Home Sweet Gnome

While the clinic name may catch your attention first, a deeper look through the doors of the Homey Gnome Veterinary Clinic shows there is more that makes them a standout environment for staff, clients and the pets they care for.

Remember when the pandemic started? So does Homey Gnome. They were getting ready to open their brand-new clinic after Dr. Noemi Plantz signed the lease on February 26, 2020.

“Oh my God, what did I just do?” Dr. Plantz remembers asking herself as the world went into lockdown.

A daunting task turned into an opportunity. While other clinics had to make the tough decision not to take on new patients, referrals to Homey Gnome came pouring in. Positive reviews on Google and NextDoor App took the kindle from there and lit a fire of tremendous growth. Out of 58 Google reviews as of the end of May 2022, the Homey Gnome has never received lower than a perfect 5-star rating.

With the welcoming approach, Homey Gnome found a needed niche in the Oakdale community. They see around 40% exotics and work with bird and rabbit rescues to provide care. They have a unique comfort room with a separate exit to the outdoors to facilitate and help ease grieving patients. They have a separate cat and exotic room from dog rooms and have been creative with their space by using equipment such as fold up tables in exam rooms. To prevent clutter in the lobby they discharge patients in exam rooms rather than have them check-out in the lobby. Now the clinic that started with four staff members is already up to 13.

The clinic prides themselves on open communication with staff and clients. As a thank you, clients have latched onto the clinic name with gnomes being brought to the clinic for gifts on a regular basis. So many that over 150 gnomes can now be found inside the clinic doors!

An impressive collection but a long way to go for the Guinness Book of World Records biggest gnome collection of over 2,000. Yes, the clinic really checked, and we are pretty sure they are serious about breaking the record by the time Dr. Plantz retires.

So where did the name come from anyway? Dr. Plantz earned the nickname “Nomes” in high school and it stuck with her from high school to undergrad and into vet school.

“As Dr. Plantz prepared to open her own clinic that reflects her devotion to companion animals, she called upon her closest friends to help her choose a name that would do justice to this one-of-a-kind clinic. One friend captured the essence of Dr. Plantz’s vision with a funny drawing of a gnome surrounded by animals and the title “Homey Gnome Animal Clinic.” While the name initially was hilarious to Dr. Plantz, she also loved how endearing and original the name is,” the Homey Gnome website states.

The gnomes aren’t the only personal touch in the clinic. As Dr. Plantz began working with the architects on the clinic she would occasionally bring her daughter Samantha to meetings since she was home due to the virtual state of the world and school. Samantha looked through tiles and colors for the clinic and eventually landed on a look she liked that both the architect and Dr. Plantz fell in love with.

The 9-year-old Samantha has dreams of being a preschool teacher but a career in interior design may be in store as well.

It’s the personal touches, care and heart that have Homey Gnome Veterinary Clinic thriving even after the adversity of opening their doors in a pandemic. It’s easy to see why the Oakdale community has made the clinic home sweet gnome with positive reviews, gifted gnomes and most importantly the trust to care for their pets.