Meet the Veterinarians & Team of Tavistock Veterinarians in Tavistock, ON! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!
Please call us at (519) 655-2421 to speak to one of our caring veterinary staff members!
Dr. Hutchinson graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2005 and began practicing with Tavistock Veterinary Services that same year. He was welcomed into the partnership in 2009, and currently works out of our Tavistock and Hickson locations. Chris has a special interest in surgery and has taken additional courses in various orthopedic procedures. When he’s not at the clinic, Chris enjoys spending time with his two cats Max and Henry, and collecting butterflies and frogs (and whatever else they want him to do) with his three daughters.
Dr. Ritz completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Guelph in 2008, followed by a Master of Epidemiology at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2012. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2017. Kate joined Tavistock Veterinary Services in 2017, and currently works out of our Tavistock and Hickson locations. Her special interests include behaviour and dermatology. Kate lives with her husband and their Labrador-mix named Sadie. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, reading, gardening, and spending time with her family (including 2 nieces and 2 nephews).
Dr. Hause graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College and has been in clinical practice for over 25 years. He currently spends most of his time at our Dorchester location. Paul has been married to his wife for over 35 years – they have two adult sons and bratty beagle, Eagle. Paul enjoys a variety of outdoor pursuits in his spare time, including bee keeping and making his own maple syrup.
Dr. Van Bommel completed three years of a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Guelph in 2017, and earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2021. Emily currently works out of the Tavistock, Hickson, and Dorchester locations as a mixed animal veterinarian. Her professional interests include small animal internal medicine and preventive pet healthcare, as well as bovine emergency medicine and surgery. In 2020, Emily completed her Fear Free Certification and her goal is to reduce fear, stress and anxiety in pets visiting the veterinary hospital. In her free time, Emily enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, playing hockey, travelling and reading.
Dr. Creighton completed a Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology at the University of Guelph in 2016., and she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2021. Cecilia currently works out of the Tavistock and Hickson locations. Her special interests include soft tissue surgery, community outreach, and one health initiatives. Cecilia lives with her husband and their cat Pim. In her spare time, Cecilia enjoys hiking, travelling, and photography.
Dr. Norris completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Biology at the University of Guelph in 2014. She then earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2018. Her special interests include ultrasonography, soft tissue surgery, and preventative medicine. She currently works out of both the Hickson & Tavistock locations. Jessica lives with her husband, daughter, and her pets which include three cats, one dog, and a guinea pig. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys crocheting, reading, and spending time with her family.
Dr. Schutten earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Guelph. She went on to work in the field of wildlife and ecological research before earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2017. Kerry is currently pursuing a PhD in Wildlife Health and Disease, as well as working part-time at our Tavistock location. Kerry lives with her husband and their two cats, Owen and Lucy. In her spare time, Kerry enjoys horseback riding, playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, reading, and spending as much time as possible outdoors.
Angela joined our team in 1995. She initially worked as a veterinary assistant, before transitioning to her current role as small animal office manager in 2010. Angela keeps all our clinics running smoothly, and she always has a smile on her face while she does it! She lives with her husband and their two sons, as well as an energetic lab, Ellie, and a feisty cat named Gary.
Tara is one of our small animal technicians at the Tavistock clinic. She achieved her animal health technician designation in 1999; she has been a valued team member ever since and now functions as our lead technician in the Tavistock clinic. Outside of work, Tara enjoys spending time with her husband and young daughter, and her English Bulldog named Ruby. Tara’s hobbies include knitting and spending time with friends and family.
Lisa has been a country girl all her life and grew up on a farm outside of Stratford. Lisa joined the Tavistock team in 2001, completed her Veterinary Technology program at St. Lawrence College in Kingston in 2004, and is now lead technician at our Hickson clinic. Lisa lives on a cash cropping / pig / hobby farm outside of Tavistock with her husband, their 3 children, and many animals (including dogs, cats, ducks, chickens, goats, and even a cow). When she is not working, Lisa enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, and playing sports (especially baseball).
Kellie graduated from the Veterinary Office Administration program from the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus in 2011, and began working at our sister clinic in Dorchester. Returning to school to further her education in the field of veterinary medicine, she graduated from the Veterinary Technician program at St. Clair College in 2014 and is now a Registered Veterinary Technician. You will usually see Kellie working in Small Animal at the Tavistock and Hickson clinics. Kellie lives with her husband and two young children. They have a German Shepherd named Howard, and a cat named Hank (who sometimes proves to be more trouble than he’s worth). When not at work, Kellie enjoys participating in half marathons, canoeing, and playing soccer and volleyball.
