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.

John graduated from UBC with a degree in Forestry in 1986 and continued on to work as a professional forester in both industry and as a consultant. During this time he has gained varied experience in business management.

John enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and still works seasonally as a field forester. Much of his time is spent with his wife, Hilary, and their “sled” dog, Cara. Their three daughters are now independent, two married with dogs of their own, as well as one pet pygmy goat, and one daughter finishing university. They have been a family of many pets over the decades, ranging from dogs and horses to budgies and hedgehogs. Having spent some time at veterinary clinics as a client, with a background in business, John brings a different and welcome perspective to clinic management.

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.

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, 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 new opportunity provides a welcome change from her technical skill set, allowing her to creatively bridge the gap between our veterinary services and our communities needs.

Outside of work, Rochelle volunteers her time with Love 2 Play Dog Training in Nelson, BC and enjoys galavanting outside with her boyfriend, Jeremy, and her two beautiful rescue pups; Daisy, a spicy 6 year old Collie/Shepherd mix and Jo-Jo, a sassy 11 year-old sled dog who is thoroughly enjoying her retirement. Together they enjoy hiking, camping, swimming, 4×4‘ing, and snowboarding throughout the Kootenays!

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.

It’s been difficult not to take home every stray animal that comes through the clinic and Carrie has shown great restraint; however, last year they adopted Reggie, a very loving Golden Retriever mix. As it turns out, good things come to those who wait, because he could not have been a more perfect fit for their family. Outside of work, Carrie enjoys a variety of sports which include hockey (go Jets!), slow pitch, golf, and a rekindled passion for rock climbing. Carrie looks forward to helping you and your fur-family very soon!

As an adult, Bronwyn adopted many other animals while attending the University of Calgary for her BSc in Psychology. She had a rewarding career working with children, teenagers, and adults with Autism and one day aspires to unify her two passions; healing animals and assisting people with special needs.

Bronwyn realized she had chosen the right career path the second time around while attending the Animal Health Technology program at Lakeland College in Vermilion, AB. Surrounded by people who shared her compassion and enthusiasm for the care and companionship of animals, she knew she’d found her calling. Bronwyn came to Creston on her practicum in May 2019 and
enjoyed the exceptional learning environment and welcoming staff, as well as the clients and their pets so much that she enthusiastically accepted a full-time position. Bronwyn has a special interest in emergency nursing care and thinks that the best part about being a Veterinary Technologist is that every day is different. It keeps her on her toes and encourages her constant
growth.

Bronwyn has a 10-year-old chihuahua (guard dog) named Astro, who has a large personality in a tiny body. She also shares her home with a tuxedo cat named Hugo and a grey tabby named Edward. The furry trio spend their days cuddling each other and loving any human that comes around. Outside of work, Bronwyn enjoys outdoor adventures, snowboarding, and true crime podcasts.

After graduating high school, Shannon moved to Calgary, where she eventually started a family. As a military wife, she often found her herself moving across Canada, a journey that took her to nearly every province! When her two children matured, the family retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and went in search of an area to lay down more permanent roots. The family moved back to Calgary and Shannon took a job working in the corporate office of a trusted airline.

Shannon loved this position, but with the required travel in her job description, she found it resembled the military lifestyle her family left behind. After much thought and consideration, (along with the realization that it’s completely unacceptable to have snow at the end of May) it was decided that their final move would be to the beautiful Creston Valley to fulfill Shannon’s lifelong dream of working with animals.

While working as a Veterinary Assistant at Creston Veterinary Hospital, Shannon is concurrently enrolled in the online Veterinary Technician Training Program at Penn Foster University. This program will prepare her for a long and rewarding career as a Registered Veterinary Technologist. Additionally, she is working towards becoming a Fear Free Professional. This certification focuses on reducing fear, anxiety and stress in our patients, and will ensure that your pets leave the clinic loving her as much as she loves them.

When she’s not studying or spending time with her wonderful husband and children, Shannon can be found cuddling one of her three cats; Argo, Lily, and Mickey, or attempting her hand at something creative. Her main hobbies include photography, knitting, crochet, and sewing. Her Pinterest “fails” and unfinished projects, which can be found littered throughout the house, provide endless hours of entertainment for her cats. There’s nothing more exciting than a ball of yarn!

