bio coming soon...

Growing up near Oakridge Animal Clinic, Mandy would often drive by and see all of the dogs playing in the backyard and wish she could be right in there with them! Soon after that she was volunteering at the clinic, and then hired on as a Veterinary Assistant.

Working here she fell in love with all of the responsibilities of the Technicians, so she went to St. Lawrence College and graduated as a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2005.
After graduation she came right back to the clients and their pets that felt like home, making it more than 20 years here now! She loves the team and patients at Oakridge and Oak West Animal Clinics.

Mandy has developed a keen interest in anesthesia, dentistry and educating clients- whether that's about their pets illness or how to put eye drops in their hyperactive animal while it crocodile rolls and bucks like a bronco!
In 2011 she married her high-school sweetheart and they welcomed a son & daughter a few years later. As far as 4-legged children Mandy has a golden retriever 'Bozley' who is very simple, sweet and mostly is called Boo-Boo nugget! She has two cats as well that she calls Dash & Poppy but if you ask the kids they are "Dasher-figgy pudding" and "Poppers-Betty White".

Dani grew up on a hobby farm near Lucan, Ontario, where she enjoyed the company of goats, chickens, pigs, ducks, pocket pets, and a sheep who went by Fred. It wasn’t hard for her to fall in love with animal care early on in life. After Dani helped to nurse a baby pig back to health on her family farm, she made the decision to pursue a career in veterinary medicine!

Dani completed a two-year cooperative career placement program at a local vet clinic during high school, and continued to work as a Kennel Attendant throughout high school and college. She attended the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus and graduated in 2007 as a Registered Veterinary Technician. Dani first met Dr. Egli while working at another local hospital, and was happy to join forces with her again here at Oakridge Animal Clinic. She first joined the team in the fall of 2014, left for a short time in 2016 to pursue other opportunities, and then rejoined the clinic family halfway through 2017.

Around the clinic, Dani enjoys caring for senior pets, working on dentistry cases, and monitoring pets under anesthesia. Most of all, she loves that she gets to learn something new on a daily basis and that she’s constantly kept on her toes!

When she’s not at work, Dani likes hiking, playing on a floor hockey team in the winters, hiking and horseback riding, fostering dogs, and spending time with her own pets at home. She has four cats—Gus, Franklin, Harvey, and Ezra—. Dani also shares her life with Edgar the crested gecko and a horse, Atlas, whose favorite pastimes include going for trail rides and getting snacks. Dani has a special place in her heart for Dobermans.

Heather grew up on a dairy farm outside of Stratford. There, she loved to spend time in the barn as a child, bonding with creatures large and small. It wasn’t hard for her to fall in love with animal care early on! By the time Heather was participating in the 4-H veterinary club a few years later, she knew that she had found her calling. Now, she’s been enjoying her work in the animal-care profession for almost two decades!

After a series of co-operative career placements and animal-related summer jobs, Heather attended the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus to study veterinary technology. She graduated with honours in 2001, and quickly completed the necessary testing to become a Registered Veterinary Technician.

Having previously worked with Dr. Egli shortly after graduating from college, Heather jumped at the chance to join forces with her once again here at Oakridge Animal Clinic. She moved back to this area and joined the hospital family as a Veterinary Technician, and she’s been helping the area’s pets and animal owners ever since. Heather especially likes being able to strengthen the bond between pets and owners by encouraging proper health and overall well-being.

In her free time, Heather likes to hike, snowshoe, or rollerblade depending on the season. Most recently, she’s started making her own Kefir milk, cheese, and fermented foods. She has two energetic boys who love soccer, barrel racing, and anything related to dirt and the outdoors, and she also shares her life with a loveable orange tabby cat named James Bond.

Christina was born and raised in London and has loved animals from a young age. She remembers rescuing baby birds, raising a baby squirrel, and finding/returning home an inordinate amount of lost dogs while growing up. She was lucky enough to do a high school co-op at a local veterinary clinic and it immediately sparked a love for veterinary medicine. She began working at that clinic throughout high school as a kennel attendant. She graduated from University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus as a veterinary technician in 2012.

Christina joined the Oakridge/Oak West family in 2017 and hasn’t looked back since! Her heart is with senior pets and supportive care in their old age, as well as practicing preventative medicine. She also enjoys helping new puppy and kitten owners to have happy, healthy, and well behaved pets! Christina is our social media manager, and enjoys being able to share the joy of veterinary life with our clients.

Outside of the clinic Christina loves to keep busy with traveling, camping, and hiking, often all in one trip, and usually with her husband! At home she enjoys gardening and sewing. Christina and her husband share their home with Crea, a Jack Russell cross who she adopted from Ridgetown, and a cat, Greta, who is FIV positive and completely rules the roost!

