At the age of 12 Dr. Hobart made a decision to be a veterinarian. He wanted to help pets because he believes they are valued members of the family. His journey into veterinary medicine led him to becoming a founder of the Renfrew County Veterinary Association in 1985- serving on and off as president for the past 24 years. Dr. Hobart has also served on the board of the CCVA and on the leadership council for AAHA.
The most rewarding accomplishment throughout his career has been helping his patients and supporting his clients through the good times and bad. That is why veterinary cremation standards are so important to him. Veterinary Referral Cremation Services (VRCS) was founded as part of the PAH family in 1993. Informed, about the poor standards in the pet cremation industry Dr. Hobart wanted to ensure that all veterinary clients had respectful treatment of their beloved pets. Thanks to his help, extensive professional and ethical standards were codified for the International Association of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories through his work as chairman of the IAOPCC Pet Cremation Standards Subcommittee. He became the primary author of the IAOPCC Pet Cremation Standards.
Dr. Hobart’s furry family includes Penny and Tempe the six year old Bichon and Maltese mix sisters and Tia Maria, a two year old Labrador retriever mix. Tia Maria has hip dysplasia which Dr. Hobart has well managed with a therapeutic diet and medication.
Dr. Hobart loves gadgets and figuring out how they work. He can probably answer just as many questions about your pet as he can about your iPad. He has a very active lifestyle. He plays croquet, pickle ball, volleyball and enjoys power walks with Tia Maria.
Dr. Hobart enjoys staying current on advancements in veterinary medicine. He attends at least one international veterinary conference a year, as well as veterinary meetings in Ottawa. He has been a member of the Veterinary Information Network since 1994. His goal is to be on the cutting edge of veterinary medicine and to continue to grow as a doctor.
Originally from Goderich, Ontario, Dr. Paquette graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2010 with her DVM after completing her general Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Guelph, majoring in Animal Biology.
She became passionate about animal nutrition in vet school as she learned about the deep ways it affects animal health. She enjoys working with clients at PAH to find a suitable diet for their pets. Nutrition can greatly affect over-all health and a diet recommendation can change a pet’s life- which she finds very rewarding. In some cases, a pet’s health concern can be treated by a simple diet change. That is why it is so important to her that she talk to pet owners about nutritious options for diet and treats.
One of the things Dr. Paquette enjoys the most about working in veterinary medicine is learning about the major differences in different species, as well as the differences in dog and cat breeds. She has limited experience treating exotic companion animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs and rats.
Dr. Paquette has three pets that she rescued; two cats, Bruce and Oscar and a dog named Bea. Bruce is a six year old long-haired brown tabby that she rescued from a farm during her externship in Bruce County. Oscar, a seven year old short-haired brown tabby, and Bea, a four year old Border Collie mix, were both rescued through the SPCA. Bea has seasonal allergies and food sensitivities that Dr. Paquette manages with a veterinary specific diet and medication. Bea has many tricks up her doggy sleeves, including playing dead when you shoot her “BANG” and smiling on command!
Dr. Paquette lives in Pembroke with her husband Joe, who is a member of the Canadian Military. She is very active and enjoys winter sports, running with Bea and hiking the many trails in the community. She also plays right wing in hockey. Second to her passion for veterinary medicine is her passion for travel, which pulls her all over the world. She has been to Rome, London, Paris, Portugal, Cuba and Australia, just to name a few.
Practicing in an AAHA hospital means that Dr. Paquette is encouraged to grow and learn as the veterinary field progresses. She attends the Western Veterinary Conference and the North American Veterinary Conference every year to stay current on advances in the industry. If she hadn’t become a veterinarian she would have become a professor, but luckily for the pets at PAH her love for all creatures guided her to the perfect profession for someone whose heart belongs to the animals.
Her experience with animals also includes some smaller companion animals. Dr. Sims has limited experience with rabbits and guinea pigs. She works primarily out of the Deep River Animal Services wellness centre in Deep River. She can be seen for appointments and surgeries in the PAH location on specific days.
Dr. Sims is passionate about helping her clients maintain their pet’s healthy lifestyle. That is why preventative medicine is so important to her. By doing things like early disease detection blood work, she can help reduce emergency vet visits in the future. Blood work enables her to diagnose things that cannot be diagnosed with just a physical exam. This can save pet parents money and unneeded stress. To her, all of her patients are a part of her extended fur-family, and she wants to make sure they are happy and healthy.
Dr. Sims has a four year old Border Collie mix named Bauer, who she loves spending time with. When she is not working with pets, she enjoys time spent with her daughters. They love camping and travelling together. Dr. Sims is very active, she plays hockey and soccer- she even coaches a soccer team. On warm summer days she can be found on her boat with her family.
Dr. Sims attends an international veterinary conference every year, as well participating in continuing education opportunities locally and online. Being part of an AAHA practice means that she is encouraged to continue her education and grow her knowledge in veterinary medicine. This is just another way she can ensure that she has the knowledge and resources to prevent problems, and keep her patients healthy and her clients happy!
Her education began in Wolfville, Nova Scotia where she earned her Bachelor of Science with Honours in Biology in 1986 from Acadia University. Dr. Seely went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Wildlife Biology in 1991 from the University of Guelph and graduated from Ontario Veterinary College with her DVM in 1995. She studied Animal Chiropractic under the auspices of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association in Moline, Illinois.
Dr. Seely was inspired to study chiropractic care after a memorable experience she had with a human chiropractor. She had always gravitated towards working with animals but her allergies wouldn’t allow it. In her 20s she started seeing a chiropractor regularly and soon after her allergies subsided to a very manageable, occasional sneeze. A curious person by nature, she loves anatomy and strives to truly understand how the body works. At the time she was working in marine biology. She decided then to enter veterinary college and even ended up marrying a human chiropractor.
She combined veterinary medicine with chiropractic care for many years working with exotics at PAH before deciding to do chiropractic full time. Although she doesn’t see exotics for veterinary care she does adjust them- she has adjusted rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, llamas, iguanas, and a squirrel! She has even adjusted animals at birth.
Any pet of Dr. Seely’s is lucky because they have unlimited access to being adjusted. Her four year old dog Haka is a mix of Great Dane, Bernese mountain dog and Golden Retriever- she affectionately refers to him as a “Great Mountain Retriever.” He is 140 lb and his puppy like antics resulted in an injury, so since then he gets regular adjustments. Haka will now present himself to Dr. Seely when he needs an adjustment and has become what she calls an “adjustment junkie”!
Dr. Seely is very active, running marathons and usually competing in one Ironman triathlon a year. She enjoys cross country skiing, swimming, kayaking and horseback riding- anything that gets her outside. Most of all she is a passionate mother who loves cheering her son on from the bleachers at his basketball games, and participating in triathlons or running races with her daughter and husband.
Her career has taken her many places, working with all kinds of animals. She worked at the Calgary Zoo, at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife in Florida and when she was a marine biologist she worked with a group of 21 grey seals. She has lived in many places but prefers small towns to the city, part of why she has made the Ottawa Valley her home.
Dr. Seely is proud to be certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. To maintain her certification she must complete continuing education annually, ensuring that she stays current with the advancements in the industry. She does regular lectures to dog groups, stables, and to the equine program at Kemptville College. She has also taught at the International School of Veterinary Chiropractic in Sittensen, Germany. Dr. Seely also provides chiropractic care to other practices in the area and she will visit stables and farms upon request. To see Dr. Seely for chiropractic care in PAH an appointment must be made in advance.