Pet hospitals in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Canada are vying to be named Practice of the Year at Petplan health insurance company’s annual Veterinary Awards. The top veterinarian, veterinary technician, practice manager and receptionist also will be honored at a dinner taking place Jan. 16 during the North American Veterinary Community conference in Orlando, Fla. A panel of judges took public online voting into account when selecting the 15 finalists from among 33 semifinalists. In all, 4,800 people or veterinary hospitals were nominated for the 2016 awards. The finalists excelled in their impact on veterinary medicine and their commitment to providing exceptional care, Petplan reported. “This year’s group is a truly remarkable representation of the clinics and individuals providing for the health of our pets in North America,” said Natasha Ashton, Petplan’s co-founder and co-CEO. “No matter what their role in the practice, these individuals and practices far exceeded even the highest standards of care.” Petplan, based in Newtown Square, Pa., will transport all 12 individuals and representatives of the three hospitals to Orlando, Fla., for the ceremony. The category winners will receive $1,000 and a $1,000 donation to a pet charity of their choice. The finalists are: Practice of the Year Animal Hospital of Cambridge (Cambridge, Ontario, Canada) Metzger Animal Hospital (State College, Pa.) PAWS Veterinary Center (Tucson, Ariz.) Veterinarian of the Year Sean Aiken, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego (San Diego) Gregory Todd, DVM, CVA, of Animal Hospital of Dunedin (Dunedin, Fla.) Drew Van Niekerk, DVM, of Calgary North Veterinary Hospital and Emergency Service (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) Veterinary Technician of the Year Lona Gibbs, CVT, of Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center (Medford, Ore.) Annette Kim, RVT, of Abbotsford Animal Hospital (Aurora, Ontario, Canada) Amy Schiller, CVT, of Valley View Pet Hospital (Burnsville, Minn.) Practice Manager of the Year Jennifer Harris of Hillside Veterinary Hospital (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) Kristine Lee of Advanced PetCare of Oakland (Clarkston, Mich.) Jody Weaver, CVT, of Rau Animal Hospital (Glenside, Pa.) Receptionist of the Year Scott Backman of West Hollywood Animal Hospital (West Hollywood, Calif.) Andrea Campbell of Taunton Road Animal Hospital (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada) Crystal Dawson of Northpointe Animal Hospital (Lynnwood, Wash.)
