Meet the Veterinarians & Team of Westarbor Animal Hospital in Ann Arbor. We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!
Please call us at (734) 769-5391 to speak to one of our caring veterinary staff members!
Dr. Katie Anderson has been providing care to cats and dogs since 2010 when she joined the Westarbor Animal Hospital team. In 2019 Dr Anderson purchased Westarbor Animal Hospital from then owner Dr James Clarkson Dr. Anderson’s transition to hospital owner has been smooth and natural. Her vision is similar to Dr. Clarkson’s before her. They both believe that the focus of a successful veterinary practice should be to offer and provide the best quality medicine, surgery and dentistry possible for pets and their people. Dr. Anderson feels incredibly blessed to be able to continue the quality care that Dr. Clarkson started years ago at Westarbor Animal Hospital.
Although she loves all aspects of veterinary medicine, two of her special interests are in surgery and dentistry. She appreciates that surgery can help heal and improve comfort for a pet. She also believes there is a strong connection between oral health and overall health. Other areas of interest include behavior, internal medicine, feline medicine and preventative medicine.
Dr. Anderson has a deep appreciation for the strong connections between animals and their family, and she understands the special relationships that can develop. She feels it is a privilege and an honor to have a window into these special relationships through providing veterinary medical care.
When Dr. Anderson is not helping animals at Westarbor, she enjoys spending time with her family including her husband, two children and her four-legged family members. Dr. Anderson and her family have a golden retriever named Pickles (she is as silly as her name), a Labrador Retriever named Birdie (who is equally as silly as Pickles) , and three wonderful cats, Jingle, Mando and Rocky. Some of her hobbies include working on home improvement projects, golfing, reading and anything outdoors.
Dr. Christine Juergens has been practicing small animal medicine and surgery since graduating from the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. Although she enjoys the variety that being a general practioner brings, she has special interests in ophthalmology, internal medicine, and behavior. Dr. Juergens also has more than twenty years of abdominal ultrasound experience and is excited to offer this service to Westarbor clients.
Westarbor’s American Animal Hospital Association accreditation and reputation of practicing high quality medicine attracted Dr. Juergens to become one of their team members. She looks forward to getting to know and care for Westarbor Animal Hospital’s clients and their four legged family members.
Dr. Juergens shares her home with her husband, two children, and entertaining cat named Crackers. When not working or watching one of her kids' sporting events, Dr. Juergens enjoys going to the gym, baking, reading, and trying new restaurants.
Dr. Jillian Chase graduated from the Michigan State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2016. Since graduation Dr. Chase has been focused on using her knowledge to not only care for animals, but to help her clients have the best possible relationship with their pets. Dr. Chase believes it is her calling to minister to the human-animal bond and that special relationship. She also feels it is her responsibility to use the tools and knowledge at her hands to treat those things that can weaken the bond a person has with their pet. The biggest things that she sees weaken that bond are behavior issues as well as comfort or pain issues in older senior pets. She feels it is important to treat these issues so that the bond remains strong throughout the entire lifespan of the pet. Because of this, Dr. Chase does have special interests in behavior medicine, ultrasound imaging, pain management and senior care. Westarbor welcomed Dr Chase to our care team in March of 2021. We feel so fortunate to have found such a committed and passionate Veterinarian for our patients. Dr. Chase offers the staff a much needed respite with her humor. We are so grateful for her on those hard days when laughter sometimes seems impossible.
Dr. Chase is a Spartan married to a Wolverine. But despite the divided house, her and her husband make it work with her Papillon Zoe and their shih tzu Dora. In her free time Dr. Chase enjoys playing Animal Crossing and going for runs.
Dr. Saad began with Westarbor Animal Hospital in June of 2022. Dr. Saad graduated from the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2021. Dr. Saad’s decision to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine stems from a very early passion for animals and science. Combining the two gives her the opportunity to help provide pets with the longest, healthiest lives possible. Dr. Saad brings to Westarbor a special interest in Surgery, Behavior and Acupuncture. Being able to have Dr. Saad on the Westarbor team broadens out available treatment approaches to many common ailments such as traumatic nerve injuries, intervertebral disk disease, degenerative myelopathy, epilepsy and other central nervous system disorders; asthma, allergic dermatitis, lick granulomas; and chronic pain. Dr. Saad is certified in acupuncture through Curacore Veterinary. We look forward to seeing Dr. Saad expand her acupuncture practices. In addition to acupuncture, Dr. Saad is also Fear Free Certified. This certification involves a very comprehensive training program in the focus of preventing and alleviating fear, anxiety, and stress in pets while they are under the care of their Veterinary care provider. Dr. Saad has been such a positive addition to the Westarbor team. She is always pleasant, upbeat and supportive of all her fellow team members. We feel very fortunate that she has chosen to join the Westarbor family. Dr. Saad shares her home with her staffy mix dog Olive, her two cats Lentil and Sesame, her corn snake Azula and her bearded dragon Crab Rangoon. In her free time, Dr. Saad enjoys hiking, board games, video games, and camping.
