St Francis Animal Hospital

my Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Veterinary Technology in December 2015 and became a Certified Veterinary Technician in April 2016.

My main professional interest is in veterinary dermatology. I briefly worked at McKeever Dermatology but came back to St. Francis as the Director of Dermatology Services.

I live in the Como neighborhood of St. Paul with my husband, Nick; daughter, Elena; and three dogs: Bella, Tweenie, and Molly. Outside of work, I like walking or biking around Como Lake, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

I have always loved animals from a young age and knew that I wanted to be in this field. I have grown up with dogs and cats, and to me, they were as much a part of the family as humans.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I love caring for animals every day, from helping when they are sick to as small as giving them a well-deserved treat. My favorite aspect of this field is dermatology. Allergies in pets can be a challenge sometimes, but it’s so rewarding when I can help with managing our itchy, scratchy friends.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?

I truly love my job and feel so fortunate to work alongside our compassionate doctors and staff.

Even with all the changes during COVID, we do our best to make our patients feel safe, loved, and cared for as soon as they walk through the doors. They deserve the best quality care and that’s something that they will receive here at St. Francis.

in 2012 following her junior year at Roseville Area High School. She graduated in 2017 from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Global Studies (BA) with a regional emphasis in Latin America, and minors in Animal Science and Biology. She is currently in her fourth year of veterinary school at the University of Minnesota (Class of 2022).

Outside of work, she spends her free time biking, reading, traveling, hammocking, and teaching her dog Foxy new tricks.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

There are so many aspects of veterinary medicine that I love, but I’d have to say my favorite one is getting to see a patient make a full recovery from illness because of our care. Our pets are truly members of our families, so it’s a privilege to be entrusted with their care and to help them get back to their full potential.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St Francis is unique in that they provide outstanding mentorship to people who want to pursue a career in the veterinary field. Dr. Blair generously started letting me shadow her when I was in high school, and I’ve been here ever since! Now, I’m a veterinary student and have been working at St Francis for eight years. The mentorship I and other veterinary students have received from the doctors and staff has been invaluable in our education, and they have gone above and beyond in making sure we will have the skills necessary to be great veterinarians. Mentoring veterinary students are no easy task, and the fact they take the time to do it says a lot about the character of the people who work here. I feel very fortunate to work alongside such wonderful people!

Science with an equine management emphasis in 2015. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she managed the University climbing wall, was president of the rock-climbing club and spent time as a wrangler in Glacier and Rocky Mountain National Parks. She joined the St. Francis team in 2016 as a Veterinary Assistant, and then was promoted to the role of a Veterinary Technician in early 2019.

She currently lives in her hometown of Lakeville with her fiancé, Travis; a red lab, Cedar; a border collie mix, Arrow; and a three-legged cat, Grim. When she is not at work, she spends the majority of her time at the gym, hiking with the dogs, rock climbing, biking, or trail running. In her downtime, she is usually reading a book, listening to music or podcasts, or planning her next trip.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I grew up around animals of all kinds. Over the years, I’ve had a wide array of animal friends including pocket pets, birds, reptiles, and amphibians as well as various farm animals and horses. I truly love them all! My favorite thing about veterinary medicine is that I get to help animals in need and that every day is different and full of opportunities to learn or see something new.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I feel extremely grateful to have found such a dedicated and talented group of people to not only call my co-workers but my second family as well. I also really have enjoyed getting to know all of our wonderful clients and patients over the years. St. Francis really stands out because of the range of modalities that we offer in order to address every pet’s individual needs, as well as a passionate team who truly cares about kindness and healing.

Cities area and I share my home with my green cheek conure, Jazz. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, bowling, playing softball and volleyball, and hanging out with friends. I joined St. Francis Animal Hospital in February 2018 shortly after receiving my Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Animal Science, with a Companion Animal emphasis, from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in December 2017. I’m currently enrolled in a Veterinary Technology Associate’s Degree program with Penn Foster in order to become a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT).

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

I love being a Veterinary Assistant because I enjoy working hands-on with animals while assisting our veterinarians and technicians with veterinary procedures. Animals have been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember and I enjoy knowing how different species are built as well as how their body systems work. No day is exactly the same in veterinary medicine which makes my job that much more interesting. As a pet owner, I know that our animals are considered family members and we want what’s best for them physically and emotionally. I have a passion for the health, care, and well-being of animals that we consider family members.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?

The staff members at St. Francis Animal Hospital are committed to core values of respect, integrity, compassion, excellence, and dedication. St. Francis Animal Hospital has an excellent reputation for having highly-trained, educated, and compassionate staff who maintain positive relationships with their clients. The staff members at St. Francis use Fear Free practices to decrease stress levels within the clinic for both you and your pet. By implementing Fear Free practices, animals are less nervous for trips to the vet. In turn, going to the vet can be a positive, rewarding experience. The veterinarians, technicians, and assistants truly care about you and your pets. I’m honored to work alongside such a great group of people!

