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WE PUT THE ‘CARE’ IN CARETEAM!

We put the patients first!

Practice Administrator

Ed’s childhood dog, Murphy, made a permanent impression on him. He often felt that Murphy was the only one he could talk to, and he never took that for granted. Ed has always known that a career spent giving back to animals would suit him well! Now, he’s proud to serve as the Practice Administrator here at Animal Care Center.

Ed is originally from Fremont, California. He spent many years in retail management, and decided to try his hand in a different field that would still allow him to use his leadership and administrative skills. Veterinary medicine was the perfect fit! Ed knew of Dr. Remsen and the clinic’s excellent reputation in the community, and when the opportunity arose to join the team, he jumped at his chance. The rest is history! Ed has been a member of the hospital family since January of 2021.

Most of Ed’s free time away from work is spent with his family. He and his wife, Dani, have a young daughter named Sophie and also share their home with several pets. They have two beautiful Golden Retrievers, Phineas and Molly, as well as a Lynx Point cat named Sammie and a Maine Coon who goes by Judah.

Ed is an ordained minister and loves to preach and teach in various churches in the area. He’s written two books and is currently working on getting them published. He’s also a sports official and umpires baseball games whenever he gets the chance. He’s umpired all over the country, and was especially honored to officiate two innings behind the plate at Doubleday Field. Ed has even been inducted into the Youth Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York!

April

Licensed Veterinary Technician

When April was growing up, her family had several pets. Looking back, however, she doesn’t really recall ever bringing them to the vet. Back then, animals were treated just like that: animals. Now, as an adult and someone who works in the veterinary field, she finally understands the beauty of the human animal bond, and how these precious souls aren’t just pets – they’re family. Being able to care for them on a daily basis brings April tremendous joy.

Initially, April’s goal was to become a veterinarian. During her final semester of school, however, for a number of reasons, she decided to put that dream on hold. Thanks to her BS in Animal Science, and all the hours of experience she’d amassed in a veterinary hospital, she was able to easily pass the VTNE.

April has been a part of the Animal Care Center team since December of 2008. Professionally, she enjoys performing workups on patients and witnessing the recovery process. There’s nothing like being able to tell an owner that their beloved family member is going to be ok.

At home, April has two cats who are “nuts” – Pecan and Cashew. Pecan is very athletic and will only accept pats if and when she decides she’s ready. Cashew likes to grunt. You can always tell when she’s coming because she’s either meowing loudly or grunting. Both were adopted from the local SPCA within two weeks of one another.

In her spare time, April enjoys reading and watching true crime shows on the Discovery ID channel.

Leslie

Certified Veterinary Technician

When Leslie was a child, she was always coming home with animals that needed care – especially the ones she was told wouldn’t make it. That only made her that much more determined to save them. By age 10, she was already volunteering at a local clinic, so it came as no surprise that she would eventually grow up to work in the veterinary industry!

Over the years, Leslie has worked at a variety of mixed animal practices, serving all kinds of patients, from small animals and livestock to birds and exotics. As a certified veterinary technician, Leslie loves being able to make a difference in the lives of animals and their owners. Professionally, she enjoys looking under the microscope and monitoring anesthesia.

Outside of the clinic, Leslie resides with her husband. Together, they have one child, a dog, three cats, and 18 chickens. When she’s not busy working or tending to her family (human and animal), Leslie’s personal interests include horses, floristry, animal behavior, and continuing her veterinary education.

Haley

Veterinary Assistant

Haley used to have a Pit Bull named Bubba. He quickly became her best friend, and it was those experiences with her beloved dog that left her with no doubt: Haley wanted to do everything in her power to help all of the animals that she possibly could. That’s why she decided to join the world of veterinary medicine!

Originally from Santa Rosa, California, Haley first began volunteering here at the Animal Care Center for a few months before coming on as an employee. She’s been a member of the hospital family ever since December of 2019. Her favorite part of every shift is getting to meet and greet a variety of four-legged patients, and she’s also fond of keeping the hospital sparkling through her cleaning efforts.

