14-03-2025
Dr. Michael Newman asking for $50M to start Newman Veterinary Research Hospital
Mar. 14—Dr. Michael Newman held a meeting Wednesday with about 12 people, some state and city representatives, and presented his proposal for the Newman Veterinary Research Hospital in Decatur.
The proposal needs $50 million to get started.
"To me it's so fundamental and so necessary to get going. I just hate that it costs so much these days to get these things going," Newman said. "But we need to get it done. This is something we should have done 100 years ago. If we get this done correctly, it'll be a big deal for the people of this country."
Newman said the hospital will produce a lot of information.
"Not only for our dogs and pets, but also for us," he said. "It's going to take initial financing to get it started correctly, and that's what I'm really asking for."
The plan, Newman said, is to house the research hospital in his former Veterinary Regional Referral Hospital building located at 2117 Veterans Drive S.E. He said he still needs an MRI among other medical equipment.
"To get the right people, to get them hired. The right people are going to require pretty good salaries. And then we do need to get expensive pieces of equipment," Newman said. "We can use the facility we have there right now for the first year; shouldn't be a problem. But after that, we're going to have to spend another million to get that thing expanded and get it the way we need to do it."
Newman plans for the hospital to be similar to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, only for dogs and cats. He said the pet owners will not have to pay for their animals to be treated and they will even be able to stay on site with their pets.
In attendance were state Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, state Rep. Parker Moore, R-Hartselle, state Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, and Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, among others.
"Now that we have a specific numerical ask, that gives us something to go by," said Orr, who previously said he is interested in working with Newman. "However, that is a large amount to consider, and the larger the dollars the steeper hill to climb. It is encouraging to hear Dr. Newman's vision and dream and realize what a significant contributor it could be to the area, state and certainly humanity."
At the meeting, Bowling said for the city to help out, they would need to see a feasibility study.
"I think it's a big idea, the research, and it's certainly needed and would offer value," he said. "We need to be able to see facts that support the data that it will have an economic impact to provide return on the taxpayer money. That type of investment is pretty significant."
Moore also said he would need to see a feasibility study.
"Right now, I think the overall concept is good. I just want to get the hard facts on a feasibility study to make sure it's actually viable in our community," he said. "I want to make sure that if we were to commit any kind of resources or put forth anything that we're doing so with our best foot forward, and having those details, proof in the backing that it's viable."
Moore said he is not yet looking at going after funding for the hospital.
"We will certainly look at that and address it when the time comes," he said. "Just hearing about a lot of that yesterday was the first time we have really looked at that or been presented with that information. So, we'll just have to see what transpires when that feasibility study comes in and we sit down and we kind of start diving deeper into it."
Newman said the hospital will have a big impact on Decatur.
"If we get this built correctly, such a research hospital will have folks from all over the country working in it," he said. "There'll be eventually hundreds of people working in it. It'll make a big difference."
Newman said he plans to quickly hire whoever he needs to in order to have a feasibility study performed.
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