BUCK ANIMAL HOSPITAL - Key Persons
Alicia has been working at Buck Animal Hospital since March 1997.
In high school she wanted to be a vet so thought it would be a good idea to work at an animal clinic to gain some experience. Instead she went for a Master's degree in environmental engineering and became a professional engineer.
She has a passion for treading lightly on the earth - minimizing her consumption of resources and helping others do the same. She loves animals and couldn't give up the opportunity to help them after her career path changed and started working as an engineer.
Alicia currently lives with her feline companion Keats.
In her spare time she can be found practicing yoga, increasing her knowledge on wellness and snowboarding
's Practice Manager, Andrina has been working at Buck's since 1992. While working she completed her Honours Biological Science Degree at University of Guelph graduating in 1995, as well as receiving her diploma at St Laurence College in 2001 for Veterinary Hospital Manager.
Andrina has been working in a vet clinic since she was old enough to work. She has had a number of different jobs but always enjoyed working with animals and has always kept a job in a vet clinic. Andrina's furry family members include Ashawa, a handsome grey domestic short-hair and two Great Danes, Hansen and Marley. Andrina has always loved animals and has had cats, dogs, birds, fish and rodent pets over the years. Animals give you unconditional love and add immense joy to your everyday life! It's wonderful to come home and be greeted with great enthusiasm and love.
Andrina lives with her partner Mark, son Wason and daughter Tesla when she isn't away pursuing her next degree. In 2008, Andrina's eldest daughter Cyra passed away. She has a brain hemorrhage, strokes and a 5 year battle. She is missed terribly but remembered daily.
Andrina enjoys long daily hikes with the dogs, time at the cottage and stained glass in her spare time.
Buck Animal Hospital's Practice Manager, Andrina has been working at Buck's since 1992. While working she completed her Honours Biological Science Degree at University of Guelph graduating in 1995, as well as receiving her diploma at St Laurence College in 2001 for Veterinary Hospital Manager.
Christie McCue has worked at Bucks as an animal care personnel since 2012.
She was covering Nicole's maternity leave and is once again working her evening kennel position.
Christie's focus has always been on animal care, starting as a volunteer for over 30 years ago at various Animal Clinics and Pet Shops as well as at the Ontario Veterinary College.
Christie is always helping animals in need and giving them a home whether 4 legged or 2 legged. It would not be an odd sight to see a squirrel, or a seagull being fostered and rehabilitated in the McCue household.
Job Titles:
- Veterinarian
- Member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association
Dr. Armstrong was born and raised up in wintery Timmins Ontario, and like many of her colleagues, has known since she was a young girl that she wanted to be a vet. She attended every wellness exam her cat needed as a child, trying to absorb what she could, and read a multitude of animal themed books until she was old enough to work in a clinic. She spent 8 years in her local animal hospital as a veterinary assistant, four of these in the summers in between studying for her undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph. Outside of the clinic, Dr. Armstrong volunteered at her local humane society, shadowed a dairy veterinarian, and visited Costa Rica and Nicaragua to provide veterinary aide to underserviced areas. In 2019, her long-time dream came true, and she was accepted to the Ontario Veterinary College. She graduated in 2023, joining Buck that same year.
Dr. Armstrong is a member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association and the Veterinary Information Network. She has a special interest in preventative medicine, behaviour, nutrition, and ophthalmology. She also has a place in her heart for exotics medicine (birds, rodents, reptiles, etc), and hopes to expand her experience in this area.
Outside of work, Dr. Armstrong loves to run, play soccer, birdwatch, and spend time with her beloved family and friends, especially in nature. And of course, not a day goes by where she doesn't bond with her snuggly ragdoll Bear, and spunky black and white kitten, Panda.
Job Titles:
- Veterinarian
- Member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association
Dr. Andrée is a member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Information Network and her interests include soft tissue surgery, dentistry and cardiology.
