Staff of Cottage Grove Animal Hospital
Joanne R., CVPM, Hospital Manager, Veterinary Technician and Radiation Safety Officer
Joanne joined the Cottage Grove Animal Hospital in 2000, a month before the practice opened. She wears many hats due to over 25 years of experience in the field. As a veterinary technician, she takes patient histories, handles laboratory work, takes radiographs, monitors anesthesia, assists during surgeries and dental procedures and educates clients.
Beyond those responsibilities, she also implements management software, ensures adherence to administrative policies and procedures, including bookkeeping, sales tax, payroll and purchasing, and implements Hospital Management Plans, which include OSHA, Radiation Safety and Emergency Action Plans. She has an Associate's degree and excels in organizational management and problem solving.
"We are a very tight-knit family – most of us have worked together for years," she says. "I'm proud to say we don't have any turnover with our staff. Great clientele is a bonus!"
Joanne has a Golden Retriever named Kai and a Paso Fino horse named Desi. She spends her free time training Kai and trail riding Desi. Kai is an AKC Obedience Trial Champion, Tracking Champion and models for various advertising and dog food companies. Joanne is a member of the Greater Twin Cities Golden Retriever Club and the Golden Retriever Club of America.
Tammy B., Lead Certified Veterinary Technician
Tammy joined our practice in April 2001 and brings over 20 years of animal care experience to the team. As a veterinary technician, she is responsible for patient histories, laboratory work, X-rays, anesthesia, surgical preparation, dental work, medications and patient care. She is a certified veterinary technician in Minnesota and has an Associate's degree.
"I have worked with many of my co-workers as long as I have been in the field," she says. "We all work very well together and have a great clientele." Tammy has two Labrador Retrievers named Gump and Dixie and two cats named Lovebug and Harry. She enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, walking and playing with her dogs.
Penni T., Certified Veterinary Technician
Penni is a certified veterinary technician who joined the Cottage Grove Animal Hospital team in October 2000. Her responsibilities include checking in patients, assisting our doctors during examinations and surgery, performing dental cleaning, helping educate clients and nursing surgical patients during recovery. She particularly enjoys grooming. Penni has two Associate's degrees in science and arts.
"The people I work with are like family – we get along well inside and outside work," she says.
When not at the hospital, Penni enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She and her husband Rob and their two sons Jesse and Chase love camping, exploring, sports and family game night. They have two cats named Pickles and Olive.
Cassie S., Certified Veterinary Technician
Cassie joined the Cottage Grove Animal Hospital in October 2016. Her responsibilities as a certified veterinary technician include monitoring patients under anesthesia, administering medication to animals, performing dental cleaning procedures and filling prescriptions and medications. Cassie has a "go with the flow" attitude, and her calmness transfers over to the wide variety of animals she works with. Cassie earned her veterinary technology degree from Argosy University.
"This hospital is a good fit and we treat each other like family," Cassie says.
At home, Cassie has four cats named Riley, Cleo, Axel and Chiana, as well as two dogs named Bridgette and Wheeler. Bridgette is a Vizsla mix and Wheeler is a boxer mix. Cassie enjoys snuggling with her fur babies, crocheting and reading. She spends her free time with family and friends. Cassie and her boyfriend purchased their first home in 2015.
Jennifer G., Certified Veterinary Technician
With over 15 years of experience in the field, Jennifer is known for her calming demeanor, helping patients and their owners feel safe and secure! She has an A.S. in Veterinary Technology with previous experience in emergency and critical care as well as specialty surgery.
“I love getting to know clients and their pets and building relationships that show my love for animals. I grew up in Cottage Grove, and have been able to help neighbors and past friends, which has been great. I love Cottage Grove and being able to help the community’s animals.”
Jennifer has three dogs: a two-year-old Pyrenees mix named Frankenstein, a three-year-old Presa Canario named Cider, and a six-month-old Pit/Shepherd mix named Daphne. She also has four cats named Ava, Bennet, Duke, and River, a rat named Sabrina, and last but not least, a six-month-old Axolotl named Hippo. Her dog Daphne will soon begin barn hunt and search and rescue when she’s older.
In her free time, Jennifer enjoys reading and writing, DIYing her house, watching scary movies, taking her dogs for walks, and spending time with friends and family.
Rachel D., Veterinary Technician
Rachel has been with the Cottage Grove Animal Hospital team since September of 2021. She brings over six years of experience to the table as she collects medical histories, performs laboratory procedures, and assists in surgeries and dental cleanings.
With an Associate degree in Animal Science, Rachel also brings her own unique attributes of team mentality and reliability. She loves how welcoming the veterinary hospital is, enjoying coming to work each day.
When she’s not working, Rachel can always be found with her son, Tyson. Together, they love being outdoors, reading books, and hanging out with grandma and grandpa. She also loves trying out new restaurants in the area.
Britt B., Veterinary Assistant
Britt joined Cottage Grove Animal Hospital in January 2021 as a full-time veterinary assistant. In this role, Britt helps with appointments, provides client education, assists our technicians, fills patient medications, and more. Her sense of humor and cool personality under pressure makes her a great asset to our team.
When asked about her favorite part of the job, Britt shares, "helping our patients feel safe while here and easing our clients concerns and worries about their fur babies." And, of course, "making sure my patients are happy and healthy."
