Our Doctors

Dr. Marta Downey graduated from VMRCVM 1986 and has been at CAC since graduation. She has made her home in Blacksburg since 1980 and enjoys outdoor activities with her husband and children, such as hiking, camping, canoeing, skiing and biking. She has watched and coached hundreds of her kids' soccer games. She is an avid Lady Hokies basketball fan and a football fan.

Marta is a member of the Southwest Virginia Veterinary Medical Association and several national veterinary associations. She was instrumental in obtaining, and now maintaining, our AAHA Certification. Dr. Downey has participated in Rural Area Medical, a service group of medical professionals that travels to remote areas and provides free basic veterinary care and surgery to impoverished communities.

Dr. Beth Kirby is a 1984 graduate of the VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she worked in a mixed animal practice, returning to Blacksburg in ’86 to start work at Companion. She has a special interest in cats and behavior issues.

She is a rabid Hokie football fan and tailgater. The staff enjoys her leftovers after home games. She enjoys gardening, cooking, sewing, working outside on the farm, and playing with her critters. She and Chigger (her precious terrier mix pooch) enjoy volunteering with D.A.W.G.S. (Dogs Assisting With Grade Schoolers) program at Kipps Elementary to encourage children to read. They also are regulars visiting the veterans at the Veterans Hospital in Salem. The patients there love Chigger’s tiny kisses.

She lives on a farm in McCoy with her husband, six horses, 4 cats, 1 dog and a guard duck named Hilda.

Dr. Matt McCormick graduated from VMRCVM in 1988 and joined CAC in 1989. He loves all little, helpless creatures - nursing kittens and rodents - with a gentle dedication. He loves to meet new people, and knows enough trivia to win "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". He has an interest in exotics, including reptiles and small mammals, especially bunnies.

He loves to try new things, from learning to ski, to making gourmet desserts. He loves chocolate. He has a dog, Aladar, five cats and a tree frog named Prince Naveen.

Dr. McCormick is currently president of the Southwest Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, and is also a member of the Society of Small Mammal Medicine and past president of Mid-Atlantic Association of Avian Veterinarians. He has also been a guest lecturer on exotic animal medicine at VMRCVM, and acts as a mentor for veterinary students.

Matt and his wife Liz have a daughter. Matt thinks his daughter is better than a puppy. In what little spare time he has left he enjoys woodcarving and making wooden puzzles.

Dr. Colleen Rossmeisl graduated from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. Before going to vet school, Dr. Rossmeisl previously worked as an environmental engineer in Blacksburg and received her engineering degrees from Virginia Tech.

After graduating from vet school, Dr. Rossmeisl worked in the field of environmental toxicology before turning her attention to small animal medicine. Her interests include urgent care, internal medicine, ocology, and physical therapy. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society.

Dr. Rossmeisl's personal interests include running, softball, and keeping up with her kids! She has recently taken up competing in sprint triathlons. She lives in Blacksburg with her husband, two children, and pets.

Dr. Erin Herring completed her degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1996 from North Carolina State University. Following this, she came to Blacksburg and completed an internship and residency at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM), becoming an ACVIM diplomate in Internal Medicine in 2000. She worked at VMRCVM following this, and has been at Companion Animal Clinic since the spring of 2007.

She is married, and has three children and two cats. Her hobbies include teaching yoga, biking, and knitting.

Anne Marie H., Office Manager and LVT, joined our team in September 2010 as a Licensed Veterinary Technician. In mid-December 2010, she took on the position of Office Manager with great success. She grew up in Giles County and graduated from Blue Ridge Community College in 2004. Anne Marie has experience working with small, large, and exotic animals, and she raises and shows purebred LaMancha dairy goats. Her interests include making soap and cheese from her goat milk, and spending time with family and friends. She loves her min pins!

Sally S., Office Assistant. Sally was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and attended Michigan State University. She married Jerry Stevens, an officer in the US Navy, in February 1962. They lived in 21 places in the next 29 years, including Hawaii, Japan, and Greece, and have travelled all over the world.

She bred and showed Toy Poodles and Silky Terriers and was the National Coordinator for Silky Rescue for 15 years. Sally has lived in Blacksburg and worked at Companion for 20 years.

LVT’s

Jen S., Technicial Supervisor. Jen is a 2006 graduate of The Vet Tech Institute. She moved here from Pittsburgh with her boyfriend and son. She has 3 cats named Digger, Eddie and Sluffy. In her spare time she likes to play the piano and read. Occasionally she has time for arts and crafts.

Michelle L. grew up in Pulaski, VA, and now lives in Floyd with her husband Brandon and baby girl McKenzie. She graduated in 2009 from Blue Ridge Community College with a degree in Veterinary Technology. They have 2 dogs, Maggie and Bo, and 3 cats, Pudgie, Samson, and Momma Cat.

Carrie M. graduated from Blue Ridge Community College in 1998 with a degree in Veterinary Technology. She started at Companion immediately following graduation and is now a part-time technician. She has a dog named Des, and two cats, Romi and Parker. She enjoys spending free time with her daughters, Tristan and Karlie. She recently received her RN degree and is working at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Carey V. graduated in 2003 from the Community College of Baltimore County. She was a stay at home Mom for five years and has recently returned to Companion as a Licensed Tech. Prior to receiving her LVT, she received a B.A. in music education. When she's not working at Companion, Carey is busy at home with her three children, Parker, Addie and Colin, her three dogs-Kelsey, Ebony and Walker. She also has two cats, Ebony and Bunny, and a husband.

