Ali is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and continues her education and professional growth by attending several seminars each year. She makes every effort to provide her clients the individual training solutions needed for their pet. Ali is the owner of I Got This SIT, LLC. which offers all positive reinforcement day training and board and train programs.

When not helping client animals, she enjoys time with her own, especially competing with two of her rescue pitties in dock diving competitions. Ali has also begun working with one of her dogs on scent detection. She grew up riding horses and working with the family dogs when her parents would let her. Growing up she also had cats, rabbits, bearded dragons, mice, hamsters, and a ferret -- whatever her parents told her she couldn’t bring into the house, she did. Now her menagerie is a bit smaller with 3 dogs, 2 ferrets and a horse.

I have been working in the veterinary field since 1998. I received my degree in Veterinary Technology from Cedar Valley College in Lancaster, TX. I became a Certified Technician after passing IL state boards in 2009. I currently reside in the Fox Valley area with my husband and two young children, a son and a daughter. I have had a love for reptiles and amphibians since the age of 11 and as a teenager I would foster kittens for rescue groups. Currently, I live with a siamese mix cat named Olive. I have been working with Dr. Petsche since 2001 and decided to start working at Loyal Companions upon opening in 2016. I enjoy the low stress and calm atmosphere of the hospital. I am also the social media supervisor for the hospital and I write informative blogs to post on our website. In my spare time I love cooking and shopping at Target.

Hello! My name is Jillian Kuizenga. All my life I have loved animals, and I am so incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to spend each day with dogs and cats. I have a dog myself named Jesse, who loves to come along with me to work and spend time in daycare with the other pups. The daycare at Loyal Companions is like nothing I’ve ever seen before with it’s incredibly attentive and personalized care, plus Jesse always has a blast. I also have two cats named Cali and Beowulf, who both love digging through the trash to find paper to play with, and running around the house at 3 AM.

Hi, my name is Kate. I am the Grooming Stylist at Loyal Companions. I have over 20 years of Grooming experience. I am also a certified veterinary assistant. Working at Loyal Companions is great. Dr. Petsche and the entire staff appreciate that some of my clients need extra time and attention. Resulting in a relaxed environment. I have two dogs of my own a Chihuahua and a Rottweiler. Both dogs were given to me by owner's who could no longer care for them. I live in St Charles with my husband and son. I look forward to giving your pet a great style and a pleasant Grooming experience.

I earned my degree in veterinary technology from Parkland College in 2003. I love that within this field, I can do several tasks and take care of many different kinds of animals. I have been fortunate to work with not only cats and dogs, but also exotic pets including birds, reptiles and small mammals.

I am so grateful to be a part of Loyal Companions. When I first heard about the Fear Free approach, I knew this was the direction I wanted to take in helping pets. By keeping our patients as calm and happy as possible, we do the same for pet parents. It is an overall better experience for everyone. My favorite part of coming in to work is having people tell me how much his or her pet loves coming to our practice.

I live in St. Charles with my husband and 2 children. We have a pit bull named Phoenix who keeps us busy.
I enjoy spending time with family and friends. My hobbies include reading, watching movies and dancing.

I graduated from Joliet Junior College in 2009 with an Associate's in Animal Medicine. I grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, but have been living in the Bartlett/South Elgin area for the last 20 years.

I began working as a C.V.T. in ER medicine and quickly loved using the skill sets that I learned to help very sick patients. Since then I've worked with exotic animals (reptiles, birds, rabbits, ferrets) and in day practices that take care of cats and dogs. I've currently been working here at Loyal Companions Fear Free practice since May 2017 which I feel is where the veterinary field should be moving towards to provide the best care for their patients. I am so proud to say that I'm a part of this movement everyday.

In my free time I love to spend it with my husband of 4 years auto racing or watching my 2 year old dance around in ballet class.

Pet Profiles - Axel is a M/N 7.5 year old brindle boxer mix who loves being a couch potato, eating, and chasing squirrels. Brook is a F/S 5 year old blue pit bull terrier who loves walks, tanning in the sun, squeaky toys, and chasing/barking at lights.

I am originally from Barcelona, Spain, where I earned my degree of Licensed Veterinarian, a five year program, at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in 1993. Then I completed a one year veterinary internship in Ohio in 1994.

I have been working as a Veterinary Technician in the Chicagoland area (Bloomingdale, Saint Charles and Plano) since 1995. I joined the Loyal Companions team in September of 2016 and obtained the Fear Free certification. After having worked all of this years in a system where the emotional well-being of the patient was not the first priority, I am very pleased to be part of a practice where Fear Free medicine is the principle. Loyal Companions combines the highest standards of veterinary medicine with an emphasis on the patient’s comfort, implementing a variety of tools and methods to decrease their fear, anxiety and stress at the hospital. This makes the visit or stay much less traumatic for the pet, owner and veterinary professionals.