Britt has been working in an animal related field for about 10 years, from pet sitting, to doggy daycare/boarding, pet grooming, dog walker, to vet receptionist and now assistant at CGAH.
"I love working at Cottage Grove Animal Hospital because we're like a family," Britt says. "We're a close-knit small business who really care about their clients and patients. We all care about our jobs and the good we do for our community."
At home, Britt has two cats and one dog; Zeppelin, a blind six-year-old Bengal cat mix; Stevie Jean, a two-year-old domestic long hair, and Hot Rod, a 13-year-old Lab/Pit mix. In her free time, Britt enjoys reading, writing, watching movies and TV, playing fetch with Stevie Jean and cuddling with Zeppelin.
Lisa S., Veterinary Assistant
As a customer service representative Lisa's duties include scheduling appointments, answering the phones, filing, assisting clients, as well as verifying patient and client information. Since joining the practice in December 2009, she finds great satisfaction in making sure all of our patients and clients have good experiences. Lisa has a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from the University of Minnesota Crookston.
"The staff here is amazing!" she says. "I consider them all close friends, not just great co-workers. We strive to take care of the pets to the best of our ability and listen to our clients' wants and needs."
Lisa enjoys spending her free time at the family cabin, playing volleyball, scrapbooking, fishing, hiking, watching Minnesota Twins games, and hanging out with family. She has two teenage Chocolate Labs named Grace and Chloe. They love being social and really enjoy going on walks, riding on the kayaks, and playing fetch.
Ruby N., Veterinary Assistant
With her friendly atmosphere and hard-working attitude, we are happy to have a Veterinary Assistant like Ruby on our team. She joined part-time in October 2023 and some of her responsibilities include administering vaccines, assisting in lab work and record notes, as well as reception tasks like answering phones and checking in clients.
Ruby attends the University of Wisconsin River Falls with her minor in Animal Science to eventually move onto Pre-Vet. She is set to graduate with her Bachelor’s in 2025. Her history in the animal-related field includes Mayo Clinic as an Animal Care Tech and Banfield as a Veterinary Assistant.
“I enjoy getting to know my coworkers and learning new things to further expand my experiences for future careers,” Ruby shares. “I enjoy working with my coworkers and assisting with pet treatments. I especially like the hands-on aspect of the job. I also enjoy meeting new clients and their pets.”
At home, Ruby has a 6-year-old Jersey Wooly rabbit named Sage. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside hiking, camping, and being on the lake, drawing with charcoal and colored pencils, and lifting at the gym.
Taylor D., Veterinary Assistant
Taylor D. joined the Cottage Grove Animal Hospital team as a Veterinary Assistant in May 2024. In her role, Taylor handles a wide range of responsibilities, including checking in appointments, drawing up vaccines, running various diagnostic tests, restraining animals, and assisting veterinarians with procedures. She also helps with refilling medications, answering phone calls, scheduling appointments, and ensuring that exam rooms are clean and well-stocked.
Currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Taylor is pursuing a degree in Animal Science with a pre-veterinary focus and minors in Management and Wildlife Handling Management. She is set to graduate in Spring 2025. Taylor brings a strong work ethic and a calm, soothing presence to both pets and the overall clinic environment, making her an invaluable asset to our team.
Taylor's passion for learning is evident in her enthusiasm for gaining hands-on experience in the veterinary field. She particularly enjoys mastering proper animal restraint techniques and understanding general vaccine protocols. Her dedication to animal care began in June 2021 at Hound Around Resort, a doggie daycare and boarding facility, where she worked until December 2023 before joining our team.
At home, Taylor is the proud owner of a three-year-old Great Dane named Bailey, and she is looking forward to exploring dog agility training as a future hobby. Outside of work, Taylor enjoys hiking with Bailey, reading with her partner, and competing in Alpine skiing races. She also loves spending quality time watching shows and movies with her family and dog.
Taylor appreciates working at Cottage Grove Animal Hospital because of the supportive team environment, the wonderful clients, and the variety of patients she encounters every day. Her positive attitude, hard work, and love for animals make her a valued member of our veterinary team.
Jessica M., Lead Client Service Representative
Jessica joined the staff at Cottage Grove Animal Hospital in September 2016. As a Client Service Representative, she is responsible for scheduling appointments, filing, assisting clients, as well as verifying patient and client information. Jessica holds an Associate degree in Applied Science with a concentration in Veterinary Technology from Globe University. Jessica prefers working as a receptionist.
"We truly are one big family," Jessica says. "Everyone always has each other's back and we have wonderful clients."
Jessica shares her home with a Teddy Bear dog named Zoey, a red-eared slider turtle named Hubbell and a goldfish named Macaroni. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys reading, photography, yoga and spending time with her family.
Glover, Clinic Greeter & Head Security Officer
Glover joined the Cottage Grove Animal Hospital in 2023. He has since enjoyed a life of luxury. He is often seen basking in the sunlight on the bench in the front lobby. If you hear a friendly meow, chances are it’s him greeting you or asking for a snack.
He has trained the staff to cater to his every want and he is pretty sure his official title should be “the one in charge”
When not begging for food or enjoying cat-naps, Glover can be found patrolling the clinic to make sure all is safe or trying to take over Joanne’s job.