Shelby M. holds a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science with a LVT through long distance education. She's been in Veterinary Medicine for 18 years! Shelby also holds a RN from New River Community College and has worked at Roanoke Memorial Hospital since 2007. Shelby joined us at Companion in September of 2008. Her interests outside of work, include hiking, gardening and her personal pets. She has four cats named George, Little Joe, Baby and Squeaky. She also has a dog named Rocky.

Veterinary Assistants

Heather W. has been with Companion since 2005. Currently, she is enrolled in the Vet Tech program at Penn Foster. When she has free time, she enjoys spending it with her boyfriend, Brian and daughter, Lily.

Ashley C. is currently enrolled in Penn Foster's Veterinary Technician program to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician. She also works part time at Bent Tree Farms in Shawsville, VA, as a groom at their horse breeding and training facility.

Ashley spends her small amount of free time pet sitting for numerous clients, organizing our summer softball team (the Castrators) and hanging out with her friends, a group we call the Goonies!

Appointment Techs

Heather D. grew up in Richmond, VA and moved to Blacksburg in 2005 to attend college. She graduated in 2009 from VA Tech with a B.S. in Animal and Poultry Sciences, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Tech. She started working as a kennel assistant with Companion in October 2007, and moved to appointment technician in February 2010. She works part-time at Bent Tree Farm in Shawsville as a weekend caretaker. Currently, she lives with her little sister in town with her dog Rufus, cat Yoni, and 9 pet rats.

Service Coordinators

Della M., Supervisor. Della started with Companion July 2000 in kennel, and has been our Service Coordinator Supervisor for 5 years. She enjoys spending time with her daughter, Dawn, playing video games, and working jigsaw puzzles. She has 2 pet guinea pigs.

Eric P. is a New Jersey native. In his spare time Eric enjoys photography, reading, throwing pots and attending auctions to search for venerable treasures. His furry family includes two Beagles, Blu and Cooper and four cats, Casimir, Aubrey, Salem and Silas.

Bonnie B. was raised in Bedford, VA and recently moved to Blacksburg where she lives with her husband, Spencer. She received a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Science from VA Tech in 2010. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing bluegrass music, art, cooking, and many outdoor activities. She has 2 dogs, Toby and Molly, and horses that she enjoys taking out on trail rides.

Megan W. is originally from Richmond, VA, and came to Virginia Tech for undergraduate degrees in Animal Science and Spanish. She graduated fall of 2010, and worked at a non-profit animal rescue before returning to VA Tech to get a Master’s degree in Spanish. She has a black lab named Zuzu, a cat named Munchkin, and a couple rats. She enjoys yoga and going hiking.

Leah D. is a student studying Spanish and international studies at the University of Richmond. She spends her time hanging out with her family and friends. She has 2 cats and a blue beta fish, Billy.

Receptionist

Reagan is a hometown girl who was born and raised in the New River Valley. She left the area for a short period to attend school at Ferrum College. After graduating in 2007 with a major in Biology and minor in Environmental Science, she moved back to Christiansburg and started working at Virginia Tech's Large Animal Hospital as an ICU technician. She started working with us at Companion Animal Clinic in the fall of 2009. When she is not working she spends her free time building her lifelong passion of running a horse rescue, unlike any other! Reagan owns Winterfrost Farm and sister rescue program, RIDE-A-RESCUE. The RIDE-A-RESCUE program is designed to provide trail rides using horses Reagan has nurtured back to health. This program is a great community activity that is fun and helpful at the same time. Not only do you get to enjoy a trail ride, the horse you are assigned is given a future and a job. Reagan also provides riding lessons, stable leases, and training, as part of the rescue program.

Groomer

Peggy L. has had many pets, including ferrets, goats, fish, chickens, and many dogs and cats. She currently has a Chug named Henry the Wonder Dog, a cat, Sheila, and a 150-gallon outdoor pond with goldfish. Several years ago, Peggy took 6 ½ months off from her duties at Companion to fulfill a life-long dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, an experience she will never forget. She has biked the C & O Canal Tow Path and the Virginia Creeper Trail. She enjoys anything outdoors, including:  hiking, biking, fishing, camping, and feeding many Bluebirds from her meal worm farm; in the summers, she also enjoys attending old time music festivals with her husband, Sam. Peggy and Sam live in his 100+ year old home place and are in the process of renovating and decorating.

Kennel Supervisor

Marcy C. is from Roanoke, VA. She has two amazing sons, Logan and Mason, and a daughter, Skylar, who she lost to cancer in 2009. Marcy has an A.S. in Health Sciences from Virginia Western Community College and is currently studying to be a licensed Vet Tech through Penn Foster College. Marcy is an animal lover, sharing a home with her dogs, cats, and ferrets. Marcy loves to work at Companion because everyday is a learning experience and a chance to make a difference in someone's life. Her long term goals are to graduate from her Vet Tech program and possibly attend VT to study Animal Science.

Kennel Assistants

Melissa R. and her husband both grew up in North Carolina. She moved from northern Virginia to the NRV in the summer of 2009 so her husband could attend Medical School. Melissa loves animals and has two cats named Sammy and JJ.

Tammy M. is from Long Island, NY, and moved to Blacksburg in 2001, with her children Thomas and Shannon. Her granddaughter Olivia is her "sunshine." Tammy is married to a Blacksburg local named Joey. Since she was a small child, Tammy has loved and owned animals, including hamsters, gerbils, mice, guinea pigs, snakes, cats, dogs, goats, horses, chickens, ducks and a tarantula. She loves working at Companion because she gets to take care of all sorts of animals and has wonderful co-workers. Her goal is to become a licensed veterinary technician in the future.