Adopted: March 2011
Number of pets: 2 rabbits, 3 dogs, 6 cats, 3 chickens and 5 fish
Icicle Smeigh first came to Patton Veterinary Hospital as a job shadow student while attending Dallastown High School. The experience convinced her that a lifelong passion for animals would be a perfect fit for a career in the veterinary field. She joined the PVH staff in March 2011, and today serves as a valuable member of the nursing team.
“I’ve always been an animal person,” she says, eager to tell tales about her adventures as a pet mom to any number of dogs, cats and rabbits. In fact one dog in particular formed a bond with her the moment their eyes met—a miniature Australian shepherd named Aspen.
During a visit to a local farmers market, Icicle spotted a litter of puppies for sale, with one tiny 6 week old male cowering in the corner as his larger litter mates bullied him. Deaf in one ear and blind in one eye, the little pup had been marked down in price due to his physical “flaws”. Icicle scooped him up in her arms, paid the money and took him home, knowing that “He was meant to be mine.”
Special in her own right, Icicle frequently relates the story of her unusual name to curious PVH clients. Born in January on one of the coldest days of that winter, a rare and temporary medical anomaly caused her to emerge with white eyes and white hair. Her family jokingly tossed around the name because of the very large icicle that hung outside her mother’s hospital window. But as the days passed and the baby’s eyes morphed into a spectacular shade of ice blue, the family decided that the name was quite appropriate.
Icicle is currently attending courses through Penn Foster, where she is pursuing a veterinary technician degree.