Our Careteam

Ashley

Practice Manager

When you’re the manager at an animal hospital, it definitely helps to have a passion for animals. Just ask Ashley, the practice manager at Good Friends Animal Hospital. Ashley not only loves animals, she also is extremely passionate about helping them maintain their health!

Ashley names her childhood Rottweiler Max as her main motivation for pursuing a career in the world of veterinary medicine. Her dog made an enormous impact on her life, and was there for her when she was younger. Rottweilers and pitbulls are her two favorite dog breeds, as she loves their “underdog” status.

Having grown up in Villa Grove, IL, Ashley used to watch her grandfather’s interactions with animals and it rubbed off on her. He was extremely compassionate and kind to animals, and took to feeding them whether they were strays or in the wildlife. Once Ashley entered high school, she took the opportunity to work at a local vet clinic – and has been in the field of veterinary medicine ever since!

Saving the lives of sick animals and helping them feel better isn’t the only part of the job that brings Ashley joy. She also enjoys educating clients about their precious pets’ health by giving them valuable information they may not have previously known.

Ashley’s free time is spent hanging out with her husband and their two daughters. She is also kept on her toes by her stable of pets at home that includes two spirited dogs and two clever cats!

Jorge

Veterinary Technician

For as long as he can remember, Jorge has loved animals and has wanted to work closely with them. As a vet technician at Good Friends Animal Hospital, Jorge is able to live out his dream. Not only does he get to work with the furry creatures he loves on a daily basis. He also gets to help nurse the lovable pets back to health and save their lives, too!

Jorge decided to enter the veterinary world after seeing his dog battle distemper. Jorge wasn’t familiar with how to treat his beloved pet, so he decided he would educate himself. This way, not only would he be the best pet owner possible, he would also be able to help other pet owners.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Jorge was raised in a family where there was always a dog present in the household. He saw the way his grandfather loved animals, and that passion trickled down to him.

Jorge got his foot into the door of the veterinary world by practicing at various clinics. The first place he practiced was at Centro Veterinario de Utuado, and this was followed by a stint at Servicio Veterinarios del Norte. He then spent three productive years observing Dr Rocky Gonzalez and Dr. Jessie Gonzague. All of these experiences finally led him to Good Friends Animal Hospital.

Nothing brings Jorge more joy than nursing an ill animal back to health. He also loves educating pet owners. He has his own pet dog named Scrappy, an attentive pooch who gives everyone love and affection.

In his free time, you can find Jorge listening to his favorite tunes, or collecting trading cards. He also loves to keep in shape by boxing!

Abby

Veterinary Assistant

The seeds of a person’s career are usually planted during their youth. This is definitely the case for Abby, who is currently a veterinary assistant at Good Friends Animal Hospital. Abby can remember the exact moment in her life when she decided that she wanted to devote her life to helping animals!

When she was younger, Abby would go hunting with her dad and she’d be accompanied by her Brittany Spaniel named Sebastion. One day she noticed her dog badly limping and discovered that he had cut the pad of his foot. She cleaned and bandaged his wound every day for the next week, and the dog began to look at her more lovingly. This made Abby feel amazing, and it was then she knew that this was her calling.

Abby grew up in a small town, and as an only child, she took a liking to sports and hunting time with her father. She landed a job at the local humane society, which would be her first experience working with animals. Her most memorable moment was helping save the life of a young pitbull who came to the hospital with a terrible mange. She took the dog (which she named Bella) back home and nursed it back to health. Once Bella was back on her feet, Abby put her up for adoption.

As much as Abby loves to help save animal lives, she also loves working closely with her Good Friends Animal Hospital family. She loves meeting and dealing with new clients and their pets, and has taken a liking to seeing cats. Whether it’s dealing with the unpredictable nature of cats or learning about skin issues in animals, Abby is constantly seeking knowledge and learning.

In her free time, Abby is kept busy by her husband, their two sons and a whopping 7 (8 if you count her fish) pets! To decompress, she enjoys going to concerts and taking quick getaway trips to the mountains.

Tori

Veterinary Assistant

People sometimes turn their childhood passions into their future careers. Take Tori, for example. She grew up loving animals. Today, she’s a vet assistant at Good Friends Animal Hospital, so she literally turned her passion into her career!

Tori was born and raised in Champaign county. As a youngster, she enjoyed exploring the outdoors and loved learning new things. She would gradually zero her focus on animals.

Tori lists her childhood dog, Natal, as her greatest inspiration for entering the veterinary field. She considered the gentle German Shepherd/black lab mix to be her best friend, as he had a sweet soul and a great listening ear. He was always there for her, and he initiated her love for large dogs. As the years passed and she worked in different clinics, she would gradually bond with animals of all sizes.

When it comes to experience, Tori’s first time working with animals came as a kennel worker at Quarter C Pet Resort. She worked there for five years, soaking up knowledge on various pets, wildlife, farm animals. She would eventually attend Southern Illinois University and earn her bachelor’s degree in zoology. After graduating, she moved back home and found the position at Good Friends Animals. The rest is history!

Tori’s favorite part about working at the animal hospital is witnessing the growth and maturation of each of the young animals as they return for visits. She’s amazed watching these animals morph from tiny puppies and kittens into adults with their own unique personality. She also enjoys the challenge of making progress with any animal that comes into the office scared, nervous or apprehensive.

When she’s at home, Tori is kept busy by her 2 pets. She has a German Shepherd/pitbull mix named Oakley, and a spunky cat named Moschi. Just like her younger days, she still enjoys exploring the great outdoors – you can catch her hiking with her dog, fishing, kayaking and camping!

Cuddles

Practice Cat

Every animal hospital needs a resident animal to keep the mood light and everyone on their toes. That’s exactly what Cuddles the Cat provides for Good Friends Animal Hospital. Cuddles can be a sweetheart who everyone loves to pet and play with, but every now and then you might also find him getting into some mischief!

Cuddles arrived at the animal hospital years ago in need of assistance. Once he got there, he immediately noticed what a warm, welcoming environment it was that was filled with smart, funny people, so he decided to stick around for a while. Not only that, he also realized that the hospital needed his help and would be utterly lost without him.

Animal hospitals can be places where you find pet owners sad or anxious while waiting for their pets. To comfort them, Cuddles lovingly purrs and even rubs his face on theirs. The truth is, Cuddles has become somewhat of a celebrity at the hospital and has even developed a legion of fans who he enjoys interacting with. Pet owners routinely visit the hospital asking about him and vie for his attention. Everyone on the staff plays an important role in keeping the hospital running smoothly, but so does Cuddles.

When he’s not busy being a rock star at the hospital, you can catch Cuddles pretending to be asleep. Then once everyone’s guard is down, he’ll push their things off the counter. He’s pretty sure they find it as hilarious as he does!

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