At home, Dr. Morin has a Labrador Retriever named Walter, and two beautiful cats named Daphne and Rolo. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, staying active, and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Andrée grew up in Waterloo and knew from a young age that she wanted to be a veterinarian. Joining Buck Animal Hospital in 2018
When she was little she would take their family cat to the pantry - there was a freezer which made for a great table - use shampoo bottles as an ultrasound probe and perform ultrasounds regularly. She began volunteering at the Guelph Humane Society in 2010
Her childhood ultrasounds led her to complete her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Guelph before graduating from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2017. She spent a year practicing at a general practice/emergency clinic before joining us.
Dr. Andrée is a member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Information Network and her interests include soft tissue surgery, dentistry and cardiology.
Job Titles:
- Veterinarian
- Member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association
Dr. Frank started working with animals in high school by volunteering at a local Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre near Hamilton, Ontario where he grew up. After his first shift of working with injured and orphaned raccoons, squirrels, opossums, foxes and more, he was hooked and knew he would have a career in animal care.
In 2019, Dr. Frank graduated from the University of Guelph with a bachelor's degree in animal biology and went on to complete his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2023. Dr. Frank joined the great team at Buck Animal Hospital in the summer of 2023 shortly after graduation.
Dr. Frank is a member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association and the Veterinary Information Network. He enjoys many aspects of veterinary medicine but is especially interested in surgery and neurology. He is fear-free certified and is passionate about keeping vet visits as stress-free as possible.
In his spare time, you will find Dr. Frank on the golf course, at the tennis court, or at home relaxing with his partner Jaimie and their new Airedale puppy, Odin. He is also a loyal (and regretful) fan of the Orlando Magic basketball team.
Job Titles:
- Veterinarian
- Member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association
Dr. Jodi knew from a very young age she wanted to be a veterinarian. Originally from London, Ontario she moved not too far away to the University of Guelph for her undergrad degree. After completing her degree she moved to Calgary, Alberta and worked in a small animal emergency and referral clinic. In 2009 she was accepted to the Ontario Veterinary College and had to tear herself away from the beauty of the mountains and graduated with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2013. She has worked in small animal medicine since graduation and joined the Buck family in April 2016.
At home, Dr. Jodi enjoys a busy life with her husband Devon and two young boys, their old lady Shilo and a crazy cat named Monkei.
Dr. Jodi is a member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, the Veterinary Information Network and employs a fear free approach with pets. She enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine and surgery, and really enjoys coaching clients to make the best decisions for their pet's health in addition to dermatology, weight management and surgery.
In her (very limited) spare time Dr. Jodi stays active with hockey and hiking and loves spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Laura Galbraith has been working with animals as a veterinarian since graduating from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 2002. She has worked at a range of practices - from small animal clinics throughout Southern Ontario to an emergency clinic where she gained valuable experience in urgent and critical care. Dr. Galbraith joined the Buck Animal Hospital team in 2008 and became a partner in 2015.
Dr. Galbraith's Standard Poodle Ryder, is a bouncy lad who loves hiking, running around the farm and playing with her 2 daughters. Ripley and Roary are her Abyssinian cats who are always looking for trouble at home.
Outside of work, Dr.Galbraith's lifelong hobby is horses and has been since childhood. She and her partner have recently started Ever After Acres in Ariss, ON where her love for horses continues to grow. They are very busy building up the property, teaching young riders, breeding horses and attending horse shows.
Dr. Linda Sommers graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1980 and has been working in veterinary medicine ever since. Dr. Sommers moved to the Kitchener/Waterloo area in late 1986 and joined the team at Buck Animal Hospital the following year. In 2001, Dr. Sommers became a partner at Buck Animal Hospital.
In her personal life, dogs have always been around! Dr. Sommers has a Shih Tzu named Buddy who is currently learning how to sail. While she would love to have a cat, her husband Brian is allergic so she relies on spending time with her daughter's cat as well as the clinic cats, Hester (better known as Hussie) and CJ.
Dr. Sommers loves animals and veterinary medicine because every day is a new experience. She loves working with pets and pet owners alike and puts this passion into every day at Buck Animal Hospital. When she's not at the hospital, you may find her playing the cello in the KW Community Orchestra or helping her husband build their cottage!
Dr Mallory joined Buck Animal Hospital in March 2020
Growing up on a dairy farm meant being surrounded by animals. As a young child she remembers spending large parts of her free time caring for the newborn kittens born each spring. Her first job at the age of 12 was feeding the calves. In grade 8 she started volunteering with the Farm veterinarian. Throughout high school and university she enjoyed working and volunteering at vet clinics and the Humane Society.
