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WE PUT THE ‘CARE’ IN CARETEAM!

We put the patients first!

Chessie
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Chessie

Practice Manager

Chessie was once asked what kind of work environment would make her the happiest. Without even thinking about it, she answered that she would feel the best working with and around animals all day. That passion simply never quit. When the opportunity arose for Chessie to join the world of veterinary medicine, she knew that it was too good to pass up!

A Newburgh native, Chessie worked in other career fields before a friend of hers, who also worked here at the clinic at the time, told her about an open position. She didn’t waste any time applying. The rest is history—Chessie joined the hospital team in October of 2019, she was quickly promoted to the clinic’s lead receptionist and now she is the Practice Manager. Her favorite part of the job is interacting with the area’s pet owners and getting to know each and every one of them. She’s also fond of learning new things on an almost daily basis and being able to impart that knowledge to others. Of course, Chessie also likes to dote on visiting puppies and kittens whenever she can!

Away from work, Chessie enjoys hiking, staying active in community events, and spending quality time with her family and pets at home. She and her husband, Jordan, have two pets: Kimber Rose, a dog who loves to spend hours outdoors, and a kitten named Duck who plays fetch better than any dog Chessie has ever met.  

Emily
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Emily

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Emily grew up in Dutchess County with her parents, sister, and plenty of family pets. When she started living in New York City, she took on a job as a pet sitter—Emily loved working with animals so much that she decided to look into career paths in the veterinary world! Her passion has now come full-circle: she’s a Veterinary Technician here at Stone Cottage Veterinary Hospital.

After her time in New York City, Emily moved back to the Hudson Valley and signed on at the State University of New York-Ulster to study veterinary technology. She first joined the Stone Cottage Veterinary Hospital team as an intern while finishing up her degree, and was delighted to stay on-staff as a Veterinary Technician after her coursework was over.

Around the hospital, Emily is fond of surgical work and finds that no two procedures are ever quite the same. For her, nothing is more rewarding than watching a patient’s road to full recovery! Emily’s favorite part of her job is getting to meet pet owners just like herself on a daily basis.

Emily and her partner, Kevin, share their home with their newly adopted dog, Chyna. When she isn’t going on long hikes with Chyna or spending time with others’ furry family members here at the hospital, Emily loves reading, baking, and gardening.

Lauren
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Lauren

Licensed Veterinary Technician

When Lauren was growing up, her love for animals was so evident that she lost count of how many times she was told she should become a vet. While the idea made sense, deep down she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to handle caring for animals who are in pain. After a brief stint photographing pets, Lauren finally put her fear aside. Now, as a Veterinary Technician, she finds being a voice for the voiceless and relieving the pain and suffering of animals even more rewarding than she ever could have imagined!

While attending school to become a licensed veterinary technician, Lauren worked as a veterinary assistant at a couple of small animal clinics on Long Island. Upon graduating and successfully passing her state board exam, Lauren relocated to Ulster County and officially joined the Stone Cottage team.

Clinically, Lauren finds the entire process of surgery fascinating, from getting patients settled in, to ensuring they remain calm and comfortable throughout their procedure, to watching them go home to their owners. She particularly enjoys foreign body surgeries and is consistently amazed as to the things she discovers!

Lauren currently resides in New Paltz with her boyfriend, Andrew. Their fur family consists of a Yorkie named Zoey, and two long hair black cats – Binx and Onyx – who are the couple’s pride and joy. In her free time, she enjoys photography, hiking, hammocking, yoga and running.

Dana
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Dana

Veterinary Assistant

Dana has always had an indescribable connection with animals. Add to this her interest in medicine, and it’s obvious why she chose to pursue a career in the veterinary field. As part of the Stone Cottage team, she finds tremendous fulfillment in helping animals recover from illness or injury and go on to enjoy happy, healthy and amazing lives!

Dana’s journey began as a kennel attendant. One pet resort where she worked happened to be part of an animal hospital. Being around that environment inspired Dana to pursue the medical side of pet care. While she loves her current role as a Veterinary Assistant, Dana is seriously considering attending college to become a licensed technician. Professionally, Dana particularly enjoys diagnostic appointments and she loves the fact that she’s learning every day.

Outside of work, Dana lives with her significant other. Together, they have a dog named Reaper and two rescue kittens named Gemini and Aries. Her personal interests include art, skateboarding and practicing with makeup – something she’s been dabbling in for nearly a decade. 

Danielle
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Danielle

Receptionist

Danielle always knew she’d one day work with animals. Her childhood cat confirmed this for her. Diagnosed with a tumor on the stem of her brain, Danielle cared for her, keeping the drain area clean and administering medication to help keep her comfortable. The experience inspired Danielle to help as many animals as she could.

Danielle’s journey began at a young age, while spending her summers at horse camp. From there, she began working at a boarding kennel before moving into veterinary assisting. As she gained experience she eventually worked her way up to the role of surgical assistant before being sidelined by a knee injury. Determined not to be deterred from her life’s goal of working with animals, Danielle joined the Stone Cottage team in July of 2021 as one of our amazing receptionists.

At home, Danielle is pet mom to three fur babies of her own: a senior rescue Chihuahua named Sookie, and two black rescue cats named Shredder and Winifred Empanada. When she’s not working or loving on her pets, Danielle enjoys crocheting, reading, spending time with friends and practicing self-care.

Harley
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Harley

Receptionist

When Harley Taran was growing up, she witnessed the unbreakable bond that was shared between her father and his service dog, Enzo. Not only did this special connection instill a desire to one day have a fur baby of her own, but it served as the very inspiration behind Harley’s entire career path.

Harley’s journey began as a child, when she would pet-sit for friends and family members. As soon as she was officially old enough, she was hired to work at a local pet store. With the goal of furthering her knowledge, Harley moved on to the veterinary industry. As a Receptionist here at Stone Cottage, she is thrilled to be in a job where she is constantly learning and growing.

From a professional standpoint, Harley appreciates working in a fast-paced environment where she routinely has to multi-task while also remaining laser-focused. While this may be harder on some days than it is on others, she’s always up for the challenge! Harley’s future plans include furthering her education in the veterinary field.

At home, Harley is pet mom to a miniature Australian Shepherd named Daisy (a.k.a. “Crazy Daisy”), whose signature trick is taking off peoples socks on command. She also has two lovely cats: Phoebe and Essie, both of whom rule the roost.