Dr Mcleod was born in Victoria, BC and grew up in Victoria, Ottawa, and Whitehorse. After completing high school at Spectrum Community School in Victoria, he attended UVic and UBC, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology. He became inspired to be a veterinarian while working on a dairy farm in Tsawwassen, BC and graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon in 1990.

Dr McLeod practiced medicine in Swift Current, SK and Comox, BC before he moved to Creston to join Dr Dave Perrin, who was the founder of Creston Veterinary Hospital, and who later retired to write the Country Vet Series. In Dr McLeod’s many years of practice, he’s developed a special interest in dairy medicine and orthopedic surgery.

Dr McLeod is an avid aviator! He uses this vehicle to bring veterinary care to remote clients and it also serves as an air ambulance. He volunteers his time with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, CASARA, and plays hockey as a goaltender with the Creston Old Timers. Dr McLeod’s two children, Kathleen and Alexandra, both attend the University of Calgary and major in Education and Business respectively. He has 3 dogs: Zeke, the Lab Pointer (master of the ball flinger), Kona, the crazy Lab (mischief and mice hunting specialist), and Piper, the photogenic border collie. He also has 3 cats; Ruckus (so named because he made such a fuss when he strayed into the veterinary clinic) and two other 3-legged cats that take care of his hangar, Lucy and Elvis. These two are awesome mousers despite their handicaps!

Dr McLeod is passionate about making Creston Veterinary Hospital responsive to community needs. He has been committed to the Creston Valley since he first arrived in 1993, becoming co-owner in 1996 and noting that the community required a veterinarian who could handle all species. It requires a continuous veterinary emergency presence and he is proud that he has been able to offer that. Creston Veterinary Hospital has grown significantly over the years and now requires several veterinarians to lighten the load. He continues to mentor the younger veterinarians as a payback to the community and profession he loves.

Dr. Julia Kaczkowski grew up in Lake Country, BC, where she spent most of her formative years as a self-described barn rat at an equestrian facility. After studying animal biology at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, Julia attended veterinary school in Saskatoon at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She spent a brief period of time exploring the maritime provinces before deciding to return home to beautiful British Columbia. Julia is so happy to be back in her native province and firmly believes that B.C. is indeed “The Best Place on Earth”.

At the clinic, Julia’s favourite aspects of veterinary medicine range from feline and equine medicine and wellness to animal behaviour. She finds great reward in working together with clients to create tailored health plans specific to every pet’s individual needs. Julia also has a special interest in pocket pet medicine, especially rabbits (having a rabbit of her own, she admits she may be slightly biased).

Julia has always been an outdoors enthusiast, and in her free time, Julia enjoys hiking, scrambling, backcountry camping, rock climbing, trail running, kayaking, skiing, and snowshoeing. With its wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities, the Kootenays are the perfect fit and Julia feels fortunate to live in this spectacular region. When at home, Julia enjoys the company of her two critters: Captain the Rabbit (a pompous bun who takes his name a bit too seriously) and Pinot Noir the Cat, a very emotionally attached feline who takes great pleasure in decorating Julia’s home with large amounts of cat fluff.

Veterinarian Zoe Noble was born in Victoria BC and grew up in both Victoria and Vancouver. She spent the majority of her childhood and adolescence at the barn where she spent every possible hour with horses- doing everything from playing polo to 3-day eventing. She knew that she wanted to be a Vet from the age of 3 and so in addition to horses, her supportive parents let her have all sorts of pets- dogs, cats, lizards, birds, and a variety of small mammals.

After graduating high school in Vancouver, Zoe went to UVic where she got a degree in Microbiology. While at school Zoe worked at a bulk food store where she was, at least partially, a professional peanut butter maker. She also worked at the Victoria Polo Club and spent one summer helping to track butterflies with an ecological survey company. It was during this contact that she was first introduced to the beauty of the Creston valley.

Upon graduating from UVic, Zoe and her husband Lochlan (a physicist and wild land firefighter from Golden BC) moved to Scotland where she went to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Medicine in Edinburgh. She was able to go on many adventures around the UK and Europe with her husband and dog. They especially enjoyed touring distilleries, and she is quite the scotch buff. Rover (the dog in the photo) is from Nakusp originally but has been to Paris, and London, as well as many quaint villages across Scotland. During school, Zoe worked in PR at the Roslin Institute (famous for being the birthplace of Dolly the Sheep). She loved the opportunity to work with people who were passionate about making science fun and accessible to everybody. She also became a certified sheep shearer and did research on BC’s bighorn sheep population.

