I grew up in the Chicago suburbs with my parents and two older sisters. I begged for a dog when I was little, and after 4 years of writing it on my Christmas list, my parents got me a yellow lab that was in our family for 10 years. Working as a kennel assistant at a veterinary clinic while I was in high school gave me a peak of the veterinary world and inspired me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. I graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minors in Chemistry and Biology. After school, I worked as a veterinary assistant at a typical veterinary clinic, but sought out a new environment. I then came across Loyal Companions and the Fear Free approach. Since becoming Fear Free certified and seeing a different way that a veterinary hospital could work, I have had a new appreciation for this field and am yearning to learn more. I've always had a passion for animals ever since I could read, and one of my goals is to receive a certificate in veterinary technology while working at Loyal Companions.

I currently live in Aurora with my boyfriend, Trevor, our orange tabby Taco, two fish named Rodney and Pearl, and a ball python named Monty. In my free time I enjoy hiking, photography, cooking, baking and spending time with friends and family.

Pet Profile:This is Taco, my 6 month old tabby that I adopted from Tails. He enjoys going for car rides and walks on his harness, sprinting around the apartment at 3am, playing fetch with his toys, rolling around in catnip, taunting our fish and sleeping behind my head on my pillow at night. His favorite foods include tuna treat sticks, greenies, and any food that he can shove his face into when his parents aren't looking. If he's not chasing his laser pointer or watching birds, you can find him basking in the sun or napping in his cat box.

And this is my ball python, Monty. I got him from a friend who couldn't care for him anymore. His backstory is that he was found outside about 2-3 years ago and was taken in as a pet. My guess is that he's about 3 years old. He has scars from being a stray on his scales that are slowly going away shed by shed. He enjoys napping under his heat lamps, eating small rats, and crawling on top of my laptop when I don't pay enough attention to him. His life may not be all that glamorous, but he did escape out of his tank once when I was in college and had a blast adventuring around my apartment for 5 days.

I have worked with animals for over 30 years in animal shelters, veterinary hospitals, and training classes. My family has a rescue mutt (Lab/Boxer/Golden/?) named Timber, who makes us laugh every single day. I enjoy working at Loyal Companions because of the Fear Free environment, the AAHA certification, the modern facility, and the great doctors and staff that make it such a positive experience for pets and their owners.

My family and I have lived in Elburn for 15 years and we enjoy traveling, visiting national parks, hiking, and being outside. I can usually be found with a camera in hand, as I am also a professional photographer.

Fun facts about Timber: he lives to eat, get dirty, get wet, and chase tennis balls. He loves his people and believes he is a 70 pound lap dog. He will do pretty much anything for freeze-dried liver.

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, frogs, 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 enlightened 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.

In my household I have two dogs, two cats, two fish, and a Chinchilla. My pups are Sookie Sue (2yr old Catahoula Leopard Dog) and Idgie Roo (3yr old Deer Head Chihuahua). Sookie enjoys spending her time loving everyone and everything (sometimes a little too hard) and I’m pretty sure Idgie’s life goal is to lick every nose of every person she encounters.

My cats are Pheeny (8yr old Turkish Angora) and Twitch (14yr old Tortoise Shell). Their favorite pastimes are rolling in/eating catnip and people watching. My two Beta fish are named Arapaima and Violet.

Then there’s Nuggie Boo (Nug). She’s a 4 month old Chinchilla. She enjoys being carried around the house in a small pet sling and jumping on the dogs while they’re laying down. She can usually be found lounging in her hammock while eating freeze dried strawberries which is her favorite snack.

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.

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 Ali Evanson, I am the trainer here at Loyal Companions. I offer courses in puppy socialization and basic learning and will be expanding offerings in the near future. I am currently enrolled at the Karen Pryor Academy in the Dog Trainer Professional Program. The Karen Pryor institute uses all positive reinforcement and clicker training techniques. Clicker work is fascinating and can be effective on any species.

I began training about 3 years ago, though I have taken an interest in it my whole life. I began training horses and family dogs at a very young age, but never considered making a career out of it up until a few years ago. Now I love teaching animal’s new things and treating each animal as an individual, even in our group courses. Many animals I work with are rescues and we don’t necessarily know what their past was like so we need to be considerate and take a different approach to training based on their individual needs.