I have my interest in companion and exotic species. When I’m not in school, I’m either traveling, spending as much time in the sun, or spending time with my loved ones; which include my senior dog and my mom.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I love veterinary medicine because it gives me the opportunity to be a part of a community that gives a voice to those who don’t have one. Animals mean so much to me and being able to help them gives me a purpose.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St. Francis is special because of its genuine passion. The goals and ethics of this clinic are at the focus of improving veterinary medicine for both pets and owners. I love working here because it allows me to be a part of a community that shares a deeper love for animals. I also love that our clinic has integrative services and has become very fond of our acupuncture patients. Especially since I have a soft spot for our senior pets and enjoy engaging in palliative care.

biology research. In my free time, I love to clicker train my two cats, sew, read, and spend time outdoors.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is working with “spicy” animals, especially cats and exotics. I find it extremely rewarding to help animals have less fear and anxiety about veterinary visits. I currently plan to specialize in behavior after vet school graduation and I am certified in Fear Free and Feline Friendly techniques. I also love working with all of the exotic species we see at St Francis.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I have been a client at St Francis since 2012 and finally joined the team in 2018. I have always loved St Francis because of the kind, empathetic individuals that work here. They truly care about the patients and are just wonderful people to work with!

Paul to start a family. We have 2 children (Steven Jr and Mariha), 3 cats (Wishbone, Midnight, and Charlie), and my Rottie girl, Shamrock. We love to play board games, especially Monopoly (we have quite the collection too) as a family every chance we get! We love our family time together, especially now that the kids are teenagers, you take whatever time you can get to make the memories.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I knew from a very young age (like 1 or 2) that I wanted to go into veterinary medicine, like most in this field I wanted to be a vet. Though threw the years I learned that being a veterinary technician was my true calling. I graduated from Globe University in December of 2013 and have been loving the vet tech life ever since. I would say that my favorite part of veterinary medicine is making bonds with each patient that comes through and educating their people. Though I enjoy all of the bigger dogs, my heart is with the black and tan babies. I love having conversations with all the fur babies that visit us every day! Honestly, what’s better than having a furry friend to snuggle with when you are having a rough day? Love it!!!

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I started here at St. Francis in April of 2020, why not change jobs in the middle of a pandemic? I would have to say that I am glad that I did. I love how nice everyone is, how understanding, and just the feeling that it is a family. Truly a home away from home. Everyone here is also willing to help you, some even know when you need help without you even knowing you needed the help! An added bonus is that our clients are amazing as well. I have never worked in a place that the owner cared so much about her employees. What an awesome place to work!

I’m loving the city! I have two cats, Gustav (orange) and Auggie (shoulder cat). They live with my boyfriend Ian and I at our apartment. In my free time, I enjoy biking, skiing (nordic and alpine), rock climbing, fishing, going to concerts, and sailing. I graduated from Bemidji State in the Spring of 2020 with a degree in Wildlife Biology. In my senior year, I participated in research with the MN DNR on Chronic Wasting Disease in white-tailed deer. I worked with several veterinarians and pre-vet students, and after spending time with them, I realized I wanted to pursue veterinary medicine. I’ve always wanted to work with animals, hence my Wildlife Biology degree, but was never exposed to veterinary medicine until this opportunity. I’m currently taking prerequisite courses online to apply to veterinary school in Fall 2021.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is being around animals and people that love animals as much as I do! I also love that there’s always something new to learn, whether it’s about animal behavior or anatomy and physiology. St. Francis puts a lot of emphasis on fear-free methods and I enjoy working with our pets to ensure their experience at the vet is as enjoyable as possible. I love a pet that takes treats and gives lots of snuggles but also enjoys the more “spicy” pets that require some creativity.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St. Francis is truly an amazing place to work. Our whole team lives by our values: excellence, compassion, dedication, respect, and integrity. In addition to this, our team is very supportive and caring to not only each other but also to clients and patients. Every day is a learning experience and I have gained so much knowledge regarding veterinary medicine. I have also found interests such as fear-free methods, animal behavior, acupuncture, and radiology that have emerged from my experience here at St. Francis. St. Francis has also secured my love for veterinary medicine and the people that work in this field. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to work with great people and our pets every day!

of Minnesota. I grew up in Bismarck, ND with animals all around! We have 150 Angus cows, goats, pigs, sheep, horses, cats, and dogs. I have five foster kittens that I have raised this summer, my family just got a new puppy to join the family, and our other dog is Bandit. My younger brother is 19 and my younger sister is 14. As for hobbies, I simply enjoy taking time for myself in such a hectic world. This could be anything from relaxing with a good book or taking an exercise class, hanging out with friends, or just catching up on my favorite television show.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I absolutely love veterinary medicine because of the ability for us to help our four-legged “fur babies”. They cannot speak and I feel like people in veterinary medicine offer a voice to them. We are able to advocate for them and help ensure they have the best life possible. There is never a shortage of unique cases and mysteries that our profession is set out to tackle and solve. I love that it is always challenging me and my knowledge that I have learned while in veterinary college.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I think for me, I have never been surrounded by so many people who truly what to teach and help me succeed. I never worry about asking too many questions because I know someone will always be able to answer them. And with that, the knowledge of the staff and dedication to what they do is so amazing and inspiring for me who truly still has so much to learn and a long journey ahead of me within the veterinary profession. I know that working at St. Francis was probably the best decision I have made while in undergrad and there is so much that St. Francis has provided me to help tackle veterinary college!

