Jen
Receptionist
Jen has always been a people person and loves the everyday interactions in the clinic. She enjoys being able to help clients figure out symptoms and what to look for in different cases. Jen started working for a local vet in 2006 and took a break for a few years to work in the regular medical field; missing animals, she was eager to come back into the veterinary field.
Her dog Murphy has bad skin allergies and since working with Dr. Carlson on switching his diet to raw and being introduced in learning about different Chinese herbs, there has been such an improvement in his skin! Because of that, she loves to able to help clients get a better understanding on pet care. Jen feels that working for a integrated vet has helped her in so many ways about the approach to treat different ailments.
Jen grew up in the NW of Indiana (Hobart) for most of her life and had a short stay in West Virginia. She has a husband named Chuck and 2 daughters named Emily and Haley. In addition to Murphy who is a Schnauzer and who likes to bark at airplanes in the sky, they also have a miniature Schnauzer named Meeka who loves to eat ice cream and sometimes loves to chase it around the kitchen floor. Jen loves doing home improvement projects with her husband and working in the yard in addition to spending quality family time, watching movies or going to concerts.
Shannon
Receptionist and In-Room Veterinary Assistant
Growing up in a rural area outside of Griffith, Shannon was constantly brushing, feeding, and riding her neighbor’s horses. By the time her parents finally got a dog and a cat, Shannon was fully immersed in the world of animal care. She knew that she would love to do it for a living!
In 1994, a former neighbor of Shannon’s called her parents to let them know there was a position available here at Southlake Animal Hospital. Shannon jumped at the opportunity to work in pet care, and has spent her entire professional career here at the clinic! She’s well-versed in all areas of the hospital, and especially enjoys seeing the joy on a pet owner’s face when the clinic team is able to take care of their beloved companion.
Shannon lives in the Crown Point area with her two children, Tristan and Josephine, who are already huge animal lovers themselves. The family shares their home with two cats— Pastel, and Pixie—and two dogs named Bones and Parker.
In her spare time, Shannon enjoys spending time with family and friends. She’s also an avid bowler, a hobby she first picked up from her parents. Her most memorable moments include her all-time high-scoring game of 279 and the time she won a free bowling ball!
Tara
Veterinary Technician / Nurse
For as long as she can remember, Tara has been fascinated by animal behavior. Her desire to be up-close-and-personal with pets and witness their interactions with humans is what drew her to the veterinary field. As a Veterinary Technician here at Southlake Animal Hospital, she gets a front-row seat!
Tara was born on a Florida Navy base and moved to Indiana as a baby. She never had pets while growing up; she says this only made her want them more! Tara first applied here at Southlake Animal Hospital before graduating from high school, wanting to gain experience before heading off to veterinary technician school. She earned her degree from a school in Michigan City and graduated in 2013.
Tara’s love of animal behavior was only affirmed in 2014 after she rescued a dog named Jyl. Jyl became very attached to Tara and her own dogs, but eventually needed to be adopted out to a loving family. On her second night in her new home, Jyl slipped out of her collar and escaped. After many nights of organized searches and fruitless false sightings, Tara decided to take her own dogs out to the area where Jyl was last seen. Within five minutes, they’d tracked the missing dog down!
Tara lives with her husband, Michael, son Theodore and many pets of their own. They have two Border collies, two mixed-breed dogs, a German shepherd, and three Chihuahuas. The animal family is rounded out by two cats and a bearded dragon.
Outside of work, Tara’s interests include geocaching, canine sports, animal rescue, and camping with her family and dogs.
Susie
Office Assistant and Receptionist
Susie grew up in Hammond, Wisconsin, where her family kept everything from dogs, cats, and fish to hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits. She also spent plenty of time on her grandfather’s farm, where she would help care for cows and chickens. For Susie, animal care has always been a part of life—a career in the veterinary world is simply natural!
Susie started her pet-care career in 1990 at a Petland store, then began working for a veterinarian in Orlando Park, Illinois in 2002. She would remain there for the next 12 years before moving back to Indiana to be closer to family. After settling in this area, Susie visited Southlake Animal Hospital—right away, she knew that she’d love to work here! Susie has served as one of the clinic’s receptionists ever since.
Susie and her husband, Chris, live on Lake George, where she loves watching all of the wildlife that visits their backyard feeders. The couple has one daughter, Kendra, and lives with two dogs and two cats. Beatrix is a French bulldog who loves to snort; Bozco is a cuddly French bulldog/Boston terrier mix; Arthur the Siamese cat is very vocal; and Sphinx cat Deliah can always be found wrapped up in blankets.
Mallory
Receptionist and Veterinary Assistant
Mal’s own family pets have always been patients here at Southlake Animal Hospital—watching the team work their magic on her companions left a permanent impression on Mal. Ever since she can remember, she’s wanted to improve animals’ lives by serving as a veterinary professional!
Mal received a job offer here at the clinic in October of 2016, and gladly accepted. She’s been caring for the pets and animal parents of the area ever since—in the future, Mal plans to attend school to study veterinary medicine, and even hopes to become a veterinarian herself! Around the hospital, she particularly enjoys helping to prepare patients for surgery and seeing pets’ remarkable progress during follow-up appointments.
