NEWBURY — After over three decades of treating Fluffy, Fido and other pets, Newbury Animal Hospital owner John Grillo recently announced he would be handing over the reins and stepping into retirement.
“I’m pleased to share that, as of Aug. 31, 2026, the practice is being entrusted to a new medical director, Dr. Deborah Burba, who will be taking over operations,” Grillo said, in his announcement posted to the hospital’s Facebook page on Sunday. “She has been a respected part of the Greater Newburyport community for many years, and we are very lucky to welcome her to Newbury Animal Hospital.”
On Monday, Burba said she has been a veterinarian for 26 years, practicing in the region for the last 11.
“I currently live in Amesbury,” Burba said. “When I was approached with this opportunity, it was a way for me to be an owner, but not to have to take on all the responsibility of running the hospital, but being the medical director, I can help lead the veterinary team to continue on Dr. Grillo’s legacy of what he’s established over the last 40-plus years.
While Burba is set to serve as the new medical director, she is actually one of three new co-owners. She is joined by Dr. Peter Glassman and his son, Ben Glassman.
The father and son duo founded Boston’s Brookville Veterinary Health in January “with the goal of partnering with the next generation of independent veterinary hospital owners.”
“Our goal really is to be an alternative to the corporatization of veterinary health and to provide support and facilitate new ownership opportunities for younger veterinarians who want to own their own practice,” Ben Glassman said.
His father, Peter Glassman, brings 43 years of veterinary experience to the hospital.
“I feel like we know how to grow a practice,” Peter Glassman said. “We know how to provide exceptional care. And with Deb leading the medical team and leading the business side, it’s a great formula for success and getting where our vision wants to take us.”
They all agreed they want to build on the “exceptional” hospital Grillo left them.
“We want to grow the hospital back to where it was when it was a five- or six-person practice, number one, but we want to go beyond that,” Peter Glassman said. “We want to provide opportunities for staff and opportunities for clients by providing a wider scope of services, more convenient hours, an updated hospital, updated both sort of physically, but IT upgrades that will make communications a lot easier and make the entire visit experience more pleasurable. At the same time, we’re providing the same extraordinary care.
Grillo thanked his “incredible staff” for all the hard work and effort they have put into the practice.
“Your care, teamwork, and compassion have been the heart of this practice. You have helped countless pets feel safe, supported, and loved—day after day, appointment after appointment. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I have full confidence in the team who will continue this mission,” Grillo wrote.
Matt Petry covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: mpetry@northofboston.com.