Rachel joined our team here at Tavistock Veterinary Services in June 2018. Rachel has lived in Tavistock her entire life and began her interest in veterinary medicine by milking at dairy farms and working alongside a large animal veterinarian. She completed the Veterinary Office Administration program at Ridgetown College. After this program, she realized she wanted to become a veterinary technician with special interest in large animal medicine and small animal dentistry. Rachel completed the Veterinary Technician program at Georgian College, and became a Registered Veterinary Technician shortly thereafter. Rachel and her Husband have two children, two dogs Colt & Cleo, as well as two cats Cinder and Cash. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys tending to her houseplants and spending time with family.
Nicole graduated from the Veterinary Technician program at Northern College in 2018 and received her registered status later that year. She joined our team in 2020, after moving to Stratford with her husband. They share their home with their three feline friends: Blue (who's more lab than cat), Pip (the most energetic fluffball you've ever seen), and Timone (the newest, tiniest addition to the family). Her hobbies include welcoming stray cats into her home, camping, and gardening.
Heather grew up in Tavistock and has wanted to become a veterinary technician for as long as she can remember. She completed her high school co-op with our clinic in 2016-2017, then took time off to work and travel before starting college. She joined our team in 2021 as an assistant and finished the Veterinary Technician program at Seneca College in the spring of 2022, and later that year wrote her registration exam. She recently bought a house in Tavistock with her partner Mike and is looking forward to seeing what kind of pets they will acquire in the coming years. She enjoys travelling, crochet and spending time with friends and family (especially her adorable nieces and nephew!).
Jenessa graduated with honours from the Veterinary Technician program at University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus in 2010. She wrote her registration exam shortly after graduation. She has worked in the small animal setting since 2012, and joined the Tavistock team in May 2021. Jenessa lives in Stratford with her husband Joe and their 2 kids. She has a dog Hemi, along with 2 Bengal mix brothers, Tacoma and Tundra. Jenessa enjoys every aspect of being an RVT! In her spare time, she enjoys being with family, trail walks, and camping.
Cassie graduated from the veterinary technician program at St. Clair College in 2015 and received her registration later that year. Cassie joined the Tavistock & Hickson teams in August 2021. She shares her home with her husband and two children, along with her Border Collie mix named Lucy and her cat named Bubba. In her spare time, she enjoys puzzles, camping, and spending time with her family.
Georgia grew up in Tavistock area and it has always been a dream of hers to work in a vet clinic. She has been working in the veterinary medicine field since starting her high school co-op in early 2019, and has continued her career in that field. Having started working at Tavistock Veterinarians in June of 2022, she has supported both the Tavistock and Hickson clinics and graduated from veterinary technician school in April of 2023. When Georgia isn’t working hard with the tech team, she enjoys being outdoors, and spending time with family, friends, and her dog Marvin.
Carleigh graduated from the Veterinary Office Administration program at the University of Guelph Ridgetown campus in 2021, and continued her education at Ridgetown to become a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2024. Carleigh lives at home with her family of 6. They have 2 family dogs (Jake and Kahlua) and 2 cats (Oliver and Ursula). She enjoys walking her dogs with her family, doing puzzles, and anything artistic. Carleigh has a compassionate heart for both small and large animals.
Savanna joined the Tavistock & Hickson team in September 2021 and has been enjoying her work as an assistant ever since. She is currently in school at St. Clair College to become a veterinary technician. She lives in Woodstock with her grandparents and her chocolate lab Bear. Her hobbies include drawing, painting, taking her dog for walks, and spending time with her family. She is an animal lover of all kinds - big and small!
Jenn has always wanted to work with animals but took a little detour to get there. After high school she went to Fanshawe College where she took the Culinary Management program and became a chef. After a few years in the field, she left to raise her girls. When it was time to go back to work, she knew it was time for a change and, in August of 2022, completed the Veterinary Office Management program with Mohawk College. Jenn lives in Stratford with her husband, two girls, and three cats - Mocha, Mango and Alistar. In her spare time, she loves crafting, cooking, playing games with her family and bringing amazing baked goods to the clinic.
Michelle graduated from the Veterinary Assistant program at Sheridan College in 2008, and has enjoyed working in small animal hospitals ever since. She joined the team in 2022, and works mainly out of our Hickson office. Michelle loves to spend time outdoors with her husband and two kiddos - hiking and camping with their big, goofy doodle Marshall in tow. At home, stay the three cat-masters of the house, likely plotting against their canine sibling.