Our practice manager, Stefanie, is the glue that holds it all together! Stefanie joined the Westarbor team in 1993 and has made sure our practice has been running smoothly ever since. Stefanie graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a minor in business management. As she puts it, she “stumbled” into veterinary medicine in college when a family friend mentioned a part time receptionist position at a near-by clinic. She took the job and quickly moved from reception to office manager and found her calling. She left that practice to come to Westarbor and has been working as our manager ever since. She loves developing new programs to help advance the level of education we provide our clients to ensure the very best care for their pets. She recognizes it is a partnership between the veterinary team and the owners and that the more knowledge they have, the better their pets’ lives will be. This is why we love our Stefanie!
Stefanie enjoys the country lake life with her husband Paul and daughter Faith. She enjoys horseback riding and competing in horseback events, especially jumping, a trait which she passed onto her daughter. They own three Cocker Spaniels, Snickers, Danny and Miles and two horses, Bravo an Arabian and Jake, a Halflinger.
Jenifer LaHuis is our head Veterinary Receptionist who joined the staff in July of 1999. She oversees all our customer service and staffing operations. "I love people and their animals," Jenifer said. Her main goal is "making lasting relationships with clients and their pets." Jenifer is understanding and compassionate by nature.
"I feel like we offer quality veterinary medicine to our patients beyond what is offered at other clinics," Jenifer said. "We treat clients and their pets the way we would want to be treated."
Jenifer has a mix of cats and dogs at home, including her pug, Ghibli, her labrador, Lolly, and her cats FeFe, Jinkies and Chubbs Magoo. Jenifer is mother to two wonderful boys and she loves gardening.
Mary is one of Westarbor’s licensed veterinary technicians. Mary graduated from Baker College’s licensed veterinary technology program. Her eternal optimism and smile keeps everyone smiling all the time! Mary joined the team in 2013 and is Westarbor’s ray of sunshine! Mary is true leader of her team. She excels at training and educating up and coming LVTs as well as our highly valued Veterianry Assistant staff. Mary is committed to the highest quality of veterinary care for her patients. Their safety and comfort is her highest priority at all times. Mary recognizes the importance of the 45 plus years of AAHA accreditation Westarbor has behind it and manages our AAHA membership to make sure Westarbor meets all of the rigorous standards needed to maintain our AAHA accreditation. She also is in charge of maintaining Westarbor’s status as a Feline-Friendly Practice Accreditation. Mary is also one of Westarbor’s Fear Free Certified staff members. Mary’s love of all creatures is not just limited to those with fur; she also has a passion for reptiles and amphibians as well.
Mary and her husband Aaron enjoy regular nature hikes and adventures near their home in Dexter. Mary’s animal children consist of her two mini Austrailian Shepherd doggies, Ruby and Cassie along with her lovable and equally spoiled kitties, Leroy, Logan and Poo. Mary also enjoys cooking, baking and candle making, all of which the Westarbor team just can’t get enough of!
Sarah began with Westarbor Animal Hospital in January of 2022. Sarah graduated from the Licensed Veterinary Technician program of Baker College of Jackson in 2017. Sarah has been in the field of Veterinary medicine since 2014. She also brings with her a background in Emergency Medicine, so she is used to handling all sorts of complicated medical situations. Sarah has always wanted to work in Veterinary medicine. She has tried her hand in other career paths, but has always been drawn back to the veterinary profession. Sarah loves that in her job she can be the voice for so many animals. When in ER medicine she cared for a wide range of animal species. Regardless of the animal though, she loves advocating for the pet’s needs. She also loves teaching and mentoring others and helping them to develop their skills and knowledge of Veterinary medicine. Sarah currently cares for and loves her cat Piper, her bearded dragon Irwin and her Thoroughbred horse Joey. In her free time Sarah can usually be found at the barn riding her horse Joey or helping to care for the other horses on the farm.
Rachel joined the Westarbor team in 2017 as one of our licensed veterinary technicians. Rachel graduated from Baker College of Flint in 2016 and started off in emergency medicine before coming to Westarbor. Rachel brought with her a great deal of Emergency medicine experience, and since starting with Westarbor, has developed a great deal of dentistry skills working alongside Dr. Clarkson and now Dr Anderson on our complicated dental referral cases. From a young age, she had a passion for animals that only got stronger as she got older. She could not imagine herself in any other field. Her love of her profession made her a wonderful choice for the Westarbor team. She loves helping animals who are sick and nursing them back to health. Rachel’s loving demeanor makes her an amazing technician!
