Feature
Pets and Vets 2014
Meet the winners of Seattle Met’s Pet Star Search Contest, plus 205 top veterinarians and 25 animal shelters in the greater Seattle area.
Image: Sara Marie D'Eugenio
We invited readers to submit photos and stories about their pets to compete for a three-night stay and dinner at the pet-friendly Adrift Hotel and Spa in Long Beach Washington. We received hundreds of touching funny and dear stories of pets and their devoted ownersthen turned them over to our in-house panel of experts (aka more people who love animals) for judging. The top vote getters are pictured here and you can learn more about them along with several more of our favorites in the slide show at seattlemet.com/pets2014. And to find a pet of your own, here's a guide to shelters and rescues in our area.
Search for a Vet by Specialty or Service
ALSO: 25 Greater Seattle Area Animal Shelters and Pet Adoption Services
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Seattle Met Pet Star Search 2014 Grand Prize Winners: Waffles and Porter.
Porter is a Yorkie-Poo who was rescued from a puppy mill by his owner, Kate Norem. “Because Porter has a troubled past, he has had a lot of health problems. Most notably, he had to have both his eyes removed due to glaucoma. He loves to cuddle into you just like a cat and walks on two paws like a circus dog when he greets you at the door. Most importantly, Porter is a talented singer. He can sing ‘Happy Birthday’ on key and he matches his voice to his adult friends.
“I was eating waffles one morning and decided I wanted a Goldendoodle to help my blind dog around the house—a seeing-eye dog for my dog. I found Waffles two days later and named her Waffles after my favorite food and the food I was eating when I decided to get her. She’s perfect. She helps her blind brother around the house. Also, she was adopted as Oddfellows’ official spokesdog this summer since she loved to sit on the patio while her owners drank fabulous cocktails and appetizers.”
Image: Sara Marie D'Eugenio
To create a list of the top veterinarians in the Seattle area, Seattle Met partnered with national survey company TopVets, which sent ballots to veterinarians and veterinary specialists listed with various medical societies in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, and Pierce counties, asking vets to cast votes on the abilities of other veterinarians in their area. Presented with the names of nearby practitioners and the opportunity to write in nominations, each vet evaluated peers whose work she or he is familiar with based on years of experience, continuing education, manner with clients and their pets, use of new techniques and technologies, and physical results. Vets with the highest average ratings were screened for active licenses and good standing with the Washington State Department of Health before being selected for the final list. There are many fine vets who are not included in this representative list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of veterinary medicine. A vet’s inclusion on our list is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow professionals. Our vets self--reported whether they provide boarding services, complementary or integrative pet care (e.g., acupuncture), or house calls, and whether they are equipped for surgery on site. More information about TopVets’ survey process can be found at usatopvets.com.
Disclaimer
TopVets does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions from any cause. Copyright 2014 by TopVets of Augusta, Georgia.