When time allows between her work and school commitments, Mal likes rescuing animals—she’s fostered nearly 100 pets over the years!—and listening to music. She’s also fond of drawing and has even won awards for her work. At home, Mal has six loveable pets: Sunny the parakeet; Bambi, a rabbit who runs the household; a social and rambunctious kitten named Olive; a blind Australian Shepherd who goes by Keller; a senior Dachshund named Molly; and Cavi the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Natalie
Technician Assistant
Natalie has ties to Southlake Animal Hospital starting when she was a young child. Natalie grew up in a family that spent their time volunteering at local animal shelters and transporting animals, so she was destined to grow up to become a big animal lover.
Throughout her life, her family had made Southlake Animal Hospital their primary care veterinarian and had taken the family pets here for care. When she was able to join in on the visits, Natalie would tag along because of her love of animals.
When Natalie turned 16 and was able to get a job, it only made sense that she would see if Southlake Animal Hospital was hiring. Thankfully, Natalie got the job! This was a great fit given her personal history with the hospital and the staff, and this allowed her to follow her passion and work with animals.
Natalie truly loves animals and enjoys working here where she can spend all of her time with the animals. She’s learned so much since working here and is looking forward to continuing to learn more!
Sydnee
Veterinary Assistant
Growing up in Valparaiso with two younger brothers and an older sister, Sydnee remembers always having a deep love of animals. As she got older, she also developed an interest in holistic medicine and alternative treatments. Working at Southlake Animal Hospital has allowed her to pursue both of her passions at the same time!
Syd currently resides in Hebron with her two dogs: an old English bulldog named Trotter and a mastiff mix named Bo. She also has a cat named Schmidt and a bearded dragon named Pumpkin.
Savannah
Veterinary Assistant
For most people, striking a balance between a personal passion and a career can is the ultimate challenge. Working as a veterinary assistant has allowed Savannah to do just that. She has never once questioned what she wanted to do when she grew up – she always knew she would be working with animals. As an integral part of the Southlake Animal Hospital team, Savannah is thrilled to be able to do what she loves each and every day!
Savannah’s career journey began at the age of 18, when she was hired at a small local practice. From there, she worked her way up to a higher-volume clinic where she was named kennel manager while cross-training as a veterinary assistant. Several years and a few clinics later, Savannah had the opportunity to move from traditional veterinary medicine to a holistic clinic. It was there that she found her niche. She joined the Southlake team in May of 2022, having initially been a client.
One of Savannah’s favorite things to do here is to clean ears, primarily because it brings such relief to patients in need. Senior pets have a special place in her heart and she gets tremendous satisfaction seeing such a difference in their quality of life just by managing their diet. The right nutrition can work wonders, and she loves seeing a pet return to the clinic with a pep in their step and a smile on their face.
At home, Savannah is mom to a young son named Hudson and a large animal family that includes five dogs and two cats – all of whom have been rescued. Of special mention is Cindy Lou, an ex-fighting pit bull whom Savannah scooped up on the day she was scheduled to be euthanized. Given her history, Cindy was extremely aggressive, but thanks to many months of work and endless amounts of patience and love, she has made a complete turnaround. And, then of course, there’s Chase – Savannah’s quarter horse, who has been a huge part of her life for as long as she can remember.
In her spare time, Savannah can usually be found outside or in her favorite place in the world: the barn.
Payton
Veterinary Assistant
Payton became a veterinary assistant because she wanted to be a beacon of hope for all animals, no matter their needs. For those who are sick, she wants to comfort and help them heal. For those who are healthy, she wants to help them stay that way. And for those who need homes, whether temporary or permanent, Payton wants to help find them a place where they will thrive. Anyone who encounters Payton can sense her deep love and desire to make a difference.
Payton’s career journey began right here at Southlake Animal Hospital, when she was just 15 years old completing her volunteering hours. Back then, she had a plan to go into human nursing, but later decided that animal medicine was where she truly belonged. Professionally, Payton enjoys the challenge and rewards of assisting with medically complex cases. She is currently attending school to become a veterinary technician.
At home, Payton has a couple of fur babies of her own, including a cat named Biscuits, who acts like a dog and loves to play fetch, and Cinder, a crazy lab/pit mix who is full of energy but loves to snuggle. She also fosters cats through 2×2 Rescue – something her family has done since she was a young child. In her spare time, Payton enjoys crafting. So far, she has made her own blanket and is currently working on another.
In loving memory of Sweetheart
2014 – 2020
Mascot, Stress Reliever, Entertainer, Client and Patient Greeter
Sweetheart is our comfort cat. If your pet is recovering from anesthesia, Sweetheart will be laying right there next to your pet to keep him/her warm. If you are worried or upset Sweetheart will go into the exam room with you. If your pet is sick, Sweetheart will wrap her body around your pet. Sometimes Sweetheart just needs a little attention herself and is not sensing any worry or sickness, so she will be sure to cuddle up to get the pets she needs. She is also great at socializing dogs and other cats and is used to test the 2×2 pets with other pets before placing them in a foster home.
