Our Team
Duluth Animal Hospital has cultivated a select team. These caring and compassionate individuals have become a family of experience, expertise, and love of taking care of animals. Many of our staff have been with us for over 20 years and have developed lasting relationships with our clients through generations of their pets. We view each client as a member of our family. Read below to learn more about our team.
Managers
Chris Early, Practice Manager
Duluth Animal Hospital has been Chris’s home since 1990. Beginning as a receptionist, she transitioned to supervisor and worked hand-in-hand with her mom who was the manager of our hospital for 24 years. Chris has been managing the practice since 2004 and has strived to help maintain the hospital's legacy and family-friendly atmosphere as we've expanded over the years.
Chris has completed the American Animal Hospital Association’s Veterinary Practice Leadership program and plans to continue her education in hospital management. She is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, the Greater Atlanta Veterinary Practice Manager’s Association and the National Veterinary Hospital Manager’s Association.
Chris’s pet family includes a Boston Terrier named Glory and an Australian Cattle Dog named River. When her son went to college, she battled "empty nest syndrome" by adopting her own feathered children - a Green-Cheek Conure named Kiko, a lovebird named Poppy, and a budgie named Katie. Chris enjoys traveling, horseback riding, raising orphaned squirrels, fishing, and spending time with friends and family.
Sam Lethgo, Administrative Assistant
Sam has been with Duluth Animal Hospital since 2000 and has helped both as a veterinary assistant and in office administration. She has recently returned and we're so happy to have her with us again! Sam enjoys spending time with family, her wonderful husband, Randy, and her crew of four big pups - Buddy the Black Lab, Zena the brindle pit bull, Little Bit the blue and white pit bull, and Franklin the Yellow Lab Mix!
Veterinary Technicians and Assistants
Chelsea Parker, RVT
Chelsea did part of her veterinary internship here with us at Duluth Animal Hospital and joined the team in 2015. She frequently works as a part of our surgical team and has two dogs—a Chihuahua named Kiwi and a Pitbull named Capri—as well as a tortoise named Turtle. She loves working with rabbits and small animals and in her free time she enjoys drawing and painting.
Ariel Boxall
Ariel started out as part of our kennel team in 2013 and is now training as a veterinary assistant. She shares her home with several four-legged and feathered friends including parrots, a horse, Bella the Boston Terrier, Jager the Border Collie mix and a cat named Wolfie. Ariel is also mom to a little flock of hens who lay multicolored eggs. She enjoys horseback riding and reading in her spare time.
Brittany Molina, RVT
Brittany became a veterinary technician with Duluth Animal Hospital's team and works with our doctors to provide top-notch medical care to our pet patients. She is a Registered Veterinary Technician and a great asset to the team! She is dedicated to the care and treatment of our patients, and assists the veterinarians in monitoring surgical patients while under anesthesia during procedures, running diagnostics, providing treatments, and much more. She shares her home and heart with a big bloodhound named Boomer and several sweet kitties.
Makenzie Clark
Makenzie was one of our interning students during her schooling, and then came to work with our tech staff in 2022. We’re so happy to have her join the team! Makenzie’s passion is animal care and she has a calming presence that is great for both our patients and clients. She is mom to a Maltese mix named Maverick.
Savannah Pugh
Savannah joined the Duluth Animal Hospital team in 2021 as a part of our kennel team and helped as a transport for our patients during COVID before training as an assistant alongside our doctors and technicians. She now works in our pharmacy and laboratory area, as well as completing technician and doctor appointments. She shares her home with a very cute Corgi named Peanut Butter.
Reception
Sandra Roberts, Receptionist
Sandra joined our staff in 2001 as a part-time receptionist while still working full-time at Duluth High School. Upon her retirement from the school in 2008, she transitioned to full-time at the hospital to pursue her love of animals further. Sandra has a houseful of rescued pets of her own, including a huge pair of St. Bernard and Newfoundland dogs. Her favorite breed, however, is the Bassett Hound and she has a very handsome one named Eeyore. Sandra enjoys meeting all of our patients and isn't stingy with dog treats and love!
Leighanne Wright, Receptionist
Leighanne joined the Duluth Animal Hospital family in 2019 and is a great addition to the front desk team. She is a very talented artist, and has painted many of the staff pets during her time here. She also enjoys cooking and spending time with family.
Alicia Williams, Marketing & Communication Coordinator
Alicia has been with Duluth Animal Hospital since 2008, and is mom to the rescued pair Roo, the two-legged Chihuahua, and Penny, the Silkie Chicken. She is head of Duluth Animal Hospital’s online and social media presence, as well as the videos created here at the hospital. Alicia has a special love of rescued Pit Bulls, including one named Lucy who stole her heart, and a growing flock of adorable bantam chickens of various breeds. She is married to a wonderful man named Donnie who supports her passion for animals, as well as her interest in writing and photography.
Hayley Scott
Hayley was a member of the Duluth Animal Hospital reception team starting in 2018, before eventually moving to the California coast and fulfilling her dream of living in San Diego. Now that she’s back, we’re thrilled to once again welcome her to the DAH team! Hayley enjoys spending time with her family and sweet pup Cookie, and creating amazing artwork.
Kathy Balog
Kathy was a client of Duluth Animal Hospital for nearly a decade before joining our front desk team in 2022. She has a special love of cats and shares her home with three felines named Bandit, Latte, and Patch.
Pint-Sized Reception
Penny Chicken
Penny Chicken was rescued at 9-weeks-old and began riding to the hospital with her mom for work during the day. She fit right in and now patrols the reception area with her best friend, Roo, laying eggs and chatting with clients. A photo of her and Roo went viral in 2014 and the two have since been on National Geographic's Unlikely Animal Friends TV show, in several newspapers and magazines including the Gwinnett Daily Post and Cesar's Way Magazine, in books such as Unlikely Friendships: Dogs, Together Forever: True Stories of Amazing Animal Friendships, and in videos created by the Daily Mail, Barcroft Media, and The Dodo!
Roo the Chihuahua
Roo was born without front legs and found abandoned in a ditch at only 6-weeks-old. After being brought to the hospital, he found his fluffy soulmate in Penny Chicken and was adopted into the family. Roo now travels with Penny to work and spends his days at the hospital greeting clients and visitors, begging for treats and wheeling around the reception!
Kennel Team
Michael Iannarone, Kennel Team Manager
Michael was a client of Duluth Animal Hospital for nearly a decade before joining the team as part of our Kennel staff. He was eventually promoted to manager and now helps run our boarding kennel and take care of our inpatient pets. He is owner to two special large pups named Rocky and Tyddy.
Audrey Boxall
Audrey is sister to our longtime technician, Ariel, and joined the Duluth Animal Hospital kennel team in 2022. She is great with our patients and clients alike! During her time with us, she has adopted a beautiful rescued mini rex bunny who was brought to us after being abandoned.
Brianna Lane
Brianna joined the Duluth Animal Hospital Kennel team in December of 2022, to help care for our boarding and inpatient pets. She shares her home and life with a little grey and white striped tabby named Jeffy.
Todd Mire
Todd joined our kennel staff team in 2023 and helps care for our boarding pets after school and on the weekends. He currently shares his home and life with a calico cat named Daisy.
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