cats and a wonderful flock of chickens. Our Bengal cat Walter is a curious creature, who loves to talk! Our beautiful barn cats enjoy playing, eating, and visiting us (and Walter) inside from time to time. Last but not least our flock – we have a variety of chickens ranging from Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Easter Eggers, and a stunning rooster name Newster. My favorite thing is to spoil each and every one of our animals as often as possible.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite aspect of my daily veterinary life is puppies!! Puppies will always put a smile on my face. The most rewarding and (sometimes) difficult part of my job is behavioral health. Fear Free is one of my new passions. Being able to make a difference in these pets’ lives is so rewarding. I also enjoy continuing education with pet parents and staff members. Lastly, I love being part of anesthesia for our surgery and dentistry patients.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I started at St Francis in 2003. St Francis has challenged and supported me throughout the years. The level of caring for their patients and employees goes well above and beyond. St Francis always strives for exceptional medicine. As an employee and pet parent, I so appreciate this. I want the absolute best for my animals as well as yours.

our two sons Jack and Vincent and our two older dogs, a Jack Russell named Tucker, and Pit Bull mix Gabriel. My time is frequently spent with my oversized family, doing craft projects, or at classic car shows.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
I had a tragic introduction to animal care at a young age. Since then, I had dedicated my life to taking the best care I could possibly offer to my pets and eventually expanded that into the community with veterinary care. I especially love being able to volunteer for non-profits that offer veterinary care for those that cannot afford it.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
I love the quality of medicine and the level of care that comes from the heart of each of our staff members for our patients. You cannot find a more caring team for an animal, in my opinion.

small animal medicine and absolutely love working with furry critters and their humans; so much so that I am also attending nursing school to be able to truly help on both sides of medicine.

My husband Mitch and I have a busy house with our four fur babies of our own. Our two cats enjoy sunbathing, snuggling, and ‘hiding’ in boxes, and our two dogs enjoy just about everything in life, but especially a good game of tug-of-war, running around outside, snuggles, and of course, food. As for us humans, we really just enjoy spending time with our fur babies, family, and going hiking.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?

I have a wide range of experience in veterinary medicine. I started out as a kennel assistant and working at a humane society at the beginning of the veterinary technology program. Towards the end, I also worked as a triage technician then CVT at an emergency facility while also working as a CVT at a second small animal practice until I finally found my home at St. Francis.

Although I am also going to nursing school, I don’t have any intention of leaving veterinary medicine. Working with animals and their humans is so humbling and rewarding, and will always hold a special place in my heart.

My favorite part of veterinary medicine is being able to learn something new every day to help the next pet better. I truly love education and teaching pet owners about the ins and outs of their pet’s care. I especially enjoy teaching nutritional topics and helping with surgery and anesthesia.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?

Working at so many other facilities, I can say with confidence that St. Francis is a very special place to work.

Each team member truly treats each pet as if they were their own with so much compassion and care. That care is extended to clients by showing empathy, understanding, and doing everything they can to go above and beyond for each person and pet.

The team dynamic is unmatched, and it is humbling to work at a place that is filled with so much positivity. 

with a major in Psychology and Biology. I currently have 2 dogs, Dakotah and Gemma, as well as a gecko named Gizmo. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my dogs, yoga, running, weight lifting, and reading a good book.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is helping pets to have a positive experience at the vet and to let them know that it’s okay to be nervous, and reassuring them that they are safe and loved here. My biggest passion in life is helping animals and giving a voice to the voiceless.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
St. Francis is a wonderful place to work. Dr. Blair and the management truly care about their staff and our well-being. I am grateful to be working with so many animal lovers. Everyone here appreciates, respects, and encourages each other.

I have a calico cat named Mittens and a Jack Russell terrier named Beckman. I also have 4 bearded dragons who I plan on breeding in the near future (Tecate, Piña, Carmela, and Valentina). My connection with animals is natural and runs deep. I firmly believe that they are just as capable of helping us as we are of helping them, if not more. I ended up in vet med because of this belief, and because I want to honor the beings that make this land worth living on.

What is your favorite aspect of veterinary medicine?
My favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is the importance and implementation of ethology in our everyday practice. I’m very passionate about animal behavior and love working with particularly challenging cases. I strive to make every patient feel as comfortable as possible in the stressful clinic setting.

What do you think is special about St. Francis? Why do you love working here?
Having worked in vet med for a few years, I found out quickly how hard it is to find a clinic that has great management, a caring staff, and practices amazing medicine. St. Francis has all three! Animals are always amazing, but not every clinic is as accepting and loving as ours. The staff at St. Francis welcomed me with open arms and I have felt like family ever since.