This road led her to graduating from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2017 and began practicing as a mixed animal veterinarian in Eastern Ontario.
She is a member of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, and the Veterinary Information Network.
When Dr. Mallory is not at work - she is spending time with her fiance Brad, their two feline companions - Molly and new kitten Norman. She loves anything to do with the great outdoors - running, hiking, biking, kayaking and spending time having BBQ's and games nights with friends and family
Dr. Robert (Bert) graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in 1975 at which time he purchased Buck Animal Hospital (along with Dr. Jim Coleman) from Dr. Bob Buck.
For 40 years Dr. Bert had been a partner at Buck Animal Hospital. At the beginning of 2015 Dr.Blackburn stepped down and sold his share to Dr.Galbraith but continued as an associate. In November 2018 Dr Bert retired from seeing clients. He continued to do surgery one or two mornings a week until Covid 19 started. As a result of the pandemic and the shortage of veterinarians, Dr Bert came out of retirement to resume surgery on a part time basis.
Along with his wife Gale, Dr. Blackburn lives with Jazz, 6-year-old German Shorthair Pointer and Talar, 17-year-old cat with kidney disease. Gale also has an especially important horse in her life, named Kody. Dr Blackburn loves competitive trapshooting. He is currently president of the Ontario Provincial Trapshooting Association.
Job Titles:
- Registered Veterinary Technician
Drewe joined our team in July 2020 after graduating from Seneca College in April.
Growing up Drewe's parents owned a reptile business and her mom raised National Service Dogs. Helping out with both at a young age she was exposed to a lot of different species. At the age of 14 Drewe decided she wanted to be a veterinarian, once in University she decided it was not the right path for her. She attended University of Guelph for Animal Biology, began volunteering at the Guelph Humane Society and at a horse farm - there she found a passion working with the horses and the barn family.
Drewe is still figuring out what her passion is at work but she certainly lights up when there is a cute, fluffy puppy or kitten - well pretty much any pet - that comes through the door. Drewe is a member of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians, completed level 2 of the Fear Free Certification and earned her BSC in Animal Biology.
Drewe and her partner live with two kitties - Oliver and Franklin. She met Oliver through the adoption program at tech school and fell in love instantly. His once shy, scared personality has turned into a cuddly, playful cat that enjoys a wide variety of toys and treats including - chicken, ice cream and peanut butter. Franklin was adopted by Drewe once we realized he was a family cat and not a clinic cat. Both Franklin and Oliver get along very well and have adjusted to being playmates. In her spare time you can find Drewe reading, hiking, skiing or doing arts and crafts.
Job Titles:
- Registered Veterinary Technician
Emily Stiver has joined our team in 2016. Emily graduated from Seneca College in 2012 but had begun her passion as a weekend worker on a horse farm at a young age. Emily worked as a technician for a year before deciding to go back to school where graduated with a BSc from the University of Guelph in 2017.
Emily had 13 great years with a horse named Martini. Even though he is no longer here, he will always have a special place in her heart. He taught her many skills that she has been able to utilize in her career as well as everyday life. At home Emily enjoys spending time with her family's Cockapoo Toma, two cats Randall and Boo and there newest addition - Kevin a little Shih Tzu that she rescued.
Through the University of Guelph, Emily was able to travel to Guatemala with a Non-Profit Organization. She felt a great joy lending her skills she gained working here to assist in spay/ neuter clinics for dogs and cats, as well as health checks, vaccinations and deworming. This trip was one of the most amazing experiences in her life and she hopes to travel offering a helping hand again in the future
Job Titles:
- Receptionist ( Maternity Leave )
Jessica started working at Buck Animal Hospital in 2021, during the middle of the pandemic.
Jessica has volunteered and worked in animal care on and off since she was 15 years old. Starting at Pioneer Pet Hospital, Grooming by Jennifer and now part of the Buck family as a full time receptionist.
Jessica lives with her husband, and three crazy cats: Charlie, Ozzy and Ripley. Recently they welcomed their first daughter. Jessica has always been an animal lover at heart as a kid she was the one who tried to save all the strays from the streets.