Shania was born and raised in St. Thomas with her two brothers, one of them being her twin, and an array of pets! Growing up, she frequently convinced her parents to let her take in stray animals and at the age of 12, she decided to become a vegetarian. She enjoyed visiting her local animal shelter to socialize with the cats, and found their presence comforting.

After high school, Shania completed 1 year of a nursing program at Trent University in Peterborough. During her summer break, she worked as a PSW at a long-term care facility but soon realized the field wasn’t her true passion. She decided to take a year off to work and explore other career paths. In 2019, she attended the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus to complete their Veterinary Technology program. Her time on campus got cut short during her second semester, when her residence building closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. She was able to return to Ridgetown to complete her final year, and graduated with honors in 2021.

Shortly after graduation, she joined the Oakridge/Oak West team! Shania enjoys the thrill that each day brings and that no two appointments are the same. She aims to make each patient feel comfortable while they’re in her care and looks forward to further developing her skills. Shania has a special interest in preventative medicine and helping senior pets live long, happy lives.

At home, Shania has a senior cat named Tila who she adopted from a shelter. She intends to help Tila live out her golden years! In her spare time, Shania enjoys spending time with her family and close friends, reading books and watching reality TV.

Raised in the country, Danika grew up riding horses and surrounded by a variety of different pets. She had a natural interest in animals, nature and the cycle of life. These passions grew into a genuine interest in the human-animal bond and medicine as she grew older. After high school, she decided to pursue a career in the veterinary profession.

Danika graduated from the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus as a veterinary technician in 2009 and passed examination to become registered with the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians in the same year. Since graduating, she has had the opportunity to grow her skills working with both large and small animals. She has even been able to cross off a bucket list item by working as a zookeeper at the Toronto Zoo. Danika joined our team in 2014 as a Registered Veterinary Technician and hasn’t looked back since!

Danika has a special interest and skillset in animal nutrition and disease management which has developed into a specific role at the clinic, the Wellness and Nutrition Advisor. She provides in depth consultations and support for clients who have pets with complicated or chronic medical conditions. One of her favourite parts of the job is that she never stops learning! When not at work, Danika can be found speaking at veterinary conferences, practicing Reiki, or adventuring to a new ethnic restaurant with her partner Katrina. She has three cats at home, Sophie, Chiyo and Yoshi, and a lab x named Reika, also affectionally known as the Goober Doob.

Originally from Alberta, Judith grew up in Kitchener-Waterloo. From a young age, she had a deep love for animals and shared her life with cats, rats, gerbils, mice and ferrets. She also volunteered at the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada and the Toronto Wildlife Centre.

After a brief foray into librarianship, Judith returned to school and graduated from Ridgetown College, University of Guelph and obtained her RVT in 2003. She then went on to work in private and emergency practices in Ontario and Nova Scotia. In 2006, she met a cat called Simon who had been beaten and thrown in a dumpster. Simon required specialized care in terms of acupuncture and massage to help him recover from his injuries, which awakened Judith’s passion for rehabilitation. In 2013 she obtained her Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner designation from the University of Tennessee.

Judith joined the rehabilitation service at London Regional Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital in 2014 and went on to manage it from 2015 to 2023. During her time there, Judith worked with a wide variety of post-surgical, injured, geriatric and palliative patients.

Judith is very excited to join the team at Oak West Animal Clinic and to further develop the provision of rehabilitation services for the City of London and surrounding area. She enjoys the challenges that each case presents and the opportunities to work with clients to ensure that their pets have the best lives possible. She is committed to learning new skills and techniques and passing the benefits of this professional development on to her patients.

In her spare time she enjoys gardening, hiking, reading, cycling, swimming, playing the harp or just spending time with her cats, some of whom have all their body parts.

Sydney grew up just outside of London in the Komoka area experiencing growing up in the country. She began working with animals at barns, shelters, and animal care provider jobs for several years before stepping into the animal clinic life.

Sydney began her journey in vet clinics over 4 years ago working at a country veterinary clinic, experiencing time with both small and large animal patients as a veterinary assistant before finding her home at Oakridge Animal Clinic.

When Sydney isn’t at the clinic she enjoys spending time with her two dogs Marley and Maple; taking them on outdoor adventures and trails in the surrounding area. Sydney’s favourite pastime is spending time with her family and animals as well as photography!