Away from work, Haley likes softball, volleyball, and skateboarding.

Tiana

Veterinary Assistant

Growing up in Fort Collins, Tiana loved being part of a large, loving family whom she cherishes to this day. She knew at a young age that she wanted to work with animals one day, and as she got older, that desire only strengthened. As a veterinary assistant, Tiana loves playing a role in helping pets live their best lives!

Tiana’s career journey began with an internship at a spay and neuter rescue organization in Fort Collins. From there, she continued to learn the ropes and develop her skills. After moving to Fernley in September of 2023, Tiana decided to join the Animal Care Center team and hasn’t looked back since. Clinically, she enjoys assisting with surgery and educating clients on how to best care for their furry family members.

At home, Tiana is surrounded by love from her six cats. In her spare time, when she’s not cuddling with her kitties, you can usually find her hanging out with her younger brothers. Tiana’s other interests include watching Marvel movies and fostering animals until they can be placed in their fur-ever homes.

Valene

Assistant Technician

While Valene has always loved animals, it wasn’t until she was working in home health care for humans that she was inspired to make a career out of it. One of her patients, whom Valene became incredibly close with, recognized the desire to work with pets and encouraged Valene to pursue her dreams. After that patient passed, Valene decided to honor her by applying for a job at a nearby vet clinic. After two weeks of persistence, she was hired as a kennel assistant, and the rest is history!

Never one to be complacent, Valene set to work learning as much as she could with the goal of climbing the ladder as quickly as possible. Following her initial role at a clinic in Paradise, CA, she moved on to work at a horse rescue ranch in Oroville. Shortly thereafter, she and her boyfriend relocated to Ashland, OR, where they lived on a cattle farm while Valene worked at a local vet clinic. During this time, she also volunteered at the Oregon Tiger Sanctuary. In late 2022, Valene and her boyfriend moved to Nevada to be closer to friends and family.

In January 2023, Valene joined the Animal Care Center team as an assistant technician. Professionally, she enjoys being around people who share the same interests as her – namely animals. She also loves communicating with clients about their pets’ health and wellbeing. Most of all, Valene appreciates the opportunity she has every day to nurture animals and help keep them in good health. She has now worked in the veterinary industry for 10 years and as a veterinary technician for the past 4 years!

At home, Valene has three fur babies of her own. Jax, the oldest pup of the bunch, loves to run, play ball, and swim. It took Valene all of 10 minutes to teach him how to get soda from the fridge. Jax’s brother Milo isn’t quite as quick on his feet. In fact, his only speed is doofy. Milo prefers to spend his time napping on the couch or watching Jax do marathons in the back yard. Then there’s Oco Loco Ohana Kitty Kitty Meow. (Yes… your read that correctly.) Oco Loco is a bit of a disgruntled teenager but is deeply loved despite her attitude.

James

Kennel Care Technician

Growing up on a farm in Western Pennsylvania, James found himself constantly surrounded by animals, from cattle and horses to pigs and other creatures of the wild. This experience, along with being active in 4H and FFA, fostered his deep respect for animals. It wasn’t until much later in life, however, that James would find himself working with them on a professional basis.

When James initially applied to work in our kennel, he did so to fill a void in his daily schedule. Simply put, he was looking for a part time job that would fit in with his regular volunteer and bowling activities. He quickly discovered, however, that being part of a dedicated team and interacting with animals was far more rewarding than he’d ever imagined.

Professionally, James really enjoys talking to our patients. As crazy as it may sound, he truly believe that animals understand that we are trying to comfort and help them. His biggest influence work-wise is Mouser, who faithfully greets him upon his arrival to the clinic. Of course, being fed is his primary motivation, but James kind of likes being depended upon, and sure doesn’t want to let that sweet kitty down.

