Management
Siri Peterson
Hospital Team
The idea for Loyal Companions was born out of the combination of my dedication to learn and improve, and my desire to strengthen the bond people share with their pets. I have aligned myself with the recently developed Fear-Free concepts. I have paid special attention to the smallest details of my new hospital’s design. I want to ensure your pet’s experience at Loyal Companions is calming and pleasant. I am passionate about elevating the care your beloved pet receives to a new level.
I aspire to be continuously learning and improving. I attend conferences and seminars across the United States to learn from experts in diverse areas of veterinary medicine. Additionally, I personally understand the bond you share with your pet. Your pet is an important family member to you.
My love for animals began at a very young age. I started riding horses when I was five years old and would spend my time caring for our family’s pets – dogs, cats, hamsters, horses and a goat. It was here, as a little girl in rural Michigan, that I decided to become a veterinarian.
My passion for learning was ignited at the University of Michigan where I received a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology graduating with high honors in 1990. I graduated as class valedictorian in 1994 from Michigan State University with my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
After school, I began my career working at veterinary hospitals in the Chicago suburbs and in Miami, Florida. I then settled in the Fox Valley area, and I have been practicing in this wonderful community for the last 22 years.
Outside of Loyal Companions, I spend my time with my husband Tim (an orthopedic surgeon) and our four beautiful children – Julia, Emmett, Kyra and Jack. We share our house with Bear (a large but gentle mix breed dog), Holly (a cuddly black cat) and Rocky (a sweet, permanent-puppy looking black dog) I also have a small barn with 2 ponies and 1 goat.
My desire to become a veterinarian was born from a lifelong compassion for animals integrated with a fascination for medicine. Being a veterinarian is an incredible and never ending journey; the veterinarian I am today may not be the veterinarian I am tomorrow. The veterinary field is dynamic and we as a profession have the opportunity to learn new things every day. It is both important and exciting for me to stay up to date with the latest research to best address my patients needs. Prior to graduating from the University of Illinois, I spent my free time working in a diagnostic lab to gain a proficiency in clinical pathology. I graduated with numerous awards for my skills in diagnostic and emergency medicine. I completed a rigorous year long program at VCA Aurora to become experienced in contemporary emergency medicine and critical care. I am a RECOVER initiative certified in CPR with basic and advanced life support. I continue to seek out new educational opportunities to add “tools to my toolbelt” as a veterinarian.
Humans and animals share a deep bond. This bond contributes to a happy and healthy life for everyone involved. Educating families on how to nurture this bond and care for their pets is the most satisfying part of my job. Being able to do this in an environment centered around the mindset and well being of the patient is what makes Loyal Companions a wonderful place to practice.
I enjoy sharing my home with a sweet, but silly Corgi named Wyatt and a sassy little tabby named Mittens. When I am not being a doctor, you can find me at home making delicious ice cream. I make a great chocolate ice cream, but have also been known to experiment with flavors ranging from almond to zabaglione!
Like many veterinarians, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian as a child. I spent many days bandaging and caring for all of my stuffed animals and healing their “injuries” and “illnesses”. I grew up in Charleston, a small town in central Illinois where I completed my bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Eastern Illinois University. I completed my veterinary training at the University of Illinois in 2001.
I have spent most of my career in Chicago and the near west suburbs. Over the past 20+ years of practice, I have found that I enjoy working with the families of my patients almost as much as I love their animals. I find caring for animals throughout their lives and building strong bonds with their human families extremely fulfilling. Throughout my years in general practice, I developed a special interest in animal behavior, and especially helping to alleviate pets’ stress and anxiety during veterinary visits and daily life. I have always practiced low stress handling, but in the three years I spent living in Knoxville, Tennessee, I discovered Fear Free certification and the amazing way it improves the lives of my patients, myself and the whole veterinary team. As part of my focus on the whole life of my patients, I have obtained additional training and experience in hospice and end-of-life care. I have been lucky enough to see many of my own pets into their geriatric years and so I have personal experience with the challenges of senior cats and dogs. This has helped me to develop a special focus on senior pets and helping them to live full and happy lives. I am interested in pursuing additional training in acupuncture and other alternative therapies to help my patients as they age.
