General Care

Contact Information
general@avah.on.ca
Phone number: 613 731 6851

Personal Bio

Lara wanted to be a veterinarian since she was a child. When she was growing up, Lara spent a lot of time at her grandparents' farm in rural Prince Edward Island. They demonstrated a great respect for all of the animals on the farm- dogs, cats, horses, cattle, and sheep. This inspired her to pursue her career. She was so happy that when she graduated in 2001, her grandfather was still alive to attend.

After graduation, she worked in Saint John, New Brunswick for a year before moving to Ottawa to work at Alta Vista Animal Hospital. She now considers Ottawa home, and loves all that the city has to offer. When she is not at work, she enjoys jogging, walking and cycling in the city. Lara also enjoys cross country skiing and skating on the canal during the cold Ottawa winters. Last year she participated in the Winterlude Triathlon with the Alta Vista team.

She shares her home with her daughter and three cats. Each year for the last two years, Lara and her daughter have made a trip to the Caribbean to provide veterinary care on a small island. This has been an amazing experience, and one she hopes to expand on in the future.

Professional Bio

After graduating from the University of Prince Edward Island, Lara enrolled in the Atlantic Veterinary College. While at veterinary school, she was honoured to be awarded the Banfield Human Pet Bond Award and the American Association of Feline Practitioners Award. Upon graduating, she accepted a job at the Saint John Animal Hospital. Lara started working at Alta Vista Animal Hospital as a general practice and emergency veterinarian in 2002.

She now works full time in the General Practice, and loves the variety that the position offers. In any given day, she will provide nutritional and preventative health advice, perform surgical and dental procedures and diagnosis and treat illnesses. She also loves the contact that the job gives her with new puppies and kittens, and the patients and clients she has known for many years.

Working at Alta Vista has allowed her to benefit from the experience of her many colleagues, and learn from the new veterinarians who join the practice. One of her favourite aspects of working as a veterinarian is the fact that she learns something new every day. She looks forward to many more years of work in veterinary medicine.

Meet the team