My family consists of my husband, daughter and son, and also our four legged family members: two dogs that we adopted from shelters and two cats that were abandoned as kittens at different hospitals. Lily is a golden retriever and true to her breed, she carries things in her mouth from one place to another while happily grunting. Cookie is a shepherd mix and she is the household sentinel, loudly informing us of any possible threat including planes flying by. Laila is a domestic short hair: she is very shy and nimble but when she wants to be petted she is very assertive in the way she nudges us. And finally, Wilson is a Maine coon: he was less than a pound when he came to us but he has made up for lost time. He rams into closed doors to try to open them, which produces a frightening sound in the middle of the night.

My love for animals dates back as far as I can remember. I was the kid who was regularly taking in strays or any animal that found itself in need of a little TLC. Wanting to make animals as comfortable as possible just came naturally.

My parents were also animal lovers and did their best to encourage my passion of caring for animals within reason. However, growing up in a secluded rural neighborhood that was surrounded by cornfields, woods, and a large river let’s just say I didn’t always bring home your typical stray cat or dog. Of course there were those as well but much to my parents’ disapproval there were also countless snakes, turtles, birds, bunnies, front, raccoons, and opossums just to name a few.

I moved to the St. Charles area in 2011 where I began working as a dog bather. Eventually I went through grooming academy training to become a certified professional groomer and have been working in various fields of the animal industry ever since I began working for Loyal Companions in November of 2017. I sought out this practice because of the Fear Free concept and regulations that accompany those ideals. It is truly amazing to see the positive impact we have on not only the pets themselves but to see owners become enlightening and astounded with the optimal care and results we provide. There’s nothing better than seeing a dog who was previously terrified of vet visits now racing and pulling to get through the doors and into our exam rooms.

Pet Profile: In my household I have two dogs, one cat, one Beta fish, and a Chinchilla. My pups are Sookie Sue (Catahoula Leopard Dog) and Myrtle Louise (6 month old Deer Head Chihuahua). Sookie enjoys spending her time loving everyone and everything (sometimes a little too hard) and Myrtle enjoys learning all kinds of tricks and cuddling with her big sis!

My cat’s name is Pheeny. She is a Turkish Angora and her favorite pastime is rolling in/eating catnip and people watching.

Then there’s Nuggie Boo (Nug). She is an incredibly sweet Chinchilla and loves being carried around the house in a pet sling and jumping on the dogs while they’re laying down. She can usually be found lounging on her tiny stuffed couch and eating freeze dried strawberries which is her favorite snack.

Pet Profile: In my household I have two dogs, one cat, one Beta fish, and a Chinchilla. My pups are Sookie Sue (Catahoula Leopard Dog) and Myrtle Louise (6 month old Deer Head Chihuahua). Sookie enjoys spending her time loving everyone and everything (sometimes a little too hard) and Myrtle enjoys learning all kinds of tricks and cuddling with her big sis!

My cat’s name is Pheeny. She is a Turkish Angora and her favorite pastime is rolling in/eating catnip and people watching.

Then there’s Nuggie Boo (Nug). She is an incredibly sweet Chinchilla and loves being carried around the house in a pet sling and jumping on the dogs while they’re laying down. She can usually be found lounging on her tiny stuffed couch and eating freeze dried strawberries which is her favorite snack.

Coming soon!

I have been working with dogs and horses for over ten years. They truly are Loyal Companions. My love for these beautiful creatures has lead me to work in the Equine and Canine field. My experience began with my daughter falling in love with horses which brought us to the barn. I was blessed with owning 2 horses. Tending and caring to their every need. Our love of riding brought us to the show arena which my daughter competed for many years. In 2012 I began working as a Dog Grooming Assistant for a few years, then as a Dog Walker and Pet Sitter. I also had the privilege of working as a Horse Barn Manager tending to horses at that time. It has been very rewarding, especially joining the Loyal Companions Pet Resort Team in July of 2018.

I have two dogs, “The Boys” My Australian Shepherd Smoke and my Rescue Chocolate Lab Mix Rodeo. They fill my heart more than words can say.

“Dogs do speak, but to only those who know how to listen.”

My interest in training began when I volunteered as a puppy raiser for a service dog organization. That ignited a passion to learn about training and behavior. Over the years I attended conferences of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, completed a graduate class in Animal Behavior and Training at Western Illinois University, and began working as a pet dog trainer. I puppy-raised 7 service dogs and worked with adult service dogs as they trained to work with their disabled partners to perform important tasks such as pulling a wheelchair and turning lights on and off.

Pet profile: I live in Batavia with my husband and a Kooikerhondje, Scout. Scout is an adorable fluffy dog who loves long hikes in the woods, playing frisbee, and barking at delivery men (we are working on "quiet"). I have had a labrador in my life 32 of the last 34 years and am hoping to add a black lab to our family in the spring.