Katie always knew from a young age that she had a passion for helping animals. As early as the age of 8 years old, Katie was befriending the neighbourhood cats, rescuing baby birds that had fallen from their nest and she even attempted to start up her very own dog walking service in the St. Thomas neighbourhood she grew up in. When her dog walking service did not exactly work out as she hoped, Katie knew that she may need to wait until she was much older to do her best work helping animals.

When Katie was much older, she attended the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus and graduated with honours from the Veterinary Technology Program in 2010. Soon after graduating, Katie completed the requirements to become a Registered Veterinary Technician with the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians. Since graduating, Katie has had the opportunity to grow her skills working at both small animal practices and cat exclusive practices.

Katie is the newest member of the Oakridge/Oak West team, joining the team in the Spring of 2022. Katie has become known as the cat enthusiast of the clinic and she has a special passion and interest in feline medicine. Katie is a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and has completed the Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional Certificate Program. While Katie was working in cat exclusive practices, she learned the importance of providing cats with a quiet cat friendly environment and she hopes to continue to learn more about feline medicine to help our feline family members to live their best lives.

Katie shares her London home with a very special rescue kitty named Mini
Me and an energetic Bengal kitty named Bengie! In her spare time, Katie
enjoys spending time with her cats, family and friends, and mastering
gluten free and vegan baking.

Hannah was born and raised in London Ontario. She has always loved animals, especially feline friends!

Hannah graduated from the Veterinary Technician program at Seneca College in 2014. After graduation she worked in general practice for a couple of years before moving on to emergency medicine. She worked in the ER for several years and loved it. She then made the decision to join a specialty practice that treats hyperthyroid cats with radioactive iodine. She thoroughly enjoyed working with senior kitties and learned a lot in this role.

In January 2024 Hannah joined the Oakridge / Oak West team. She is excited to bring her years of experience to our practice and help our patients live their best lives!

Outside of work she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, kayaking, biking, hiking and camping. She also has two cats named Blossom and Daisy.

Caitlin grew up in London and attended the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown location to complete the Veterinary Medical Office Administration program, graduating with honors. She got a job at a London clinic while simultaneously working part-time at the London Humane Society. She applied to Oakridge in October of 2005, working in the kennel area and as a Veterinary Assistant before moving to full-time reception work in the summer of 2006. She was promoted to management in 2015.

Caitlin is the office manager at Oakridge Animal Clinic. Her nickname is the Happiness Manager and you’ll usually find her making someone smile. Caitlin handles payroll, accounting and helps to oversee the day-to-day operations. She began as a receptionist and true to heart, you will still find her on the desk making connections with the wonderful clients at Oakridge (and the patients!)

She most enjoys the family atmosphere at Oakridge, that includes employees and clients. She has been with the clinic for 17 years and has been a part of many patients’ lives from puppyhood to golden years.

When not at work, Caitlin enjoys spending time with her family, which includes partner Shannon, daughters Avery and Sophie, dogs Wesley and Fletcher, cats Peepers, Julius and Nora, and Rosie the fish. You will find her in the sun, poolside, or at the family cottage kayaking and enjoying the water.

Sarah grew up on a farm in the London area and has always enjoyed being with animals, large and small. After completing a kinesiology degree at McMaster University, she moved to British Columbia for the outdoor sports lifestyle and ended up working at animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and learning about canine behaviour. After enjoying many years out west she made the difficult decision to move back to Ontario, and we are so glad she did!

Sarah joined the team in blue as a receptionist (care coordinator) in 2016. Sarah loves working with everyone at Oakridge and Oak West, as well as getting to know all of the pets and their families. She is amazing at finding solutions on busy days for both clients and the team.

Outside of work, Sarah competes in protection sports with her dog, Mulder. She also volunteers with Bullies in Need, the Ontario pit bull rescue. In the off chance that she is not with dogs, Sarah enjoys running. She is also an avid reader, with her favourite genre being horror. She has a special affinity for Stephen King, and has several of his signed books!

Stephanie grew up in a small town outside of London, and loved living the country life. She always knew that she wanted to work with animals in some way! She worked in an animal shelter for several years before branching out to animal clinics.

As an accomplished receptionist and veterinary assistant, Stephanie honed her skill at the veterinary emergency clinic before finding her home at Oakridge. She especially loves working at Oakridge because of the staff, who feel like a big extended family.

When away from work, Stephanie is passionate about staying active! She loves to adventure, travel, and is planning on hiking all of the Bruce Trail. In 2021 she was able to check off one of her bucket list items by traveling to Costa Rica. Steph had also played roller derby for about 10 years! Due to the pandemic, she decided to retire from derby, but thinks about that time in her life fondly.