Avian and Exotic Animal
°†Tracy Bennett
Seattle
206-783-4538
Avian Only
Dan Lejnieks
Seattle
206-783-4538
Surgery, Exotic Only
*Bruce Singbeil
Bellevue
425-746-7387
General Practice with Avian and Exotic Animal
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Small Animal
†Alexander Z. Aguila
Shoreline
206-545-4322
Surgery
Karianne Allen
Snoqualmie
425-396-7311
General Practice
°Brianna Backlund
Seattle
206-364-1660
Internal Medicine
*Jeanine Barile
Seattle
206-932-1133
Brachycephalic (Flat-Faced) Dogs
*+Emi Baxter
Seattle
206-363-8421
General Practice
*Michael Bellinghausen
Kenmore
425-485-6575
General Practice
†Russell L. Bennett
Shoreline
206-545-4322
Surgery
*+Kelly Bergstrom
Seattle
206-285-0515
General Practice
Andrew S. Bernstein
Seattle
206-525-6666
General Practice
*Jerry Bishop
Sammamish
425-392-7387
General Practice
†Frank Bousaid
Monroe
360-863-1005
Integrative Medicine
*Kit Bowerman
Bellevue
425-641-1160
General Practice: Canine and Feline
*Ann Brudvik
Edmonds
206-546-5164
General Practice
*Shawn Buchholz
Monroe
360-794-6772
General Practice
Deborah Carlson
Snohomish
360-568-3113
General Practice
Melanie Caviness
Maple Valley
425-432-9975
General Practice
*Shuna Cerrato
Seattle
206-782-6363
General Practice
°Bill Cleveland
Bothell
425-486-3251
General Practice
Karen Comer
Tacoma
253-475-5301
Internal Medicine
°Suzanne Cook Olson
Silverdale
360-692-6162
Internal Medicine
*°Jennifer Creason
Edmonds
206-546-5164
General Practice
*+†Sherrie Crow
Seattle
206-285-7387
General Practice
*Marybeth Cullen
Kirkland
425-821-9040
General Practice
Melinda Cumming
Renton
425-228-1002
General Practice
*Lynn DeBroeck
Redmond
425-885-6666
General Practice
Jerry Demuth
Tacoma
253-983-1114
Neurology, Neurosurgery
+Annie Dittrich
Seattle
206-524-2020
General Practice
Mark Donovan
Seattle
206-545-4255
General Practice
*†Diane Driscoll
Federal Way
253-839-7880
General Practice with Exotic Animal
Jeffrey Duke
Snohomish
360-568-3113
General Practice
°Gregg DuPont
Shoreline
206-542-2101
Dentistry
*°†Lisa Ellsberry
Bellevue
425-746-6557
General Practice
*†Suzanne Endicott
Edmonds
206-546-5164
General Practice
Colleen Engel
Redmond
425-882-8000
General Practice
Mark Engen
Kirkland
425-827-5686
Surgery
David Farris
Federal Way
253-838-0082
General Practice
†Richard Farris
Puyallup
253-845-2673
General Practice
*Elizabeth Fritzler
Seattle
206-932-1133
General Practice
†Thomas Fry
Issaquah
425-391-5015
Surgery
*Fernando Fukuzato
Seattle
206-923-3551
General Practice
°Sarah Gillings
Tacoma
253-983-1114
Oncology
+Erika Glocker
Kirkland
425-882-7788
General Practice
Sanjeev Gokhale
Lynnwood
425-697-6106
Internal Medicine
Brad Green
Tacoma
253-474-0791
Internal Medicine
*Robert Griffith
Seattle
206-935-3600
General Practice
Margaret Hammond
Renton
425-228-1002
General Practice
°Terri Hartung
Redmond
425-868-8008
General Practice
Valissitie Heeren
Seattle
206-524-6540
General Practice
°Beth Herman
Tacoma
253-983-1114
Internal Medicine, Emergency and Critical Care
Kathy Hickey
Silverdale
360-692-6162
General Practice
Dan Hicks
Tacoma
253-474-0791
Neurology
Andy Hofeling
Tacoma
253-983-1114
Surgery
°Emily Howe
Seattle
206-782-4222
Internal Medicine
Alice Huang
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Internal Medicine
+Judy Hung
Kirkland
425-882-7788
General Practice
†Jeff Irwin
Gig Harbor
253-857-5460
General Practice
Julie Irwin
Seattle
206-522-2114
General Practice
*Kenneth Jacobsen
Redmond
425-885-6666
General Practice
†Allen L. Johnson
Shoreline
206-545-4322
Surgery
°†Kari M. Johnson
Shoreline
206-545-4322
Rehabilitation