Zoe’s favourite part of veterinary medicine is working with clients and their animals as a team and tries her best to spread positivity wherever she goes- you might see her wearing her favourite bright pink coveralls on-farm from time to time. She is especially passionate about animal behaviour- having firsthand experience with her dog, which can be quite grumpy at times, and preventative medicine. She loves treating all animals from ovine and bovine farm practice to dogs and cats (and everything in between).

Zoe, Lochlan, and Rover are ecstatic to be back in BC and are excited to become part of the Creston community. When she isn’t working, Zoe enjoys walking Rover, hiking, xc skiing, snowshoeing, spearfishing, horseback riding, and generally spending time outside with her family.

Dr Aiyanna Hoogsteen was born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, where she knew from a young age that she wanted to become a veterinarian. She spent much of her spare time working at a dairy farm, horseback riding, and volunteering at local clinics. Aiyanna studied Animal Biology at the University of Guelph before being accepted into the Ontario Veterinary College in 2017.

During her studies, Aiyanna completed a 3-month placement in Kenya through Veterinarians Without Borders, where she traveled to local farms and taught smallholder dairy farmers about cow nutrition, disease prevention, and calf care. She also worked in the OVC Large Animal Hospital, caring for everything from horses to pigs to alpacas, which fostered her passion for equine medicine.

In 2020, Aiyanna first came to Creston to work as a student intern at Creston Veterinary Hospital. After four months, she had fallen in love with the valley, the community, and the clinic, so she is ecstatic to be back and starting her veterinary career at CVH!

Aiyanna loves the day-to-day variety that comes with working in a mixed animal practice and is eager to get to know the people and animals of Creston. She is especially interested in equine medicine, small animal surgery, and pain management. She is also a Fear Free Certified veterinarian and so strives to make every pet’s visit to the hospital as fun and stress-free as possible.

Aiyanna has three cats that stayed with her family in Ontario: Pumpkin, a sassy ginger tabby who is the queen of the house, and Mercury and Minerva, a brother-sister duo who are as cute as they are mischievous! While Aiyanna is sad not to have her kitties with her, she knows it won’t be long before she finds a fluffy companion to share her home with here as well!

When not at work, Aiyanna likes to spend time in the great outdoors – hiking, camping, paddle boarding, and kayaking. In the evenings, she can be found connecting with friends and family or curled up with a good book. Aiyanna is excited to become part of the community and looks forward to exploring Creston and the surrounding areas to enjoy all that BC has to offer!

Rochelle always knew she would pursue a career working with animals. She grew up in Canmore, AB, where wildlife sightings are commonplace. Driven by her curiosity and inclination to nurture, Rochelle became infatuated with the creatures she encountered and made numerous attempts to connect with them on some level. Naturally, she was an enthusiastic science student, excelling at Biology, which she later studied at Capilano University in Vancouver. It was during this time that she had the fortunate opportunity to volunteer with both the Bamfield Marine Science Centre and the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Association.

Rochelle began working at the Creston Veterinary Hospital in the summer of 2014 as a Veterinary Assistant, returning to school in the fall to complete her final year of Animal Health studies at Lakeland College in Vermilion, AB. Upon graduation, she gained valuable work experience at a 24-hour emergency and specialty practice in the Okanagan, where she achieved her R.V.T. designation after successfully writing a national licensing exam in July of 2015 and has since returned to work for Dr. McLeod full-time.

Since her arrival, Rochelle has taken on many roles. From student to Veterinary Technician to Hospital Director, she now spearheads our marketing and recruiting endeavours. This assignment provides a welcome change from her technical skill set, allowing her to creatively bridge the gap between our veterinary services and the communities needs.

Rochelle enjoys gallivanting outdoors with her partner, Jeremy, their two rescue pups; Daisy and Jo-Jo, and their soon to be, newborn son. Rochelle has already begun her maternity leave, and together, they look forward to becoming humble students. They especially can’t wait to introduce their little man to all of their favourite Kootenay activities, like hiking, camping, swimming, and snowboarding.