At home, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and 3 pets! She has Thomas, a beautiful orange kitty, Carly, an adorable lab cross, and Maxx, a handsome labradoodle!

Bio to Come

Nicole grew up in Dorchester on a hobby farm with horses, cows, pigs, goats, dogs, cats, chickens, and geese. She was always passionate about helping the animals feel better, and it only made sense to pursue a career in the veterinary world.

Nicole took veterinary assistant courses at Durham College. Once she graduated, she applied to several clinics and came to work at Oakridge in October of 2008. Now she’s a certified Veterinary Assistant, and enjoys looking after boarding animals and helping owners understand how to read their pets and care for them when they’re sick.

At home, Nicole has several pets of her own. Jasper is a Retriever mix and is Nicole’s traveling buddy. Riggins is a St. Bernard who loves to be with people, Ace is a short-hair cat with a penchant for chattering, and Daytona is a rescue cat from the clinic.

When she’s not working or taking her dogs on walks and hikes, Nicole enjoys gardening and spending time outdoors.

Growing up, Madeleine always knew she had a passion for helping others; it just took her some time to figure out if she wanted to focus on helping people or animals! She grew up having a variety of pets, including two rescue horses that her family sponsored and volunteered for. While still holding her compassion for animals close to her heart, Madeleine started to care about mental health as well as social justice and equality in her teen years. She completed a Double Major in Psychology and Women’s Studies with the idea of becoming a Psychotherapist, not knowing that this would actually take her life in a different direction!

During her University education Madeleine worked at a pet store and volunteered for a crisis line. Upon graduation, she had accepted a job at an animal shelter as an Adoption Counselor which was the perfect combination of her two passions: helping animals and their new pet parents! In addition to specializing in cat behavior, Madeleine learned to care for a variety of stray pets as well as sick and injured wildlife, which ignited a passion for providing clinical care for animals. Now working on our team as a Vet Assistant, Madeleine plans to go back to school in the future to become a Veterinary Technician!

In her free time Madeleine most enjoys being at the cottage or beach with her Westie, Monte. She also enjoys having some down time to listen to music, read, and play video games.

Amanda spent a lot of time romping around in the yard with the family dogs during her childhood, and she even found herself working in a few different horse farms when she was a bit older. These early experiences with animals made a permanent impression—she knew that she wanted to do everything in her power to help pets live happier, healthier, and more fulfilled lives. What better way to do that, Amanda thought, than by working in the world of veterinary medicine?

Amanda grew up just outside of Lucan, Ontario and attended the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus for her veterinary schooling. She worked and volunteered in a number of vet clinics over the years before deciding to take a short hiatus. When Amanda decided to re-enter the veterinary profession, she came across an opening here at Oakridge Animal Clinic and thought it seemed like a great place to jump back in—Amanda was right! Now, she’s a proud member of the hospital’s Veterinary Assistant team.

Amanda lives in the countryside with her significant other and a variety of pets. She has two dogs, two cats, a pair of rats, an African Dwarf frog, nine chickens, and a pair of rabbits. When she isn’t doting on her own animal companions, Amanda enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors, reading great books, and practicing her photography skills. She’s participated in a variety of photography competitions and recently won a local library photo contest!

bio coming soon...

Lynda is a new face to Oak West Animal Clinic and is excited to be a part of the team! Lynda has a veterinary receptionist background of ten years and is looking forward to meeting and helping every client and fur-baby that comes by for a visit!

Growing up, Lynda has been surrounded by animals either having them as pets or volunteering at animal shelters and horse stables. She has always kept her eye out for any little (or big!) creature that needs help and does her best to make sure they are cared for. You can only imagine the animals that were brought home! Lynda currently has two cats, three year old Bowie who was a rescue and her partners’ 5 year old cat Tyke who she’s adopted under her wing.

When Lynda is not at work, she loves painting, sculpting, photography, visiting antique stores and hiking. She also loves spending as much time as she can outdoors and can’t wait to explore more of London as she is new to the city!

Jamie enjoys seeing pet owners forming lasting bonds with their furry friends, and even finds working with pets quite therapeutic. For her, working in the veterinary profession was the only career choice that made sense!

In high school, Jamie got involved the co-operative career program. She was originally hired at Oakridge as a veterinary assistant, and transitioned to reception in 2008. She especially loves seeing new puppies, meeting clients, and showing off the pets to the rest of the staff.

Jamie lives in Strathroy with her three-year-old daughter Cassidy and several dogs: Fly, the Yorkie; Rex, a Jack Russell; and Que, a White German shepherd. In her spare time, Jamie likes being outdoors, especially gardening in her yard. She also likes baking and traveling whenever possible.