Shannon looks forward to taking this journey with you and thanks the Creston community for welcoming her with open arms. She has finally found a place to call “home”.

Throughout the years, Alexandra has enjoyed learning about the dairy industry and spent many summers working as a farm-hand and milker at Mountain Valley Dairy, in addition to working at several fruit stands and farms throughout the valley. In 2018, she worked in Kamloops as a Parent Seed Summer Associate with BASF and Bayer Crop Science, gaining valuable work experience in the Canola industry. While Alexandra certainly enjoyed studying plant agriculture, she maintains that her passion is working with animals, particularly farm animals, and has since returned to her hometown of Creston to work with Creston Veterinary Hospital. Alex joined the team in November 2018 and is thoroughly enjoying her transition into the field of veterinary medicine.

A life-long learner, Alexandra has recently completed a certificate course in Agricultural Business Risk Management and is working towards becoming a veterinary technologist through Thompson Rivers University. The 3-year Animal Health Technology (AHT) distance program commences in January 2020 and will allow Alex to obtain the theoretical portion of her training by distance education while gaining clinical experience at Creston Veterinary Hospital.

In her spare time, Alex enjoys taking photos of our beautiful valley, playing with her dogs Orsa, the Maremma Sheepdog, and Charlie, the Collie cross, as well as working with her horses, Sterling, the Fjord, and Ariel and Cookie, both quarter horses. She continues to play recreational soccer and also works to expand her family farm business, Haygan Farms. She hopes that one day it will become fully self-sustainable, with a small Jersey herd, beef cattle, and chickens.

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.

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.

Brittany first joined Creston Veterinary Hospital in 2015 as one of our Call Centre Attendants, where she helped triage calls and relay important information between clients and staff. She’s since mastered the position and has been promoted to Reception, a role that requires proficiency in hospital protocols, sharp critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, compassion, a positive attitude, followthrough, and excellent communication and teamwork skills. Brittany is most grateful for the opportunity to merge her love of animals and public service into an exciting and rewarding career in veterinary administration.

Brittany was born and raised in the Creston Valley and has decided to raise her young son, Carter, here as well. Her family includes an 8-year-old Retriever mix named Diesel, who is a gentle, playful, and snuggly giant, and Peppa, a Holland Lop who keeps them laughing with her silly bunny antics. In her spare time, Brittany enjoys the outdoors by going for walks, hiking, or relaxing by the water, especially with her family and friends.

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!

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.

Ryan is one of the newest team members at Creston Veterinary Hospital. He is our very first Reception Assistant, a role that was established in July 2020 to provide relief for our Client Care Specialists amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan is kind, patient, and professional; proving to be more than just a helping hand, he has become a welcome asset to our team. He’s the first familiar face you’ll see when you visit our hospital, always extending a smile and his full attention before offering you a bottle of cold water and a shady spot to sit while you wait. In addition to our current comprehensive cleaning and safety protocols, Ryan ensures client and staff safety by maintaining an arduous sanitization schedule, keeping exposure to COVID-19 to a minimum. From cleaning and grunt work (“Ryan, can you reach that for us?!”) to processing payments and providing an exceptional customer experience, Ryan’s our go-to guy!

Ryan was born and raised in Creston, BC, alongside his two older sisters. Graduating from PCSS in 2018, he has future aspirations of becoming an electrician. Grateful for this new position as a Reception Assistant, Ryan knows it will help him to acquire further skills in serving the community prior to attending Selkirk College in January 2021. Ryan’s fur-family includes his very loyal and beloved 14-year-old Cocker Spaniel, Oreo, and a 7-year-old fluffy feline named Cat. Oreo is a friendly dog who grew up with kids, taking on the “teenager lifestyle” of constant sleeping and eating, which he continues to enjoy into his golden years, and Cat is a typical cat! When not at work, Ryan enjoys hanging out with family and friends and has an appreciation for food and sleep. Ryan is looking forward to meeting and working with the Creston community and their pets.