Jessica graduated from B. A. M. Program at Conestoga College in 2013, working several years as Office Admin/Logistics in larger corporations. Realizing her true passion and with the nudge of the pandemic, she has found her way back to her joy which is working with animals and the amazing team here in her new role at Buck
Jillian has been with the Buck team since April of 2019.
She has been volunteering and working in the animal care field since she was 18 at various horse barns, the Toronto Wildlife Centre, animal hospitals, and cow farms. Jill grew up with 2 older brothers and was constantly surrounded by animals. At a young age she knew she wanted a career in animal health care. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science in April 2019 and has since taken an extra year in hopes to enroll at OVC to fulfil her dream and become a veterinarian.
Kaitlyn has been working with the Buck team since February 2022.
Kaitlyn has been working in the animal care field for many years and has a big passion for caring for animals. Being able to care for the well-being of animals and peoples loved ones is a privilege. Before joining the Buck Animal Hospital team Kaitlyn worked at Country Paws Boarding in Breslau for five years. In 2018 Kaitlyn travelled to Thailand to volunteer as a vet assistant at the Chaing Mai Elephant Nature Park as well as The ARK Foundation animal rescue kingdom where she worked alongside veterinarians assisting with the care of both small and large animals.
In Kaitlyn's spare time you can find her hanging out alongside her Cavalier Spaniel Charlie and Terrier Angel. Kaitlyn enjoys spending time outside hiking, and swimming especially with Charlie at the family cottage and being in the sunshine.
Job Titles:
- Registered Veterinary Technician
Katie joined Buck Animal Hospital right out of technician school in April 2008, graduating from Seneca College.
From a very young age she always had a love for animals and knew she would be involved in an animal hospital in some manner. Always taking care of family pets and volunteering at animal hospitals whenever she could. In 2004 she did a co-op placement while in high school and continued to work there during the summers through tech school.
Her passion is surgery, helping pets feel comfortable while they are at the clinic and keeping things organized! Katie is a member of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians and a big advocate for health and wellness.
Katie and her husband are proud parents of 2 girls - Hailee and Adelynne. Their current four-legged number is three. All rescues - Milo a husky shepherd mix, Naulah a domestic short hair and Simba a domestic long haired. Both kitties clearly named by the girls after the Lion King.
Nicole started working at Buck Animal Hospital in August of 2004.
She has been working with animals since 2002, beginning with volunteer work at the KW Humane Society.
Nicole has always had a passion for both wild and domestic animals. She has owned all types of pets including: birds, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and different breeds of dogs.
Nicole currently lives with her husband, 2 children and their pets: cat named "Jonesy", a ball python named "Rocky Ball-Boa", a collie/shepherd mix named "Heidi" and a husky/shepherd mix named "Lucy In The Sky".
All of Nicole's current pets are rescues. Lucy made an extra special journey to find her furever home. In 2019, she traveled from North Bay aboard the "Pet Valu Rescue Express". The "Rescue Express" is an initiative of the North Bay and District Humane Society to transport animals in need from remote communities to more populated areas in hopes of securing homes for them.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Veterinary Technician
Project Manager/ Veterinary Technician Samantha Dixon Sam has been with Buck Animal Hospital since April 2007 but working with animals since she was 10 - including cows and horses. She started out as a kennel staff and never left all while working hard to earn her H.Bsc in Animal Biology and Msc in Animal Immunogenetics. Sam now wears the hats of many roles including her newest position of Project Manager. You can find her working as a technician most days but sometimes you will get the privilege of speaking to her on the phone while working reception. Sam loves working with and answering client questions. Nutrition and immunology in veterinary medicine is her passion and currently has her Fear Fear Level 1 certification and is a Veterinary Nutrition Advisor after completing all the modules with Royal Canin Academy. Outside of work Sam enjoys teaching undergrad courses at the University of Guelph, horseback riding, lending a hand on the dairy farm and working out. Sam and her partner along with bulldog mix Wilbur and standard poodle Penelopi enjoy going for hikes. They also have a rescue domestic medium hair named HollanDAISY sauce.