WESTBORO ANIMAL HOSPITAL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Registered Veterinary Technician
Dr. Alvin Cameron was born and raised in Ottawa, graduating from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1966, and emigrating as a newly married couple, with his wife Carol, to a veterinary practice in Chicago, the goal being to pay off his school loans. By 1970, although now a full partner, but homesick, he realized it was time to return to Canada.
After a brief stint practising as a locum in Thornhill, he and Carol opened the Maple Veterinary Office, his focus for the next 17 years. In 1989, a need to be closer to family led him back to Ottawa, initially intended as a semi-retirement. However, after practising again as a locum veterinarian at several practices in the area, he again decided to establish his own animal hospital, opening on December 4, 1992 as The Westboro Animal Hospital.
Dr. Alvin Cameron is still very much involved in clinic decisions including the recent expansions, but has largely passed the day to day torch to his son Dr. Ian Cameron.
Dr. Alvin Cameron and his wife Carol enjoy collecting and furnishing with Canadian country Antiques, Folk Art and early quilts. They also spend time vegetable gardening, keeping bees, Supporting environmental programs, and enjoying classical baroque and blues music. They have an Airedale Terrier named Lucie, and a diabetic feline rescue named Tom-tom.
Originally from Newfoundland and now residing in Ottawa, Ontario, Dr. Laite is a ‘99 graduate of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (BSc Agriculture), a 2004 graduate of the Atlantic Veterinary College (DVM) and has been part of the Westboro team since 2009. Her love of veterinary medicine started at only 5 years of age, and never wavered. Also working as a firefighter with Ottawa Fire Services since 2016 while still practicing veterinary medicine, both local and international rescue work and wildlife conservation plays a major role in her life. After several weeks at Ol Pejeta Conservancy (Kenya) in 2018 and working with Sudan - the last male Northern white rhino - this first-hand experience and that which followed has allowed her to speak from a different platform with a deeper knowledge and commitment to conservation. 2019 then took her to Malilangwe, Zimbabwe, on a conservation based Wildlife Immobilization Course - a lead training course in chemical and physical restraint of African wild animals, emphasizing community involvement and conservation. Soon after she became the only Canadian board member on the international charity for rhino conservation (Helping Rhinos). 2020 led her to Australia, as part of a search and rescue team for injured wildlife and providing veterinary care, as well as a long awaited visit to the Zululand Rhino Orphanage. She also tends to the animals at a rescue-based Reptile and Nature Park just outside Ottawa, volunteers time with a local wildlife rescue and by the end of August, 2021, she will also have attended a Canadian Wildlife Chemical Immobilization Course through the University of Calgary. Despite her love of working with wildlife and traveling abroad, a great part of her heart will always be reserved for her canine and feline patients, animal rescue, her love of internal medicine and the dedicated, compassionate team she works with at Westboro Animal Hospital.
In her free time, Dr. Laite enjoys mountain biking, skydiving, hiking, motorcycle rides, fitness, photography and enjoying nature while also pursuing a Masters of Veterinary Science in Conservation Medicine.
Dr. Ian Cameron has been working in veterinary hospitals since the age of seven (41 years). As a boy he enjoyed helping his father and assisting in hospital duties while working at the Maple Veterinary Office north of Toronto. In 1988 he moved with his family to Ottawa and in 1991 assisted his father in the construction of the Westboro Animal Hospital. After completing his BSc. (Honours) in Biology in 1997 at the University of Ottawa, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2001. Over the past 20 years, Ian has dedicated his life as a veterinarian to assist in providing competent veterinary care for the Ottawa region. During this time, he has helped many rescue organizations such as Freedom Dog Rescue, Ottawa Dog Rescue, Potcake Place, and the SPCA. For his contributions to rescue groups in Turks and Caicos in 2013 and 2014, Dr. Cameron was invited to join the Turks and Caicos Veterinary Association. Ian and his family are major donators to the Humane Society of Ottawa, and his animals have always been rescues. Dr. Cameron will complete the Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist program (CCRT) in 2021, prior to construction of a new facility in Westboro in early 2022. In his spare time, Ian enjoys playing guitar, hockey and watersports, as well spending time with his family, including his cat Bandit and his dog Mia.
Dr. Karen Sime graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in 1998. She has practiced small animal medicine in Ottawa since then and has been with Westboro Animal Hospital since 2015.
She has a special interest in feline medicine and behaviour and she also loves surgery and dentistry. She loves getting to know her clients and patients and has a soft spot for the shy and scared ones.
She shares her home with her husband, Mike, and two adorable ginger cats who were both adopted from the Ottawa Humane Society. When she is not working, she enjoys volunteering at the shelter, practicing Ashtanga Yoga, doing Barre classes, and reading or napping with her cats. She also enjoys traveling and adventures on a motorcycle with her husband, including a cross country trip in 2010 and motorcycling in Italy and the Austrian Alps. She has also enjoyed trips to visit her brother in Taiwan and side trips to Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. She looks forward to the day when travel will be possible again!
Dr. Clark is a valued locum veterinarian. He performs a large number of surgeries including cruciate ligament surgeries (lateral fabellar sutures, tightrope, and TPLO techniques), fracture repair, hip surgeries, and a large number of complicated soft tissue surgeries. He enjoys getting to know clients and is very invested in their pets.