*Michel Jolivet
Seattle
206-789-8505
General Practice
Stephen Jones
Seattle
206-284-2148
General Practice
*+†John Kelly
Seattle
206-285-7387
General Practice
*Kristin Kemper
Kenmore
425-488-2000
General Practice
Casey M. Kime
Puyallup
253-845-8122
General Practice
Karen K. Kime
Puyallup
253-845-8122
General Practice
*+Aimee Kimmel
Seattle
206-285-7387
General Practice
†Karen Kline
Lynnwood
425-697-6106
Internal Medicine: Neurology, Neurosurgery
Lesley Kovar
Bothell
425-486-3251
General Practice
*Timothy Kraabel
Seattle
206-932-1133
General Practice
+Darrell Kraft
Snohomish
425-482-6345
General Practice with Avian and Exotic Animal
°Robert Kramer
Mountlake Terrace
425-771-8100
Radiology
Alycia Lamb
Seattle
206-706-7800
General Practice, Rehabilitation
Kirsten Lawson
Tacoma
253-983-1114
Emergency and Critical Care
*Tram Le
Burien
206-242-1290
General Practice
°Sally Lester
Snohomish
360-568-3113
Pathology
Coe Lindner
Puyallup
253-848-9328
General Practice
Paul Linvog
Lake Stevens
425-334-8585
General Practice
James Little
Bremerton
360-377-3801
General Practice with Exotic Animal
°Heidi MacLean
Seattle
425-361-8281
Internal Medicine: Cardiology
*Gary Marshall
Mercer Island
206-232-2837
Feline
°Kelly McCord
Tacoma
253-983-1114
Internal Medicine
°Tori McKlveen
Lynnwood
425-697-6106
Radiology
+Rob McMonigle
Kent
253-852-3565
General Practice
°Karri Meleo
Seattle
206-364-1660
Oncology, Radiation Oncology
+Craig Miller
Redmond
425-868-7000
General Practice
Michael Mison
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Surgery
Byron Misseghers
Kirkland
425-827-5686
Surgery
*Mike Mizumoto
Federal Way
253-839-7880
General Practice
*+Laura Monahan
Seattle
206-323-4433
General Practice
Jeb Mortimer
Seattle
206-524-6540
General Practice
°Alan Mundell
Edmonds
425-771-4600
Dermatology
*+Karen Myhre
Seattle
206-285-7387
General Practice
Carina Nacewicz
Seattle
206-522-2114
General Practice
*Carrie Nemec
Seattle
206-633-1133
Feline
*Jeff Nevin
Seattle
206-633-1133
Feline
*Chelsea Newby
Redmond
425-885-1476
General Practice
+†Marta Nobrega
Mercer Island
206-232-7667
General Practice: Holistic Medicine
Sig Nottingham
Puyallup
253-848-9328
General Practice
*+†Bridie O’Connor
Seattle
206-285-7387
General Practice
E. B. Okrasinski
Tacoma
253-983-1114
Surgery
James Onorati
Des Moines
206-878-4111
General Practice with Avian and Exotic Animal
†Russell H. Patterson
Shoreline
206-545-4322
Surgery
Jim Perry
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Medical Oncology, Surgery
Polly Peterson
Lynnwood
425-697-6106
Internal Medicine
*Mike Pfeifer
Kenmore
425-488-2000
General Practice
*+Travis S. Phillips
Seattle
206-363-8421
General Practice
*Nesa Quincy
Seattle
206-932-3308
General Practice
+Laura Quindt
Woodinville
425-788-0693
General Practice
+Robert Quindt
Woodinville
425-788-0693
General Practice
*Rebecca Rogers
Redmond
425-885-1476
General Practice
*+Shan Rosenkranz
Newcastle
425-643-1170
General Practice
Sean Sanders
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Internal Medicine: Neurology, Neurosurgery
°Luminita Sarbu
Renton
425-242-7005
Internal Medicine: Oncology
+Scott Schini
Seattle
206-524-2020
General Practice
°Alan Schreiner
Renton
206-364-1660
Internal Medicine
*John Serratore
Burien
206-248-3345
General Practice
†Royal Smalley
Everett
425-252-8266
General Practice
+Heather Smith
Redmond
425-868-7000
General Practice
Shannon Smith
Bothell
425-486-3251
General Practice
°Todd Smithenson
Lynnwood
425-697-6106
Radiology
°†Stuart Spencer
Seattle
206-284-2148
General Practice
+°Wailani Sung
Kirkland
425-749-0613
