Celebrating our Vet Techs

We are lucky to have a team of dedicated veterinary technicians to help our animals stay healthy. Each one has an undeniable passion for animal welfare, and we see it in the work they do each day. In light of National Veterinary Technician Week, join us in thanking them for their hard work and commitment to saving lives.

Desiree

Each day, Desiree comes to work with a smile and passion to help animals. Not only does she excel at her work, but she’s able to stay organized amidst the chaos and is able to keep calm during stressful situations. For her, working at Seattle Humane is more than just a job in veterinary medicine.

“I have found my veterinary career most rewarding when working to help homeless pets get adopted. During the beginning of my career, I worked part-time at a well-established private practice. However, when I thought about the animals without an owner to take them to a regular vet, I realized I wanted to primarily work in shelter medicine. I wanted to be their animal nurse until they found their new home.”

Amanda

Amanda has been with Seattle Humane since 2015. Since day one, she’s proven to be skilled in both animal handling and technical skills. She always puts each animal’s well-being first, and she has a tremendous sense of intuition that has helped save lives. Not only is she skilled in veterinary medicine, but she’s also an all-around fun person to work with. Each day, Amanda’s witty personality and ability to be extremely empathetic makes her a great team player. Prior to completing her veterinary technician degree, Amanda spent time working in zoology and as a dog groomer. It’s no doubt that Amanda’s lifelong passion to interact and help animals has helped make her an invaluable asset to our veterinary team.

Mariel

When Mariel graduated from Pima Medical Institute, she started her veterinary technician career as an intern at Seattle Humane. Mariel decided to make it her home, and nine years later she’s still saving lives at the shelter. For Mariel, working at an animal shelter is at the core of why she chose to be a vet tech. She had always volunteered for homeless shelters and other animal welfare organizations, so she wanted to find a career that would allow her to continue doing meaningful work for animals who didn’t have a family to care for them. Mariel has become such a crucial part of the veterinary team. She mentors less experienced team members while also maintaining connections with other departments. And her incredible technical and animal handling skills allow her to handle each pet with extreme care and empathy. At home, Mariel is the proud parent of three pit bulls, two cats, and one snake. Her most recent addition to the family was Figgy, her first adopted pet from Seattle Humane, who she adopted last January. It’s no doubt that her pets are lucky to have her, and the entire team at Seattle Humane is, too.

Rihana

Rihana is one of the newest additions to our veterinary team, and since day one she’s proven to be a reliable and dependable colleague. She started working at Seattle Humane as an intern in July 2019 but was soon hired on full-time as a vet tech. Our team has come to appreciate her calm demeanor and steady presence, both of which have allowed her to treat each animal with the utmost care. Prior to joining our team, Rihana had spent time working as an assistant at a cat clinic. But, she hadn’t quite found her calling. During her time there, she researched different positions that would allow her to work in animal welfare and decided to start a career in medicine. Rihana studied at Pima Medical Institute in Seattle, got her vet tech degree, and she’s been helping save lives ever since!

“This is my dream job. It feels so unreal to be surrounded by a team that’s so knowledgeable and friendly.”

Dawna

Dawna began her career at Seattle Humane earlier this year in May. Her eagerness to learn and willingness to always help others has made her a valuable member of our veterinary team (not to mention she’s one of our biggest cat fans!). Even during stressful times, she has a positive attitude and gives each animal her full attention. Dawna always knew she wanted to work in shelter medicine. She finds it rewarding to help pets who are waiting for a home. One of her favorite duties is working as a DVM assistant so she can move around and help treat different pets.

Suzanne

Suzanne has played a crucial role in our veterinary team ever since she started on New Year’s Day of this year. Prior to joining the team, she gained valuable experience working as a vet tech in Oregon, British Columbia, Canada, and another clinic in Washington, including time at a private practice. But her passion for animal welfare doesn’t end there. Suzanne also worked at a zoo as an animal care manager, managed endangered species programs, and worked in wildlife rehabilitation. All of this has contributed to her wealth of knowledge and skills. She’s efficient, organized, and is especially skilled at handling difficult dogs. What she enjoys most is the opportunity to treat animals who wouldn’t have the means to receive care otherwise. We are thankful for having such talented and passionate team members, like Suzanne.

Kelsey

Kelsey joined the veterinary team in April 2014, and she’s been a major resource for the animals in our care ever since. Before working at Seattle Humane, Kelsey worked at Fred Hutch, spent seven years working in private practice, and briefly worked at an emergency clinic. But she realized she wanted to work in shelter medicine. No matter the situation, she is able to aid in surgeries with precision and excellence each time. And somehow, she’s always able to predict what the DVMs need before they even ask, saving precious surgery time. “I personally take pride in trying to predict everything the doctors need to make everything run efficiently,” she shared. It’s this incredible attention to detail and impressive memory that makes her such a valuable team member. Her compassion for animal welfare carries into her work each day, and we couldn’t be more thankful.