I agree with Karen:

I would try the new vet with the kitties, and if they seem worthy, then you could bring Kia and Chipper around just so they are familiar with them in case of an emergency. 45 minutes might not seem long now, but with a dog in crisis, it'll seem like forever.
When we moved, we found there were 3 vets in the new area where we moved. So Dick went and interviewed vets until he found one that he liked. Ten years later, we're still taking them there.