Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Lynbrook village board recognized Dr. Alan Baum and Crawford Animal Hospital at its July 13 meeting, honoring the longtime veterinarian for nearly six decades of service to the Lynbrook community.
Baum, 86, developed an interest in veterinary medicine long before he purchased Crawford Animal Hospital, on Merrick Road, from Dr. John Crawford in 1968. He recalled that his mother kept a composition he wrote in second grade in which he declared his intention to become a veterinarian.
Baum attended Cornell University’s College of Agriculture from 1958 to 1960 before entering Cornell’s veterinary school, from which he graduated in 1964. After working at veterinary clinics in Greenvale and Cedarhurst, he took over Crawford’s practice 58 years ago, and has treated the community’s pets at 690 Merrick Road ever since.
“In many instances, I am serving the third generation of local families,” Baum said as he accepted the village’s recognition last month.
Other members of his family followed him into veterinary medicine. Baum’s brother, Gary, also graduated from Cornell’s veterinary school, and joined him at Crawford in 1969. His nephew, Dr. Josh Baum, graduating from Cornell in 2001, and joined the practice the following year, after completing an internship at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan.
Baum also became involved with the Long Island Veterinary Medical Association early in his career, helping to coordinate emergency veterinary coverage among area practices. The system eventually evolved into the Nassau Animal Emergency Clinic, which he served three terms as president.
Over the decades, Baum has seen his profession transformed. When he began practicing, he said, veterinarians were predominantly men, while the field today is mostly women. He has also seen major changes in in the technology available to doctors.
“There were just a few laboratory tests available when I started,” he said. “Now there are a great many more.” He pointed to advances in radiography and the increased availability of MRI, CT and ultrasound imaging as examples of how dramatically veterinary care has advanced during his career.
Baum practiced continuously until May 2018, when surgery forced him to step away from his work for several years. Eventually, however, he decided that he wasn’t ready to leave veterinary medicine behind, and returned to Crawford on a reduced schedule. These days he works about 25 hours a week.
His career has been rewarding, but Baum said that his family has remained his proudest accomplishment. He and his wife, Andrea, have three adult children and five grandchildren. Andrea also spent years working at Crawford in a variety of roles, from receptionist to veterinary technician.
The village board presented Baum with a citation recognizing his decades of service and Crawford Animal Hospital’s longstanding presence in the community. He thanked Mayor Alan Beach and the trustees, as well as his family members, friends and neighbors who attended the meeting.
“Thank you again for my honor,” he said.
