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.

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!

Kaela is a small town girl born and raised in Dorchester, Ontario. Animals have always been a passion of hers; ever since she was in diapers with her toy stethoscope, checking on her childhood dog, she knew she wanted to help animals! There is nothing more she has ever wanted than to become a Veterinary Technician.

Working in the veterinary field since she was just 15 years old, her passion continues to grow. Her career started with volunteering, kennel attending and veterinary assisting. This helped prepare her to go off to college to become a Registered Veterinary Technician. During her college years, Kaela honed her skills by working in a mix of small animal clinics and emergency clinics. She Graduated in June 2019 from St. Clair College and became registered in July 2019. This was a dream come true.

Kaela joined the Oakridge/Oak West team in September 2020 and absolutely loves it. She especially appreciates the atmosphere and the friends she has gained along the way. She feels that she has learned a lot about herself, personally and as a RVT, since joining the team, and is grateful for everyone she works with. We truly are a family!

Two of Kaela's biggest passions are emergency medicine and in-hospital critical care. Caring for patients in need and making sure they are pain free and comfortable bring her the most joy. Watching them heal and reuniting them with their loved ones is the best part of the job. Kaela hopes to practice more urgent care and anesthetic skills as she gets further into her career and is always excited to learn new things.

Kaela is currently living with her partner, Conor, in Port Stanley with their rescue dog beagle, Babs! Babs was adopted by Kaela from her program at St. Clair College and adopting her was the best decision they have ever made! When Kaela is not working she loves going to the beach with her family and friends to enjoy fun in the sun. Although Sundays are always dedicated to Netflix and Babs snuggles.

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.

Melissa grew up on a farm in the small town of Shedden. She has always had a strong passion for animals. Growing up she had a variety of family pets such as cats, dogs, bunnies and hamsters. She was involved with 4-H as a girl, including the rabbit club, beef club and the dairy club. Between helping stray animals and pet sitting for friends and family, she raised and bottled-fed over 50 deer at a White-tailed Deer genetics farm.

Melissa moved to Ottawa to attend Algonquin College in 2004 and has been working in veterinary industry for over 10 years. While in Ottawa she was involved with helping a fundraising for the Wild Bird Care Center and the Ottawa Rabbit Rescue. She fostered many rabbits, providing them the love and care they needed until they found heir forever home. She has recently moved back to St Thomas to be closer to family and joined the Oakridge/Oak West team in 2022. Melissa has a special talent for working with small pets.

Melissa lives with her husband and together they have a whippet and 2 rescued chihuahuas. She still stays involved with the Ottawa Rabbit Rescue doing what she can from a distance.

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 three very special senior rescue cats: Oliver, Felix and Mini Me. In her spare time, Katie enjoys spending time with her cats, family and friends and
mastering gluten free and vegan baking. Katie also has finally achieved her childhood dream and keeps busy with her very own cat sitting side business.

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.