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, kayaking, exploring new cities, and touring museums with my family. My husband and I are parents to middle school twins, Ringo, a fluffy Tennessee mixed breed dog with a great rescue story, Pinecone and Chestnut, our two wonderful long haired cats, and a trio of amazing rescue guinea pigs named Nutmeg, Acacia and Willow.
I have always been deeply passionate about everything related to animals, which naturally led me to pursue a career in the veterinary field. For over 25 years, I had the privilege of working with Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago, where I served as their Practice Manager. In this role, I provided support to eleven doctors and managed a dedicated support staff of over fifty team members
In 2020, my husband and I made the decision to relocate back to my hometown of Geneva. During this transition, we carefully chose Loyal Companions as the animal hospital for our dog, Newman. Loyal Companions shares the same mission as my previous practice, being AAHA Accredited, Fear Free Certified, and Cat Friendly! These prestigious accreditations require considerable time, effort, and the unwavering support of a compassionate team. I was thrilled when Dr. Petsche reached out to me with an opportunity to join her ever-evolving team!
As a Practice Manager, I firmly believe that our clients and patients are a part of our extended family, and it is our responsibility to ensure they feel this way. At Loyal Companions, my mission is to provide gold standard veterinary care while delivering exceptional customer service within a warm and welcoming environment. Each pet visit is unique, and our team strives to adapt to the ever changing needs of our patients and their owners to ensure that every appointment is a positive experience.
Away from work, I cherish spending quality time with my husband, Eric, and our two children, Olivia and Stieg. Of course, we also enjoy the company of our furry family member, Newman, who brings us immeasurable joy
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. In my spare time I love cooking and shopping at Target.
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 a t 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 every day.
In my free time I love spending time with my husband of 10 yrs, my 8 yr old daughter, and my 4 yr old son. They keep me busy with gymnastics and dirt bike racing.
My hobbies include auto racing and gardening.
Pet profiles: Brook F/ S 11 yr old blue pit bull terrier who loves walks, tanning in the sun, squeaky toys, and sleeping in her poof bed.
Tails the turtle who likes to dig around in his river rocks and hide in his cave and many fish.
Hi, I’m Molly. I have had a love of animals for as long as I can remember. I originally grew up with the plans of becoming a veterinarian but quickly shifted gears when I learned that Veterinary Technicians existed. I went to school at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, WI and became a CVT in 2008. I began my career in general practice then transitioned into emergency and specialty medicine. I am thrilled to be back in a general practice emphasizing animals’ emotional well-being just as much as their physical well-being.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two children – we share our home with a Labrador, George and a King Charles Cavalier named Poppy.
I am originally from Barcelona, Spain, where I earned my degree of Licensed Veterinarian 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 these years in a system where the emotional well-being of the patient was not the 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 human family consists of my husband, daughter, and son. Our four-legged family members are Cookie and Laila. Cookie is a Shepherd/Golden mix we adopted from a Rescue organization we collaborated with at a previous hospital. She is the household sentinel, loudly informing us of any possible threat including planes flying by. Laila is a Domestic Short Hair that was abandoned as a kitten at the same hospital. She is shy and nimble but when she wants to be petted, she is very assertive in the way she nudges us. All our animals, past and present, came from the places I worked at, and they needed a home and humans to love. We are privileged to have them in our lives and hearts, however long that time is.
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 family bonded over animals and the environment. My mother and I would volunteer to help stray animals when I was young, and this grew a passion in me. In 2012 I rescued a pitbull from a bad environment. When I brought her home, she unfortunately became pregnant before we had a chance to spay her. She ended up having a litter of 12 puppies! As tiring as they were, they were the best and first real experience I had in this field. I started volunteering for the New England Aquarium in 2014 working with marine mammals. There I learned the connections and trusts we can have with these massive mammals and the respective relationship we can create. Once established at the aquarium I was intrigued to learn more about sea creatures, obtaining my certified scuba diving certificate in 2016 I was able to observe and research how wonderful the world is around us.
Moving to Illinois in 2017 I was concerned I was going to disconnect from what I was working towards, I was fortunate enough to be employed by an animal hospital and learned more of the medical side. Here, I fell in love with helping and caring for small animals. I started at Loyal Companions in 2020, being in a fear free environment the possibilities of building a trusting relationship and the willingness of animals to understand are endless. I love the amount of respect we have towards small animals here and being mindful of what they’re comfortable with. I am very fortunate to have learned a new and more effective way of veterinary medicine.