Behavior
*†Mark Swaney
Bainbridge Island
206-842-1200
General Practice
Keith Tate
Maple Valley
425-432-9975
General Practice with Exotic Animal
*Ann Marie Thiessen
Lakewood
253-200-9765
General Practice
*+Jody Thomas-O’Brien
Newcastle
425-643-1170
General Practice
°Anthony Tobias
Renton
206-364-1660
Cardiology
*Asta Tobiassen
Lakewood
253-200-9765
General Practice
°Chelsea Tripp
Shoreline
206-204-3366
Internal Medicine: Oncology, Electrochemotherapy
*†Emily Truong
Sammamish
425-392-7387
General Practice
Cherri Trusheim
Seattle
206-329-5337
General Practice
*Stephen Uhler
Sumner
253-863-2258
General Practice with Emergency Medicine
*°†Kristina Van Horn
Port Orchard
360-871-3335
General Practice
*Michael H. Van Horn
Port Orchard
360-871-3335
General Practice
JC (Van) Vanosdoll
Issaquah
425-392-8888
General Practice with Emergency Medicine
Kara Van Voorhis
Issaquah
425-392-8888
Emergency and Critical Care
*Faythe Vaughan
Shoreline
206-546-2287
Feline
Matthew Vaughan
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Internal Medicine
+Jessica Veal
Woodinville
425-788-0693
General Practice
*Dennis Wackerbarth
Shoreline
206-546-2287
Feline
Tamara M. Walker
Seattle
206-364-1660
Surgery
*Debora Wallingford
Bellevue
425-641-1160
General Practice: Canine and Feline
°Ron Walton
Shoreline
206-204-3366
Internal Medicine, Emergency and Critical Care
°Danielle Wassink
Seattle
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
*Cary M. Waterhouse
Seattle
206-467-5882
General Practice
Carrie Webb
Issaquah
425-392-8888
General Practice including Emergency Medicine
Jennifer Weh
Renton
206-364-1660
Surgery
*+Heather Weihl
Seattle
206-285-7387
General Practice
*°†Lisa Weiser
Bellevue
425-746-6557
General Practice
*Kathy Wendt
Sumner
253-863-2258
General Practice with Emergency Medicine
Erin West
Seattle
206-524-6540
Emergency and Critical Care
*Karen West
Redmond
425-885-6666
General Practice
*Jessica Wilcock
Kirkland
425-821-9040
General Practice
Kevin Wilson
Snohomish
360-568-3113
General Practice
Deborah Wolf
Renton
425-228-1002
General Practice
*†Melissa Worland
Redmond
425-885-1476
General Practice
°Lee Yanik
Seattle
206-755-0704
Radiology
*Melissa Yanik
Seattle
206-789-8505
General Practice
*Susan Zakos
Everett
425-252-1106
General Practice
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Seattle Met Pet Star Search Runner Up: Bosley
This 105-pound Bernese mountain dog earned the nickname Fat Monster from his owner Katie Kiefner for his inordinate love of food. “He loves to steal avocados off the kitchen counter, eat them, and then use the pits as a toy, pushing them around the floor with his nose. The most exciting part of the day is meal time, followed shortly by a long nap. The nap is then followed by a hunt around the house for any scraps that might have been left over from previous meals, which is tiring, so it is shortly followed by nap number two.
“Twice now, we have had a mason jar on the counter filled with goodies—once it was almonds, another time it was candy corn. We have come home to find the jars—empty—on his dog bed. How he gets the mason jars off the counter without breaking them is one thing, but then how he opens them...well, who knows? Maybe he’s got secret opposable thumbs. His knack for finding food in the most unlikely places is astonishing. We’ll go on hikes and let him run off leash for a bit, and without fail every time he’ll come back with a sandwich or a banana peel. Are there hikers having their lunches stolen while they’re looking the other way? Probably. He’s our little Yogi Bear.”