Rachel came to Westarbor from the Saginaw area and now lives here with her Siberian Husky, Keeta. She is an avid Detroit fan supporting the Tigers and the Red Wings and enjoys going to games in her spare time along with traveling.
Hannah joined the Westarbor team in 2019 and has been a wonderful addition to the entire team! Hannah started as an equine studies major at Virginia Intermont College but decided to pursue a career as a licensed veterinary technician and graduated from Baker College in 2013. Her love for animals has always been a huge part of her life and she is so happy that she was able to put that to work as a career. Helping ensure patients have a positive experience at the vet keeps her going! She enjoys performing dental cleanings and has a huge interest in behavioral medicine as well. She brings a positive attitude and excellent work ethic to the Westarbor team! No matter how stressful the situation, Hannah has a calming prescence when dealing with her patients.
Hannah lives at home with her husband, Ryan, and two daughters, Annikah and Winifred. They also have six dogs, Leo, Albert, Ollie, Zeenie, Sienna, Jette Bee and Stout, four cats (2 of whom are Sphynx), a Red Footed Tortoise named Calvin, a rabbit named Beans, 5 horses and 3 chickens! In her spare time, Hannah enjoys horseback riding, obedience training, hiking and spending time with her family.
Abby joined the Westarbor Animal Hospital Technical care team in June of 2021. Westarbor has been so fortunate to have Abby on the front line of care for our patients. She is a highly trained Licensed Veterinary Technician who is a 2012 Graduate of the Baker College of Veterinary Technology in Muskegon. Abby began her career in Veterinary Medicine because of her love of animals coupled with her desire to work in a health care field. Veterinary medicine offers the best of both worlds. Abby’s special interests are in dentistry and feline medicine. Abby currently shares her home with her beloved cat Bean. In her spare time Abby enjoys hiking, keeping physically fit and exercising as well as knitting. The Westarbor team is so thankful that Abby chose our hospital as her home. She is a calming and skilled Technician who puts patient care as her highest priority.
Ashleigh joined the Westarbor team as a client care specialist in 2018. A former makeup artist, she decided her passion was with animals and decided to join the veterinary world. Ashleigh graduated from Lincoln High School in 2013 and started working right away. She loves animal and people and is very excited to have the opportunity to work with both. She loves how rewarding it is to care for animals and is enjoying the chance to do so. Her bubbly and bright personality makes her a wonderful addition to the Westarbor team!
Ashleigh grew up in Belleville and continues to live around the Ann Arbor area. She continues to enjoy doing makeup for special events on the side along with going to the gym. She also enjoys spending time with her dog Walter who is a cocker/puggle mix.
Sarah Garrison joined the Westarbor client care specialist team in 2017. She graduated from Ivy Tech Community College with an Associates in Business Administration and began working in customer service. Her loving personality, calm demeanor and big smile became a great addition to Westarbor as she discovered she wanted to put her love for animals and people to work in the veterinary world. As someone who has always loved taking care of others, she found it natural to want to take care of both animals and people. She learned a lot from caring for her own dog at home that had fearful tendencies and wanted to put her knowledge to work to help other animals and help people understand their nature. She enjoys being part of a knowledgeable and dedicated team of professionals who strive to provide the best care at all times. She is honored to be a part of the team and we are so lucky to have a team member who is so passionate about her job! Sarah is a true leader of her team and a strong educator of any new employees that are added to our client care team.
Sarah lives in the Ann Arbor area with her daughter, Mia, boyfriend, Dustin and their Rottweiler Feni and tuxedo cat Gilbert. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys hiking, discovering new hiking trails, visiting national parks and traveling. She also enjoys painting with acrylic paint on canvas.
Meaghan joined the Westarbor team in June of 2022 as one of our amazing Veterinary Client Service Team members. Meaghan graduated from Kenyon College in Ohio in 2019 with a bachelor’s of arts in classics and a minor in Anthropology and Art History. Meaghan stumbled into the field of Veterinary medicine by chance while job hunting during the craziness of COVID. However, no matter what role she has filled in her previous positions, she has almost always been the first face that customers see and speak with. Meaghan understands and is committed to providing our clients a warm, knowledgeable and
soothing presence for their pets. As a pet owner herself, Meaghan knows and appreciates the peace of mind that comes from prompt, compassionate veterinary care that starts from the very first phone call. Meaghan loves all animals, but definitely has a soft spot for bunnies. Currently, Meaghan loves and cares for five rabbits named Squirt, Cherry, Chicory, Po and Sawdust. In her free time, Meaghan enjoys embroidery, writing, collecting silly enamel pins and playing soccer. We are very fortunate to have Meaghan on the front lines helping to care for and educate our clients.
