Southwest Pet Hospital: 50 Years of Local, Private, Female Ownership
For half a century, Southwest Pet Hospital has been locally, privately, and female owned-a lasting tradition of personal commitment to Springdale’s pets and the people who love them.
That tradition began in 1976 with Dr. Anita Louise “Sunny” Hinshaw and continues today under Dr. Michelle D. Wendell. Across two generations of female veterinary leadership, Southwest Pet Hospital has remained an independently owned community practice.
A new chapter began when the Mayfields transferred the property to Dr. Hinshaw in May 1976. Known affectionately as “Dr. Sunny,” she was among Northwest Arkansas’s early female veterinarians. She was remembered as a skilled surgeon who made house calls, helped establish the Springdale animal shelter, and opened her home to injured and unwanted animals. Her nearly 35 years of ownership established the foundation for the hospital’s enduring legacy of female leadership.
In February 2011, Dr. Michelle Wendell purchased Southwest Pet Hospital, carrying that legacy forward. Her commitment to individualized patient care, client education, and community service continues the personal approach that has connected the hospital with generations of local families.
Local, private ownership means the hospital’s direction is shaped by a veterinarian who works here, knows its patients and clients, and is invested in the community. At Southwest Pet Hospital, that connection has endured through decades of change and growth in Northwest Arkansas.
In 2026, Southwest Pet Hospital celebrates 50 years of local, private, female ownership and more than five decades as part of Springdale’s veterinary community. It is a history built on personal relationships, compassionate care, and the trust families place in the people caring for their pets.