Pet profile: My husband and I currently have two pitbull mixes. We’ve had Opie since 2019 who was rescued from Anderson Humane Society. Our more recent addition, Daisy, was rescued from Second City Canine Rescue. They are the best pair and absolutely love to wrestle and chase squirrels together. Daisy will be satisfied if you just give her cuddles and love all day. Opie loves to play “peek-a-boo” and would eat forever if he could.
I am currently working towards a veterinary technician degree online and hope to become a Certified Veterinary Technician. I have loved animals my whole life and really enjoy learning about the science behind their health and behavior. I have two dogs that fill my life with joy and a little bit of chaos. Gunther is my 5 year old pitbull adopted from Kane County Animal Control. Gunther is playful, energetic, willing, and funny! Waylonn is a 3 year old lab / sighthound mix adopted from Anderson Humane. I share Waylonn with my parents and while I care for most of Waylonn’s medical, behavioral, and daily needs, my mother loves him like no other. My mother is a cat-person through and through, but somehow Waylonn wormed his way into her heart and I am happy to share him. Waylonn is obsessed with fetch, has a keen eye, and runs like a greyhound! Waylonn and Gunther get along famously although Gunther does wish Waylonn would wrestle with him more and Waylonn wishes that Gunther had thumbs to throw his ball.
I started working in the pet care field as a doggy daycare attendant and barn hand for horses. I have also worked in a shelter setting where I could share my passion and help others learn how best to care for their loved, furry, family members. That shelter is where I was introduced to the Fear Free philosophy. I went on to work at a more traditional veterinary practice before I ended up here at Loyal Companions and I could not be more happy with the change. The Fear Free approach is beneficial to more than just the pet, as the staff also reaps its rewards and I am grateful to work at a place that understands that. I do my best to extrapolate the Fear Free approach into my daily life whether that is with my two dogs, in horseback riding, or with other animals AND people that I encounter.
My love for animals goes way back. I knew early on that I wanted to turn my love for animals into a career that gives back.
I graduated from the Vet Tech Institute of Fox College in 2015 and have been working in small animal medicine ever since. I joined the Loyal Companions team in 2021, and I am so glad I did. Being part of an amazing team with a Fear Free approach to medicine allows me to provide the excellent, compassionate care that my patients and their families deserve.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, especially outdoors. We share our home with our sweet fur baby Chubby cheeks (rabbit).
I am Elite Fear Free, Human Animal Bond, and Cat Friendly certified. I have been working as a veterinary nurse since 1988. I obtained my Associate of Science degree from Purdue University. I am both Elite Fear Free and Human Animal Bond certified.
Currently I share my home in Dundee with my husband, Mark, our tortoise, Frida our dog and Cohle our cat.
Nature and animals have always been a source of joy and wonder for me as long as I can remember. Even after more than thirty years nursing, my patients still amaze me.
I am proud to be a part of a Fear Free certified practice. Fear Free has breathed new life into my career, allowing me to practice low stress handling techniques. In my free time I enjoy travel, reading gardening, hiking, and painting.
I am one of the newer veterinary assistants here with a passion for all things animal care. My journey in the world of animal care began with a deep appreciation for all creatures, big and small. From furry friends to feathered companions, I’ve always been captivated by the diverse and wonderful world of animals. I graduated from Rockford Career College with my associates degree in 2022 and went through a 3 month internship at VCA Aurora. It was a long journey, but getting to learn and help out the pets in need made it all worth it. The reward of seeing a pet leave the clinic with a wagging tail or a treat to take home after a visit is what it is all about. Being the voice for them. That’s why I love this profession.
When I’m not in the clinic assisting our furry friends, I’m usually at my desk crafting my next project. Whether it’s painting, knitting, or any other DIY project, crafting allows me to unwind and express my artistic side.
I can’t wait to meet you and your pets!
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 am a Fear Free Certified pet groomer. I love grooming because I get to help pets look and feel their best. I am grateful to be a part of the Loyal Companions team and to have a Fear Free environment to groom in. I love being able to help all the pets I groom feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible for their spa day! At home I have a German Shepherd named Cheyenne. She is my best friend and my most loyal companion. We love going hiking, jogging, paddle boarding, and camping together!