Image: Sara Marie D'Eugenio
Large Animal
+James Bryant
Snohomish
360-568-3111
Equine Medicine, Surgery, and Sports Medicine
+Ron Colton
Snohomish
360-568-1114
Equine Medicine
+Joanne Fehr
Snohomish
360-568-3111
Equine Medicine and Surgery
+°Roger Hancock
Snohomish
360-568-3111
Bovine
*+†Cary Hills
Poulsbo
360-779-5557
Equine Medicine
+°Wendy Mollat
Snohomish
360-568-3111
Equine Internal Medicine
*+°†Hannah Mueller
Snohomish
360-794-9255
Equine Medicine
+°†Bo Weeks
Gig Harbor
253-858-4529
Equine
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Seattle Met Pet Star Search Runner Up: Laila
For Christine Boule, the owner of this Manx cat (nicknamed Snorty), “It was love at first snort. I went to the Bellevue Animal Shelter on a busy Saturday and I went into the only nonbusy room to look at another cat. I sat down on the floor, and this tiny matted ball of fur that I hadn’t even noticed crawled out of a shelf, snorted, and rubbed up against my leg. I was smitten.
“The shelter had named her Josie (for Josie-grossie), but I renamed her Laila after the professional boxer Laila Ali. She’s a pretty little fighter and she deserves such a name. Her snort (she was hit by a car and her nose is broken), polydactyl toes, lack of a tail, love of rolling around like a dog, affection, watery eyes, and bloody nose all make her adorable, but her capacity to love makes her beautiful.”
Image: Sara Marie D'Eugenio
Mixed Animal
Victoria Jones
Kirkland
425-827-3966
Ophthalmology
Matthew Landry
Seattle
206-524-8822
Ophthalmology
°†Stephanie Meyer
Snohomish
360-568-3112
Acupuncture, Equine Medicine
+°†Darla Rewers
Seattle
206-547-1025
Acupuncture, Holistic Medicine
Ryan Schultz
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Radiology
Thomas Sullivan
Seattle
206-524-8822
Ophthalmology
°Jennifer Ward
Shoreline
206-453-5691
Pathology, Dermatopathology
Dara Zirofsky
Kirkland
425-827-3966
Ophthalmology
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Seattle Met Pet Start Search 2014 Runner Up: Tilbert
This Holland Lop bunny was abandoned by a family that had grown tired of him after four weeks. His owner, John Akamatsu, says, “He pushed everything off the nightstand to make it his bed and the spot at which he receives his night snack of a raisin, and he goes berserk when a bottle of good port is opened, as it smells like the biggest and best raisin in the world. Having a bunny around has not only made us eat healthier—more vegetables and fruit—it has made us so much more appreciative of animal rescues and all the work they do. Tilbert has brought so much joy, we have since adopted six more abandoned bunnies. He is named after Seattle Tilth, which at the same time turned us around in our land care.”
Image: Sara Marie D'Eugenio
Emergency and Critical Care
Jenna Arnaiz
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Emergency and Critical Care
Linda Barton
Renton
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
David Burgess
Poulsbo
360-697-7771
Emergency and Critical Care
Beth Davidow
Seattle
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
°Jethro Forbes
Lynnwood
425-697-6106
Emergency and Critical Care
Dave Gill
Seattle
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
Tara Grafwallner
Issaquah
425-392-8888
Emergency and Critical Care
Beth Guerra
Renton
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
Pete Hetrick
Renton
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
°Jean Maixner
Seattle
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
Amanda McNabb
Seattle
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
†Mark O’Hanlon
Kirkland
425-827-8727
Emergency and Critical Care
Jennifer Rubinstein
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Emergency and Critical Care
Michelle Savigny
Tacoma
253-474-0791
Emergency and Critical Care
Michael Stone
Poulsbo
360-697-7771
Emergency and Critical Care
Sheppard Thorp
Tacoma
253-474-0791
Emergency and Critical Care
Corey Tucker
Kirkland
425-827-8727
Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care
Jennifer Waldrop
Seattle
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
Shelby Watson
Poulsbo
360-697-7771
Emergency and Critical Care
°Akiko Westerhout
Seattle
206-364-1660
Emergency and Critical Care
Kate Wirth
Kirkland
425-823-9111
Emergency and Critical Care
This article originally appeared in the February 2014 issue of Seattle Met.
