Meet Our Staff

Pam Vargas, CVT, Veterinary Technician

Empleados que hablan Spanish

Pam has been working as a Veterinary Technician since 2001. She trained at County College of Morris and graduated in 2003 as a Certified Veterinary Technician. For the next 6 years, she worked with cats, dogs, and small mammals. In 2007, Pam brought her training and experience here to us, and quickly increased her knowledge and skill base to work with a multitude of exotic species also. Pam has a true love for the work she does and enjoys making sure her patients needs are met and their humans are educated and put at ease. She and her husband share their home with 3 cats, 2 dogs, and a bird, all rescued animals, and she is currently training her dogs in agility, obedience, and scent work.

Kristine Ponce, CVT, Veterinary Technician

Empleados que hablan Spanish

Kristine is a dedicated veterinary technician who has been in the field since 2015. With a genuine passion for animals, she has gained extensive knowledge in their medical care. She is known for her compassion and kindness, and commitment to helping and caring for animals.

Outside of work, Kristine enjoys spending her time hiking, biking, going to the beach, assembling puzzles, traveling and camping. She holds a certification in veterinary technician and attends professional, medical development, continuing education seminars regularly.

Susan Leach, ACO, Receptionist & Veterinary Assistant

Susan joined our team in 2013. She has almost 3 decades of professional animal handling experience. She is a NJ certified animal control officer, and has a degree in criminal justice. At home, she enjoys the company of three rambunctious cats, Mickey, Ophelia, and Adam Jones, and a rescued red eared slider turtle named Cooper. She is an avid reader, loves to cook while cranking up some progressive rock, and hopes to soon check “raised a Seeing Eye puppy” off her bucket list. Throughout her life Susan has loved animals and cherishes the deep bonds we form with them.

Joanne Watkins, CVT, Veterinary Technician

Joanne is a certified veterinary technician with over 20 years of experience in the field. She graduated with an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology from Sussex County Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology from Rutgers University. Joanne has been an integral part of our pracrtice since 2001, and she continues to provide top-notch medical care to all our patients.

Joanne’s meticulous nature and highly skilled medical expertise make her an invaluable member of our team. She is dedicated to providing the best possible care to all of our pet patients and always goes above and beyond to ensure their well-being.

Outside of work, Joanne enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 sons, and their 3 dogs, and is also the proud owner of 2 guinea pigs. Joanne practices agility with her dogs, and over the years, has trained and cared for top-performing Portuguese Water Dogs and Newfoundlands.

Shannon Denk, Veterinary Assistant

Shannon grew up in Bloomfield Nj and has always had an immense love and compassion for animals of all kinds. She volunteered at the Liberty science center’s animal husbandry department for 9 years and volunteers for the Raptor Trust picking up injured/sick birds. She has been with our practice as a veterinary assistant since 2019, and is working towards a degree in the animal care field. At home she has a zoo of her own that includes 2 dogs; Pia and Auggie, 2 cats; Taz and Breaker, T-Bird the Amazon parrot, Darwin the pigeon, and Anakin and Ashoka her crested geckos. In her free time she enjoys hiking, fishing, playing guitar and ukulele, Lego builds, crocheting projects, and spending time with family, friends and pets.

Nicole Nunez, Veterinary Assistant

Nicole has loved animals for as long as she can remember. She stared her first job as a veterinary assistant when she was in high school, and has been working in veterinary clinics ever since. She is fluent in Spanish, and is known for being kind, dedicated, trustworthy, and of course, loving with all of the animals she cares for.

Outside of work, she enjoys music, dancing, drawing, going to the beach, traveling, and spending quality time with friends, family, and pets.

Contact Us

Please call for information, or to make an appointment

Your pet’s well being and comfort are our highest priority. Whether your pet is ill, or needs preventative care to remain healthy, our staff is here to insure that your pet gets the high standard of care that you expect and deserve.