The Tender Heart Veterinary Care Staff

Dr. Jen is a graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. She received her clinical training at the University of Illinois, Champagne/Urbana. She opened Tender Heart in 2005, originally from this area she returned to provide a hospital environment that is compassionate for both the pet and the client. She has had advanced training in laser surgery and dentistry. She also enjoys managing difficult medical cases. In her free time she takes care of her small farm, where she enjoys her 6 dogs, 2 cats and 3 horses. As a hobby she has successfully shown her Morgan horses in both driving and riding competitions.

Patsy has been a veterinary technician for 15 years and is also a certified dental technician. Patsy, her husband Craig and son Dylan, share their home with their own 4 dogs and 12 cats (many of whom were adopted from clinics where Patsy has worked), as well as 2 foster dogs and 2 bunnies. Patsy brings her enthusiasm and love of animals to her work here at Tender Heart. As a busy mom to Dylan and the pets, she still finds time to ride her Morgan horse, "Lulu", pictured here with Patsy and Dylan.

After receiving a degree in Fine Art, Carol Crawford first started working with animals at a Thoroughbred horse breeding farm. From there she entered the small animal veterinary field and has been in the field a total of 16 years. Carol started working here at Tender Heart in July 2005, shortly after the opening of the clinic. Here she rejoined Dr. Wood, Dr. Byrnes, and Patsy, all of whom she had worked with in the past. Carol spends most of her free time enjoying her passion - horses. She currently shares space with her adopted family of 3 dogs and 4 cats.

Karen, pictured with her dogs "Maggie" and "Rudy", has worked with animals for over twenty-five years. As a young child, she would bring butterflies, frogs and birds to a local veterinarian because they needed care, and she remembers that the doctor always took the time to help these little ones. Remembering his compassion as she grew older, Karen began working for the same veterinarian as a kennel assistant. She eventually became a technician in his clinic, working there for 16 years. After leaving this clinic, Karen took a position as Manager/Medical Advisor at a local animal shelter where she worked for 9 years, caring for animals as they awaited adoption. Now back in the veterinary field, she is enjoying what she views as a rewarding career.

Liz recently joined the staff at Tender Heart and is proud to be apart of a team that shows such compassion for animals and their owners. In her 8 years of being in the veterinary field she has not worked with a more caring staff. They go out of their way to make everyone feel like family. Liz, her husband David and son Zack live in Hubbardston on a small farm with a group of rescued animals consisting of 9 dogs, 3 cats, 3 birds and a guinea pig. She is pictured here with 3 of her dogs Annabelle, Jenny and Rufus. If you look real close you should see Sunny their African Grey on the back of the swing! In her spare time she enjoys 4 wheeling in the woods with her husband, attending Nascar events and playing outside with her family of dogs.

Cathy is a 1996 graduate of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She has been practicing small animal medicine for ten years, the last five in small animal emergency and critical care medicine in Acton, MA. Her career interests include canine and feline preventative medicine, nutritional management of disease, and ferret preventative medicine. Pictured with Dr. Byrnes is her dog "Ravenne", a Newfoundland who loves car rides and visiting with all the animals and people who come to the hospital.

Dr. Chris D’Orazio is a graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. His received his clinical training at the University of Missouri. Before becoming a veterinarian, he was a veterinary technician for many years at hospitals throughout New England including the Intensive Care Unit at Tufts University. With a strong interest in veterinary emergency medicine and surgery, he has spent the last three years as a veterinarian in a 24 hour emergency facility and owns a veterinary ambulance service. Dr. Chris lives with his wife on a local farm and together they have four horses, several cats and a sheltie named “Belle”.

Virginia has been an animal lover all her life. As a child, she would bring home every stray that needed help in finding a loving home. As a young girl, Virginia apprenticed at a Morgan Horse Farm where she learned breeding and training of horses and also the breeding and care of Standard Poodles. She and her husband Jon, built a home and barn where they taught children horsemanship and also raised German Shepherds for search and rescue. Virginia also worked as the head receptionist at Abbot Animal Hospital for six years. “Even though I have only worked at Tender Heart for six months, I can honestly say that this is the best job I have ever had. We not only give the best care for pets, we also care about our pets' owners.” Virginia and her husband Jon share there home with their two dogs Remy, an Australian Shepherd and Sisu a Border Collie mix, whom they rescued!