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    • Home
    • Patient Centre
      • What to expect
      • Take A tour
      • Video Tutorials
      • Veterinary Resources
      • Payment Options
    • Appointment Forms
    • About Us
      • Charlies Story
      • Services
      • Meet Our Vets
      • Meet our Staff
      • Accessibility Policy
    • Rehabilitation Referral
    • Contact/After Hours Care
    • Shop
  • Home
  • Patient Centre
    • What to expect
    • Take A tour
    • Video Tutorials
    • Veterinary Resources
    • Payment Options
  • Appointment Forms
  • About Us
    • Charlies Story
    • Services
    • Meet Our Vets
    • Meet our Staff
    • Accessibility Policy
  • Rehabilitation Referral
  • Contact/After Hours Care
  • Shop

Charlie's Story

 

Lyon Rapley was born in Strathroy in 1890 and died of diphtheria in 1894, at the age of four.  Manfred and Annie Rapley, his parents, lived at 132 Front St. W. across from what is now the Strathroy United Church.  They had a life-sized statue of a dog cast, which they displayed on their front lawn for many years in memory of Lyon.  Manfred Rapley died in 1935 and his wife in 1939.  During her terminal illness, Mrs. Rapley was nursed by Mrs. Amy Holt R.N. and before her death gave the Dalmatian statue to Mrs. Holt.


They, in turn, displayed the dog each summer on their front lawn at 158 High Street.  As the years passed, Charlie Holt became a good friend of Dr. Allan Marshall, a Veterinarian, and when a new animal clinic was planned by Dr. Marshall and Dr. Floyd Denning, Charlie Holt gave Dr. Marshall the statue for the clinic.


The clinic was built in 1974 and “Charlie” as he was now called, took up residence on the front lawn of the clinic at 425 Frances St. and still, into his second century is on guard at the front door.

Our thanks to Miss Charlotte Rapley, a niece of Manfred Rapley, for her help with this information.

Strathroy Animal Clinic

425 Frances Street, Strathroy, Ontario N7G 2L7, Canada

5192451153

Copyright © 2022 Strathroy Animal Clinic - All Rights Reserved.

After Hours Update

London Regional Veterinary Emergency & Referral Hospital will be closed from Fridays at 7 am until Sundays at 7am.  If you are an active client and have an emergency during these times please call


647-695-5411


This number is our RVT triage line through Smart.Vet, you can also reach this service by calling the clinic after hours.



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