Rochelle will be on maternity leave until September 2021 as she welcomes her first child, Owen!

Fear Free Certified
Originally from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Katelyn fell in love with animal care while grooming part-time in high school. After moving to Halifax and taking a year of Makeup Artistry and Design, she was accepted into Dalhousie Agricultural College for Veterinary Technology, beginning her journey towards a career in veterinary medicine.

Katelyn began working in the field during her final semester of technical school and instantly recognized a family of people who shared in the same enthusiasm for caretaking. Drawn to the relationships built with clients and patients alike, she knew this was exactly what she wanted out of a career and to this day, it is what she loves most about being a Veterinary Technician.

Katelyn graduated in April of 2017 and discovered a keen interest in nutrition, homeopathic medicine, and small animal behaviour and training while she worked part-time at Full Circle Veterinary Alternatives. This experience also broadened her knowledge of home prepared and raw diets, essential oils, and homeopathic methods. Katelyn is a proud Fear Free Certified Veterinary Professional and uses these skills to look after a pet’s emotional wellbeing, in addition to their physical wellbeing, which allows her to provide her patients with the most inclusive healthcare possible.

“I love educating clients and sharing my experiences of my own Shih Tzu, Kida, who struggles with separation anxiety, a heart condition, and mild allergies”.

Katelyn moved across Canada in December 2018 with her boyfriend, Jeremy, their 2 cats, Nala and Oliver, and Shih Tzu, Kida, and thrilled to call Creston their new home. In her free time, Katelyn enjoys walking the local trails with her little family, drawing portraits, reading, and playing the occasional video game.

Tanya Schobert joined the team at Creston Veterinary Hospital in June 2020. She graduated too many years ago to count but has a young at heart attitude that does not tire easily. After working in Manitoba at the Winkler and Morden Veterinary Clinics for over 25 years, she decided that a new start in the warm Creston Valley would be a lovely way to say good-bye to the province of extremes (and that goes for weather, bugs and ticks!).

After her initial visit to Creston, convincing the family to move wasn’t hard! Packing and moving within a month was a whirlwind, but so worth the effort. Tanya, her family, and their pack; an American bully named “Havana,” a one-eyed cat named “Sparrow” and two Quarter Horses, “Lincoln and Rosie” are all settled in now!

Being an RVT is not for everyone. The work expectancy of a “tech” is 5-7 years, and, like any other job, some days present a few challenges. However, Tanya maintains that the team and clinic culture is what can make or break it. It’s not just the brilliant weather that attracted her to Creston, but the incredible work ethic, warmth and compassion that each member of the team exudes. Tanya loves puppy and kitten snuggles, but she counts herself fortunate to have found such a close-knit and caring team to work alongside.

Tanya is especially looking forward to meeting everyone in the Valley and working with their companions. Visiting and listening to clients’ stories, and ensuring that pet ownership is mutually rewarding for all parties, is her most cherished role. She says her “job” as a technician is to maximize client education, empathy, and be a voice for all creatures, big and small. Tanya would like to take this opportunity to thank the community in advance for entrusting her with their animals care.

Tara has had a love for animals since a young age and they have been a big part of her life ever since. She first volunteered with our clinic in her last year of high school, though she pursued a long and rewarding career with Creston Fire Rescue before rejoining the team at Creston Veterinary Hospital in 2002.

While working as an assistant, Tara began studying for her diploma in Animal Health Technology through the Thompson Rivers University Distance Education program. With the support from Dr. McLeod and her amazing coworkers, she received the hands-on experience necessary to graduate and became a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2010. Tara enjoys the fact that Creston Veterinary Hospital is a mixed animal practice because throughout the day her patients may be large or small, and as result, the years in practice have never been boring.

Outside of work, Tara enjoys many adventurous outdoor activities, exercising, and camping with family and friends. Tara shares her home with husband, Mark, son, Caelan, and their favourite fur-buddies, LadyBug, a Border Collie/Lab cross, Percy Blackstone, a black and white DSH cat, and their newest addition, Zeus, the Blue Heeler puppy.

Bio coming soon!