Outside of work, James resides with his wife of 44 years, Judy. The couple have three daughters and five grandchildren. Their fur family consists of three cats: Crosby, Tony, and Breanna; and three dogs: Sampson, Riley, and Coco; all of whom were rescued from shelters and get along well with one another.

A retired US Navy Veteran, James’ main interests include bowling and working with animals. He regularly volunteers at a local shelter, walking and socializing dogs. He is also actively involved in several bowling leagues and participates in tournaments whenever he can. He and Judy have been blessed with a great church family that loves to give back to the community.

Chelsea

Client Care Specialist

As a Client Care Specialist, Chelsea loves to be the smiling face in the front office that greets all clients and patients. She cares deeply for the health and well-being of all and feels very compassionately when it comes to animals… she’s often a real “softy” as she refers to animals as family members that speak a different language. She enjoys being able to meet new people and furry friends.

Chelsea grew up in Montana and moved to Nevada in 2005. Although she had many cats in her household growing up, she was always more of a dog person. Chelsea currently has 1 dog named London that she adopted from the SPCA in Reno (who is 4-5 years old) and she has 2 snakes named Lucy and Stark.

Veronica

Client Care Specialist

When Veronica lost her childhood German Shepherd, Ramona, it made a permanent impression. She knew right away that she wanted to enter the world of animal care and help as many pets as she possibly could. Her dream never wavered. Veronica is proud to help pets and animal parents as a part of Animal Care Center’s Client Care Specialist team!

Veronica is originally from Oakland, California and attended Western Career College in San Leandro as a part of the veterinary office manager and technician program. After her schooling, she signed on at a practice in Alameda, California, then began working nights at another emergency hospital to gain crucial experience in critical care. Next, Veronica worked at a clinic in her hometown of Oakland before moving to this area to be closer to family. In November of 2020, she signed on here at Animal Care Center, and the rest is history!

In her spare time, Veronica likes cooking, crafting and making photo albums, and spending quality time with her family. She and her husband, Mark, have two grown sons, Manuel and Marcus, as well as three wonderful grandsons and a fourth grandbaby on the way very soon.

Lisa

Receptionist

As a little girl, Lisa was far more interested in stuffed animals than she was in dolls. As she got older, her attention shifted to living critters, and she shared her company with plenty of them over the years, including hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, mice, birds, lizards, and dogs. It came as no surprise that Lisa would one day grow up to work in the veterinary industry.

Lisa’s professional journey began at age 20, when she landed a job as a veterinary receptionist. Since that time, she’s worked at a variety of different places, including a cat-only practice, a specialty-emergency practice, several small animal and exotics clinics, and now Animal Care Center. Professionally, Lisa loves comforting patients, helping colleagues, and connecting with clients over pet stories.

Since Lisa and her husband have no children, they’ve surrounded themselves with a plethora of furry, feathered, and scale-covered babies, including two dogs (Sheba and Attila), five cats (Simba, Steve, Opal, Rocket, and Aurora), three birds, and five fish.

Meowser

Clinic Ambassador Cat

Meowser has always been a browser. His favorite pastime is eating. He is a big fan of chips, but if it’s a healthy snack, it’s a no-go.

Meowser showed up at an employee’s home as an intact, beat-up stray looking for affection and a home.

After fixing him up and vaccinating him, he stayed in the clinic and got his name because he was quite the meowing cat.

Now he roams the clinic with many jobs under his belt. He is the mascot, security, greeter, supervisor and a fearless protector.

He likes to be held like a baby or ride on your hip.

There are many people who want to keep him because he is a very mellow, social, and sweet cat.

We got lucky the day he showed up in 2017. Even though he’s opened and eaten lots of food in the clinic (he’s just testing it to make sure it’s up to standard), we are so happy to call him one of ours.

Meowser is loved by All.

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WE PUT THE ‘CARE’ IN CARETEAM!