Sitka’s oldest veterinary practice has closed its doors. Dr. Burgess Bauder retired on January 1, after 51 years serving Sitkans and their pets. That Bauder’s practice was unusual is an understatement. In the first place, no one called him “doctor” – ever. He was a commercial cucumber diver and inspired thinker who built one of Sitka’s most iconic landmarks, the Rockwell Lighthouse. He is regarded as a brilliant diagnostician who didn’t just treat animals, he helped their owners understand how illness developed, and how to prevent it. Perhaps most unusual of all: His practice – from the very beginning – was free.