Born and raised in Creston, BC, Amanda has always had a love for animals. She began attending Equine 4-H at 8 years of age, and when she turned 13, she started to become more interested in barrel racing, travelling around to do so. Amanda graduated from Prince Charles Secondary School in January 2014 and moved to Alberta to work at a horse breeding facility in small town
Bassano, Alberta, where she gained experience in artificial insemination, stallion handling, and semen collection.

Amanda moved back to Creston in the fall of 2014 to work at Overwaitea Foods before joining our team in October 2016. Amanda has grown immensely during this time, both professionally and personally, which is evident in the meticulous care of her patients and ever-growing responsibilities. Her new role as a Veterinary Technician Trainee requires her to help with billing,
client communication, lab diagnostics, and on-call rotations with the veterinarian. Amanda enjoys all aspects of her job but has a special interest in small animal dentistry.

Amanda shares her life with Cajun, a Jack Russel Terrier who was born in their family home in Creston, 9 years ago, and Linc, the newest addition, a bright and playful Red Heeler puppy. Together, they are very active, love to play fetch (it’s all about the ball), and enthusiastically follow Amanda on her many adventures. Amanda also cares for her barrel horse, an 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare named Jess.

Hiking, walking with her dogs, dirt biking, hunting, fishing, and riding horses are among Amanda’s favourite outdoor pursuits. As an avid barrel racer, she has won the purse on several occasions and even won a saddle in 2016. Amanda is looking forward to barrel racing this summer and starting agility with her puppy, Linc, before she heads to school to pursue an education at Olds College to become a Veterinary Technician. We are so excited for her future!

Bio coming soon!

In August, Laura Johnston started working as a veterinary assistant at Creston Veterinary Hospital and is enjoying this new workplace. She just moved to Creston from Lumsden, Saskatchewan, in July. After a career as an elementary school teacher, working part-time with animals has been an excellent fit. She worked in a veterinary clinic in Saskatchewan and has been grateful to continue working as an assistant here. She enjoys interacting with dogs and cats and helping to care for their needs. As well as church involvement, she is looking forward to getting to know the community more and making more connections.

She has two grown married children and a lovely granddaughter, all of whom live in Saskatchewan.
She and her husband share their home with a five-year-old border collie mix, Katie.

Tessa was born and raised in the beautiful Creston Valley and loves calling it “home”. She has been an animal lover all of her life and has a passion for helping those in need. Tessa began working with horses after joining 4-H at the age of 12. She was then employed at Creston Flats Stables & the Therapeutic Riding Centre before landing her current role as a Veterinary Assistant at Creston Veterinary Hospital in 2015. As a Veterinary Assistant, Tessa assists with surgical preparation, farm calls, patient care, equipment sterilization, hospital cleaning, and numerous other duties. Tessa thoroughly enjoys her role at the clinic and is considering the idea of furthering her education in the veterinary field to enable her to delve deeper into all this career has to offer.

Tessa is part of a large blended family that all have varied careers and interests in retail, esthetics, sales, nursing, and construction. Tessa; however, has found her joy in animals! Tessa got her first horse when she was 13 and has been devoted to riding and training “Izzy” ever since. In May 2018 “Izzy” had her own baby and now Tessa is working with “Jupiter”, the feisty filly who’s growing very large, very quickly. Tessa loves horseback riding, hiking, swimming, and most outdoor activities that Creston has to offer.

Bio coming soon!

Kate was born in Creston and this is where she and her husband, Sean, raised their three children together and where they are fortunate enough to watch their grandchild grow-up, too. Throughout her childhood and to this day, Kate has never been able to turn away from a stray or injured animal, which is why she’s in her element at Creston Veterinary Hospital and such an integral part of our team.

Kate began working as a Receptionist in 2011 and has grown in her role over the years, taking on many different responsibilities. From scheduling appointments to filling prescriptions, maintaining medical records, and relaying important information amongst the veterinary team, Kate is always attentive to our clients and pets needs.

At home, Kate has four dogs; Molly, 11, Bailey, 10, Abby, 8, and Sophie 6, and eight cats; Nugget, Cali, Annabelle, Lucy, Reggie, Gabby, Sylvester and Deck. Yes, Kate has what you might call a small zoo, but she has an extraordinarily big heart and finds it difficult to say “no” to animals in need. In her spare time, you can find Kate walking, hiking, and swimming throughout the valley, usually with her family in tow.

