Vee is the Kennel Manager who oversees the boarding and daycare facilities at our Gurney Street location. She makes sure that everything runs smoothly, that our spaces are safe and clean, and that we are staffed.
Vee is also one of those who help to plan all the fun activities. But the most important part of her job is to see that the animals receive the highest quality care possible.
The morning at the kennel begins when the doors open, starting with pets who are boarding. Families arrive to take boarding dogs home, and the Doggie Day Care pets begin arriving sometimes at the same time. DayCare begins going out to play next, and she manages the rotation and the grouping of the dogs throughout the day as they visit the play yards. She is also aware of those animals who are scheduled to see a veterinarian during their day with us.
One of the best parts of her job is to see new dogs come out of their shell. For example, she mentioned Greta, the sister of one of our regular dogs. When she recently came in for the first time, she was very timid. Watching her grow to love the other dogs and the people was heartwarming.
And then there are the events. Christmas gift exchanges, Valentines Day paintings, Easter art, and most recently, the Prom! Vee has been instrumental in involving pet parents more, creating a community. If you visit our lobby, you’ll see how pet parents recognize the other dogs in their play group in the lobby. “Of course,” Vee said, “We couldn’t do any of the events if the pet parents didn’t have so much enthusiasm.”
Vee has always been drawn to animals, even though her family wasn’t into having pets. Her first pet was a poodle mix named Princess, given to her by her mom. Vee was in the 5th grade. Dad wasn’t thrilled about the dog at first, but ended up loving Princess the most. Now Vee has two dogs named Pumpkin and Coco.
The early fascination with animals translated into a career goal. Vee wanted to work with animals. She graduated from NC State in animal science. “I never changed my career path. I think I’ll be working with animals till the end.”
Vee is also quite the artist. She sews, with a special interest in costumes for shows and other events like the Renaissance Festival. She also loves drawing and digital art. If you’ve received a birthday card for your dog with doodles, credit Vee!
We’re grateful for Vee‘s leadership in our kennel, and for her leadership and influence in the hospital.