Andrea began with Westarbor Animal Hospital in March of 2022 as a Client Care Specialist. Andrea is new to the veterinary field but you would never know it. In fact, Andrea’s employment background is in banking. She also earned her associate’s degree in criminal law from Jackson College. Andrea clearly has a zest for learning every day. She has picked up on the world of veterinary medicine so quickly, and we are so grateful for her passion for the field. Andrea knew as a child that she wanted to someday work with animals because of her endless love for all animals. Andrea’s compassion for not only the pets, but their families as well can be felt from the moment our clients pick up the phone. Her commitment to excellent client service coupled with her love for each and every animal we see makes her the perfect person to greet and care for our clients. We are so fortunate that Andrea chose Westarbor as her entrance into this amazing field. Andrea and her boyfriend share their home with two wonderful cats, Kitty and Leo. In her free time, Andrea enjoys spending time with her friends and family.
I have been in the veterinarian medical field for over 15 years but have always been an Ellie May at heart. I started working at a rescue and moved into private practice which led to shelter medicine then back to private practice. My home has been full of many fosters throughout the years, from squirrels to birds to puppies and kittens. My wonderful husband John has been an amazing partner and helped to rehabilitate animals, raise two children (Hayden and Haylee), and keep me sane when the world seems to be too much. We just celebrated our 20-year anniversary and look forward to many more years of love and laughter. We moved from Miami to Mulberry in 2018 and love it here! We currently have 2 dogs, Ludo and Pinto, 2 cats Cinnamon and TC, and a plethora of fish. When I’m not working I enjoy reading, playing board games, kayaking, and going to theme parks with the family.
Megan began with Westarbor Animal Hospital in January of 2022 as a Veterinary Assistant. Megan is attending the Baker College Licensed Veterinary Technician program. She has been in the Veterinary medical field since 2020 and before that was an active member of her local 4H club. Megan’s commitment to animal welfare dates back to when she was a young child. She has always had a drive to help animals, but watching her childhood cat go through many difficult medical issues made that drive even stronger. Since starting at Westarbor, Megan has committed to learning and helping in whatever areas she is needed throughout the hospital. She has quickly picked up a very positive way of communicating with and educating clients on the best care practices for their pets. While Megan loves ALL animals, she has a soft spot for our feline patients and being able to help the kitties and their owners is particularly rewarding to her. Megan currently has three of the sweetest feline children, Mocha, Ginger and Tinky as well as too many ducks to count. In her spare time Megan enjoys cooking and baking, trapshooting, and photography. In addition to all that she does for Westarbor on a daily basis as well as attending school, Megan also has several other side ventures including her business “The Duck Lady LLC” and a pet photography business.
Alex joined the Westarbor team in 2014 and has been an invaluable addition. Alex graduated from the Ross Medical Veterinary Assisting Program in 2014 and joined Westarbor shortly after. He is an extremely rare find and Westarbor is happy to have him! He provides support for the doctors, technicians and front staff. He is everyone’s right hand man! Alex is exceptional with both our clients and their pets and has a way of putting both at ease. Since he was a kid, he knew he always wanted to care for animals. He loves working with coworkers who love animals as much as he does!
Originally an Ann Arbor native, Alex has remained in the area he grew up in. He lives with his dog Rodney and cat Puss in Boots, and a boa constrictor, Hossy Bee. Alex loves reptiles and herpetology in general. In his spare time he enjoys playing disc golf and traveling with his dog Rodney.
Alyssa began with Westarbor Animal Hospital in June of 2022 as a Veterinary Assistant. Alyssa has attended the University of Michigan Dearborn and has plans to start her Licensed Veterinary Technician program in 2023. Alyssa is very new to Veterinary Medicine, she has only been in the field for a few months, but you would never know it. Alyssa’s commitment to learning all there is to learn in the field is apparent the moment you see the attention to detail and the passion that she exudes when learning new tasks or information and most importantly, when dealing with the pets and their owners. Alyssa’s first cat, Maui, passed away in April of 2022. It was Maui that inspired Alyssa to pursue a career in which she can dedicate herself to helping sick pets as much as she possibly can. Alyssa has been an amazing addition to the Westarbor team. We feel very fortunate to have her here with us as she learns and grows within the Veterinary field. She has a soft spot for kitties and loves that part of the job, being able to care for and love the feline patients that she helps with each day. She enjoys her fellow team members and coming to work every day. Alyssa’s special interests include feline medicine and internal medicine. In her free time Alyssa enjoys reading, traveling to visit family and playing fetch with her cats Archie and Tater (aka Tater Tot)
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