Born and raised in Creston and currently residing in the small community of Wynndel, Kayla lives with her husband, TJ, and their three furry family members; 9 year old Denali, a bossy German Shepherd, 6 year old Finn, a laid back, long-haired tabby, and 1 one year old Sawyer, a playful rescue pup.

Ever since Kayla can remember, the daily operations of a veterinary clinic have held fond memories for her. With her mother working alongside Dr. Keith Marling, she was fortunate enough to experience just how extraordinary the veterinary field is. With a keen willingness to learn, Kayla would help her mother with weekend kennel cleaning and after-hours patient care, and upon graduation from high school, Kayla took a position as a receptionist at the Kootenay Animal Clinic. This role helped her to build a strong foundation of customer service skills and allowed her to continue to serve the people and animals of the valley until the retirement of Dr. Marling in 2009.

Kayla joined the Creston Veterinary Hospital in November 2018 as one of our Call Centre Attendants and is now eagerly and skillfully transitioning to a position with our Reception team.

During her days off, Kayla enjoys time with her family, goes on pack walks with her friends, camps and boats on Kootenay Lake!

Megan is one of the first team members you will speak with when you call or visit the Creston Veterinary Hospital. A long-time Alto in the Blossom Valley Singers, Meg’s other hobbies include making jewelry, playing the piano and ukulele, and getting out to explore the fantastic surroundings of this area. Her husband and herself love swimming and walking in the warm months, and snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the cold. She met Stephen while teaching English in South Korea, and the two have been travelling the world since. While living in Australia, Meg had the chance to help in an animal sanctuary in Tasmania, helping to rehabilitate and release injured wildlife.

Having been raised in Creston, Megan was keen to return to this beautiful valley. Her family has always taken in creatures in need, and while working at the veterinary hospital she fell in love with (and adopted) Cricket, the 3-legged, half-tail cat. She looks forward to helping you with your animal friends.

Steve Jacques was born and raised in Ontario, near the Tiny Beaches at the south end of Georgian Bay. In his early 20’s he spent a few years living in the Toronto area, studying the marine industry and working as a junior officer on cargo and oil ships transiting from the great lakes to the east coast.

Several months after the start of the covid-19 pandemic, Steve and his partner Marcus decided to move away from the city. They visited Creston BC and loved the mountains so much they made it their new home. Steve had many pets growing up and always wanted to work with animals but never had the chance, so he joined the team at Creston Vet Hospital as a receptionist. He enjoys working with people, contributing to the community, and strongly believes that animals make our lives better. His role as a receptionist involves booking appointments, filling prescriptions, answering the emergency phone line, and getting bags of dog food down from the top shelves where no one else can reach. Although he has no background in veterinary medicine, he hopes to use the other skills he has developed to help the people and animals of this town.

The other members of Steve’s family are a 3-year-old savannah cat named Cody who also bravely made the cross-country trip on the move from Ontario to BC, and soon to be a new puppy who was born here in Creston. His partner works from home as an IT director for a consulting company based out of New York. Steve has several pastimes which include hiking, canoeing, gardening and woodworking, as well as cooking and baking sweet treats for his friends and neighbours. In the coming years Steve and Marcus hope to have a small orchard and maybe 1, 2 or 10 more animals to love.

Amber was born and raised in the Creston Valley. Although she has moved a lot in her adult life, she always comes back to her roots. Amber has always been intrigued by animals and her adventurous soul kept her in nature searching for wildlife. She has a soft heart and is usually in the company of one of her rescues.

Amber started her employment with the clinic in 2015 as a Call Centre Attendant, then moved from Creston for a year and upon her return, the clinic welcomed her back as an Office Assistant. Her tasks include billing, typing up SOP’s, and other important office errands and responsibilities. Ambers attention to detail, professionalism, and pleasant demeanour help our clinic run more efficiently.

Amber shares her home with her fiancé, Rory, his children part time, their rescue dog, Sally, and their rescue cat, Chloe. Amber also stays busy helping her brother and sister in law on their farm. Raising pigs and chickens for food, feeding and caring for goats and horses and learning the ways of farming and self-sustainability. She takes pleasure in hiking the many mountains we have in the area, walking her dog, Sally, scenic drives with no destination, creating recipes, and spending time with her family and friends.