Veterinarian brothers, CSU grads land on Animal Planet show

Erin Udell
The Coloradoan

Colorado's Fox Hollow Animal Hospital is a family affair and, thanks to a sweet moment that went viral two years ago, it will have some time in the spotlight soon.

The Lakewood veterinary clinic — run by patriarch Dr. Tony Henderson and staffed with his two veterinarian sons, CSU graduates Ross and Ryan — will be the center of Animal Planet's new show, "Hanging With the Hendersons."

The show premieres Friday at 7 p.m. MT. 

Littleton veterinarians Ross, Tony and Ryan Henderson (from left to right) will be the center of Animal Planet's new series, "Hanging With the Hendersons."

The Hendersons found themselves in a viral moment when the clinic's Facebook page posted a video of Ross Henderson, now 30, singing and strumming his guitar for a nervous patient — a dog named Ruby — before her spay surgery in late April 2017. 

The video has been viewed more than 800,000 times since then and was quickly featured on NBC's Today, The Dodo and several news stations. 

"It was just a crazy whirlwind," his older brother Ryan said over the phone Thursday, recalling the day the video took off and his phone blew up with texts from his family. 

Ryan Henderson, 33, graduated from CSU with his bachelor's degree in biology in 2007 and master's degree in biomedical sciences in 2008. He graduated from veterinary school in Illinois four years later and took a job at Fox Hollow in 2013. 

Ross Henderson graduated from CSU in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences, according to the university. He went on to get his degree in veterinary surgery at the Royal School of Veterinary Sciences in Scotland in 2015. 

Ryan and Ross are two of four Henderson sons, all of whom grew up visiting their dad at work. Tony Henderson, who is originally from Ireland, opened Fox Hollow Animal Hospital in Lakewood in 1996. 

"It just looked like a lot of fun," Ryan said of watching his father interact with patients and their owners. "He definitely made it look easy, though." 

After his brother's musical chops went viral — and people realized Fox Hollow was family-run — production companies came calling and talks of a TV show started, Ryan said. 

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"I didn’t become a veterinarian to become famous, so it was definitely something that we talked a lot of as a family," Ryan said.

While Ryan is artistic, he's also admittedly shy and not a natural performer like Ross. But the Hendersons as a whole are big on stepping out of comfort zones, Ryan added. 

"We grew up dirt biking, but hitting the biggest jumps," he explained. "There was no way we were going to say no (to a show). We would have regrets if we said no." 

"Hanging With the Hendersons" will follow life at the family-run clinic, documenting daily vet visits and house calls. It will also feature the Henderson matriarch — Tony's wife and the boys' mother, Debbie — and a third Henderson son, Cole, who both work at Fox Hollow Animal Hospital. 

For a full schedule of more air dates, or to watch the premiere episode after it's aired Friday, head to animalplanet.com.

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Littleton veterinarians Ryan, Ross and Tony Henderson (from left to right) will be the center of Animal Planet's new series, "Hanging With the Hendersons."