I have completely submerged myself in the animal world; my whole life revolves around them from my job to my schooling and my home life. I hold a seat as the director of fundraising for A Little R&R Animal Sanctuary as well as foster and train for them. I work and train for Safe Haven Pet Advocates where I take care of animals in people’s homes. Plus every Sunday night I volunteer 2 hours for Safe Humane Chicago for their Lifetime Bonds program which consists of teens on probation working with different dogs through positive reinforcement.

I have adopted two rescue pitties, Chunk and Sasha. Sasha is one of those dogs that didn’t have a good past, she is scared of her own shadow and it has taken me over 2 years to build enough confidence for a tail wag most days. Everyday with her is a work in progress but she has taught me so much patience and compassion for animals. Chunk is the complete opposite of Sasha, she is rarely scared of anything, loves people and new places. She is constantly on the go where as Sasha is just happy on the couch. Chunk is a very smart girl and she is actually my dog for our Karen Pryor workshops. She challenges me every single day, which I am thankful for because everyday with her I become a better trainer.

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.

My name is Natalie Kauserud, I am a student at Elgin community college. I intend to continuing to get a bachelors degree and becoming a nurse. I enjoy working at Loyal Companions not only because of the high quality care for animals. The combination of a pet resort and an animal hospital is a great idea and ensures your pet’s care is safe and convenient. I have a Golden Retriever named Yogi who is 1 year old. I have taken him to many day care facilities in the past but Loyal Companions is his favorite. He is very high energy and loves going to work with me.

My name is Natalie Kauserud, I am a student at Elgin community college. I intend to continuing to get a bachelors degree and becoming a nurse. I enjoy working at Loyal Companions not only because of the high quality care for animals. The combination of a pet resort and an animal hospital is a great idea and ensures your pet’s care is safe and convenient. I have a Golden Retriever named Yogi who is 1 year old. I have taken him to many day care facilities in the past but Loyal Companions is his favorite. He is very high energy and loves going to work with me.

I inherited my love of animals from my Dad who was always bringing them home. Dogs, cats, fish, turtles, frogs we had them all.

My husband Jim and I have two kids, Liz and Nick adults off on their own. We have two cats, Meowchi and Roary who entertain us everyday. We also have two dogs, Maddie our Collie and Stuart our Shih Tzu. Of course we think they are the best dogs!

I came to work at Loyal Companions because I strongly believe in the Fear Free experience for pets and people. I’ve been in this field for eighteen years and I’ve seen many ways to do things and Fear Free is by far the best.

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 I’m Missy. Dogs have always been a big part of my life. From walking to fostering to having my very own. I love working at a Loyal Companions because I get to see all the positive impacts it has on all these animals lives. From the hospital side to the daycare and boarding side. It’s amazing to be part of a staff that is all about what’s best for the animals! I have two dogs Nyx a husky mix and Koda Bear a German shepherd mix. Both enjoy going to daycare to play with friends. If they aren’t with me at work they can be found cuddling together on the couch at home, probably watching animal planet.

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.

Hello! My name is Francesca, and I am so thrilled to have found my home at Loyal Companions. My passion for animals has been with me for as long as I can remember. I started riding horses at the age of 5 and immedeatly fell in love. Over the years, I have volunteered at animal shelters, horse rescues, and wildlife centers in the area. I decided to pursue my passion when I started working in the veterinary field in 2016. I am graduating from Elmhurst College in May of 2019, with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Business Administration. My post-graduation plans include applying to Veterinary School within the next year.

I grew up here in St. Charles with my family, which includes my mom, dad, my two older brothers, and of course our 4-legged friends. Rugo, is a 10 year old Old English Sheepdog, who has the funniest personality. Blu, is a 5 year old Old English Sheepdog and is the sweetest XL lap dog you will ever meet. Santiago (pictured) is a 9 month old that I rescued earlier this year. His DNA test results revealed that he is a German Shepheard, Lab, Corgi, Pittie mix! My 1 year old cat, Marty (pictured), concludes the pack. I don't have the heart to tell him that he is indeed a cat and not actually a dog. Marty enjoys long walks on his harness and sits for his treats. So, I guess you could say we have our own little zoo.

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.”

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