A Little More About Me
I grew up in Milford, OH, just east of Cincinnati, on a small family farm. We raised our own meat & vegetables, & I showed horses in 4-H for 11 years. I earned a B.S. in Biology from Ohio University in 1993. From there I went to the University of California – Davis briefly, then The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. I volunteered on the first pet loss support hotline in the country while I was in California; when I transferred to Ohio State, I worked with faculty to start a hotline there & founded the Human – Animal Bond Club. I graduated in 1998 with My Doctor of Veterinary Medicine & the university President’s Award for my work on the OSU Pet Loss Support Hotline. With my husband David, I moved to New England to start my career with a stint in a small animal practice near Bar Harbor, ME, followed by mixed practice in New Hampshire for 2 years. Returning to Cincinnati in 2000, I worked in small animal practice for a few years, then started my own mobile large animal practice while we started our family. Little Rebecca spent plenty of time in her pumpkin seat, watching Mama sew up horses & save little goats.
I gave up my farm calls soon after MacKenzie was born, realizing the strain of 14hr days & emergency calls on my family & not wanting to miss their childhood moments & activities. A long string of cats, dogs, horses, & even a rabbit kept us grounded & connected through our own human – animal bonds. We enjoyed camping, kayaking, hiking & other outdoor experiences. The girls were deeply involved in 4-H, showing horses every year at the Clermont County Fair, just like I had years earlier. Rebecca even showed her pet rabbit one year. They also enjoyed Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts) & American Heritage Girls, earning the highest awards in each of those. Rebecca graduated from the University of Tennesee in Knoxville in May 2025, with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. She works for the university facilities service on their HVAC systems & will marry her college sweetheart next Spring. MacKenzie just started at the University of Cincinnati in August 2025; she’s studying mechanical engineering, too, & wants to use her degree to develop more sustainable & efficient methods of food production. David & I still have 3 cats, a Greyhound, & 2 horses to take care of, so we are hardly alone.
Now that our youngest is off to college, I’m reviving my dream to bring my special brand of veterinary care into your home, in person or via telemedicine, so that your pets can be healthy without the stress of in clinic care. I also run pop up clinics in underserved areas of Appalachia, where access to care is a big problem & many pets have never seen a veterinarian. You can learn more about that project & donate to the cause at accessappalachiaanimalcare.com.
Growing up on the farm I knew there was a profound connection between humans & the animals that share our lives. Even with our pigs & cattle, destined to feed our family, I felt the threads of their being intertwining with mine as I learned about myself & my world. Our barn cats & farm dogs were my friends & my 4-H project horse is a part of me still today. This is the human – animal bond. It takes many forms & can be as deep as the ocean or just skim the surface, but it is always there. It can be damaged by illness, broken by trauma, or nourished with compassion & sensitivity to its nature. When your pet is chronically itchy, has diarrhea, or eliminates in the home, your bond can be strained. If your pet bites or otherwise injures a family member or friend, the bond can be broken. It can feel broken when your pet is old & withdrawn, when dementia sets in. If medication is hard to give or care is expensive, or if your pet is anxious about car rides & going to the vet, caregiver burden weighs on your bond. The bond begins to form when you first think about adopting your pet, continues throughout your lives together, & transitions to an abiding memory when they go to the Rainbow Bridge.
During my years as a farm vet, I loved working with the variety of barns & animals & getting to know what logistically worked for each patient’s care. I learned to be flexible & make adjustments as I discovered that this is one of my superpowers. I’ve always been sensitive to the special needs of each individual bond. Not every client is up for intensive care, & not every patient will cooperate with treatment. Nowadays, we call this providing a “Spectrum of Care.”
When we recognize the bond, its state of health, & its tolerance for strain, we’re better able to support it. We can tend to the damaged parts & avoid causing more damage through treatment struggles & stressful events. No animal is ever “just” an animal; humanity developed intertwined with them, & we cannot help but be affected by their wellbeing. We know that simply watching fish swim in a fish tank lowers blood pressure; we’ve all heard of nonverbal children discovering their voice when they first meet a “dog.” Unhealthy pets often belong to people who need help with their own self care, & when a beloved animal is unwell, its human suffers, too.