then we’ll grab some supper on our way home.'
The Schroeders said the television experience also deepened their appreciation for Nebraska and the opportunities available in rural communities.
“The work ethic in this community and this area is unbelievable,” Ben said. “From the farmers we see every day to the construction workers — and it’s passed from generation to generation.”
Now more than two decades after settling in Hartington, the couple says they remain grateful they chose Cedar County as home.
“It’s been a great life,” Erin said. “It’s not the good life; it’s the great life.”