Animals have always been a part of my life. My very first memories involve my sweet cat Cameo. She was so patient with me as a little kid learning how to care for an animal. When I was in 5th grade after begging my parents they finally agreed that we could have a puppy! My Australian Shepard Smoke became our newest family member.

Around this time, I found my passion for horses. I had always been fascinated with these large docile creatures. I insisted every fair or festival that I could ride one of the ponies! I attended a summer camp and from then on I was hooked. My parents allowed me to take part in lessons at Dunham Woods. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get the barn every week!

From Dunham Wood we were able to change barns and disciplines. I found the world of Dressage and fell in love. I rode and competed in Dressage for most of my adolescent life. It taught me strength and patience. I learned how to effectively communicate with an animal that was 3x times my size and strength. I owned 2 horses, Charmer and Merlin. Both taught me so much about life and the world of Dressage. I feel very thankful to have been able to have this opportunity to learn at such a young age what a great bond humans and animals can have.

During this time at the barn we rescued our Chesapeake Bay Retriever mix named Rodeo or “Toad” for short. He came to us from Kentucky with a broken leg. We learned a lot while caring for him. Smoke and Rodeo became the best of pals. They still play and act like puppies! Smoke is our cuddling couch potato and Toad is our energetic athlete!

Loyal Companions passion for animals mimics my own. I fell right at home when I first walked through the doors. The attention to detail and care each animal receives here is beyond anywhere else I have been. Each client and patient is treated like family. It does not ever feel like a job when you get to do something you love everyday.

Growing up my life revolves around caring for animals. I was blessed to have been raised in a family of animal advocates. Over the course of time we have had just about everything- dogs, cats, goats, ferrets, rats, tortoises, lizards, snakes and fish. Aside from house pets I grew up befriending local wildlife and handling our friendly resident carpenter bees.

My family has always been about what’s best for our companions. We have always been strong believers that any life, no matter how small deserves equal care. I often see so many people view anything smaller than a cat as replaceable and it’s sad how often times price tags on animals set a bad expectation. If our fish even got sick my parents would spend a fortune to treat a $1 fish. That has always stuck with me throughout my life.

When my family and siblings started branching off and building their own lives our animals got divided amongst us as it typically goes. I ended up going a totally different route. When I was in my late teens a parrotlet came into my life and became my world. Next thing I knew I was being contacted by multiple people dumping their pet birds, and at that moment I knew I had a purpose in life. I now have a bird room devoted to what I refer to as my chicken nuggets that make up my 10 piece happy meal.

Aside from my life as a crazy bird lady I am an artist, multi-instrumentalist, costume designer, and enjoy working on cars. I am currently a resident of Geneva and am blessed to live with my incredible boyfriend, Tayler who is also an animal lover to the extreme.

Though birds have taken the spotlight in my life, I have always been a strong believer that the mental health of any animal is just as important as physical health. Animals tell us so much through their behavior. I feel It is so crucial for an animal to have positive reinforcement to know that they are in a safe environment and that is why I really appreciate what we do at Loyal Companions. We listen to animals here and are provided the tools and knowledge to help convey an animals needs to their owner. There are few things more rewarding than to be able to be that bridge of communication and see the incredible change when that owner learns to pick up on those stress signals. Sometimes a whole new animal emerges and it’s just the coolest experience.

Pet profile: My flock consists of Archimedes and Chickie the parrotlet, Sprite and Pete the parakeets, Tico, Derpy, Derplet and Chomp the lovebirds and Scout and Hawkeye the Amazon parrots. I also assist my mother in caring for her two rescue macaws Harley and Lulu and often visit my two favorite family dogs, Grim the German shepherd and Lambchop the toy poodle.

For my entire life, I have had but one unwavering certainty; my passion for animals. This deep connection has instilled a compassion that ensures I must do everything in my power to make sure that these tender souls who cannot speak for themselves, are heard. Not only heard, but understood and cared for in their own unique way.

Working in the fear free environment that has been so thoughtfully crafted here has really inspired this value of mine and brought it to life.

I aspire to be a Veterinary Technician and am eager to learn and master the skills that will guide me through the rest of my life in this wonderful field. As of now, supervising day care and being able to observe, care for and interact with so many different breeds and personalities is literally a dream and a classroom in itself. I can confidently say that I love what I do and have never felt so fulfilled in a career.

Pet profile: I have had several loyal companions of my own throughout the years, but currently it is just me and my sweet kitty, Stevie. She truly is my best friend and I don’t know what I would do without her unapologetic tenderness. I plan to rescue a dog very soon and have no doubts that my fur family will only continue to grow. Thank you for taking the time to get to know a little about me, I can’t wait to do the same for you and your own loyal companion.

Coming soon!

Coming soon!

Coming soon!