Our Veterinarians

Dr. Susan Norris

Veterinarian

Dr. Susan is a doctor of veterinary medicine and proud owner of Good Friends Animal Hospital. Her love of medicine and embracing the challenges presented by handling different animal cases led to her pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Safe to say she’s accomplished that and beyond!

Dr. Susan grew up in Lisle, IL, a suburb of Chicago. She was raised in a household with two siblings, her parents and her semi-feral cat, Rusty. Her experience with the pet feline also helped develop a passion for assisting feral cats.

So exactly why did she decide to enter the veterinary field? Well first of all, Dr. Susan loves the world of medicine. She has taken a special interest in emergency care, oncology and cardiology to help animals through various ailments related to those fields. Second, she has always had a passion for rescuing animals. So much so that she started her own rescue!

One of Dr. Susan’s favorite parts of being in the world of veterinary medicine is interacting with people. She relishes the chance to meet new clients and work with wonderful and interesting people who she genuinely enjoys getting to know. Dr. Susan realizes the importance of relating to people and their difficulties, which is why she does her best to push affordable plans that help pet owners and their pets. She believes that no matter how dire or difficult a situation looks, there is always something that you can try, and she’ll never give up!

When she’s not at the hospital, Dr. Susan has 3 pets who keep her occupied at home. She has a Shih Tzu mix named Pudge who she lovingly calls her “baby,” and a goofy pug named Charlotte who passes gas a lot. Then there’s Poppy the cat, who Dr. Susan rescued after being struck by a car as a kitten. She is currently pursuing her masters degree in forensic veterinary medicine, and continues to help animals who are victims of abuse and neglect.

Dr. Maggie Bednarz

Veterinarian

Animals are vulnerable, voiceless creatures, so it’s extremely important that we have enough veterinarians around who can speak their language. Dr. Maggie is one of these people. As a veterinarian at Good Friends Animal Hospital, she is able to effectively be the “voice” that injured and sick animals desperately need!

Dr. Maggie was born and raised in Peru, IL to Polish parents who migrated to America. While she participated in activities like Taekwondo and ballet growing up, her true passion always revolved around animals.

While Dr. Maggie knew that she wanted to get into veterinary medicine, an incident while shadowing a veterinarian solidified her decision. One day, a badly abused dog was brought into the hospital. The animal had serious wounds that needed to be tended to, so Dr. Maggie got to work. She carefully cleaned, debrided and treated its wounds, hoping to bring the dog back to health. While difficult, that moment would stick with her for the rest of her life and inspire her to help animals who are in helpless situations.

Dr. Maggie completed her undergraduate studies at Loyola University of Chicago. Then she pursued and earned her doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Because she’s learned so much from her years of schooling and doing externships in different places, she feels it’s important to pass it onto others. That’s why she enjoys client education.

Nothing brings Dr. Maggie more joy than teaching new pet owners the best way to care for their pets. She also enjoys the dental aspect of dealing with animals, and stresses how important teeth are to an animal’s health. That’s why she makes sure to inform pet owners that their animals may need annual or biennial dentals.

When Dr. Maggie has some free time, you can catch her hanging out with her boyfriend and their two rescue dogs, Pepper and Raya. You may even find her curled up on the couch reading a good book, outdoors taking a hike or playing video games!

Dr. Jack Fergenbaum

Veterinarian

Dr. Jack grew up with a love of pets and a fascination with science. When he was in middle school, Dr. Jack volunteered his time at a local pet store where an elderly gecko named Ziggy was relinquished due to his poor condition. After helping Ziggy make a full recovery, Dr. Jack knew he wanted to become a vet. In particular, he wanted to practice exotic animal medicine. The rest, as they say, is history!

During high school, Dr. Jack worked the night shift as a veterinary technician, then moved to full time during breaks while attending undergraduate and graduate school. In the eight years he spent in this role, Dr. Jack gained valuable clinical experience. Starting from the technician position also gave him a unique appreciation for his support staff.

Professionally, Dr. Jack enjoys establishing relationships with his clients and their pets. He loves the idea of being a family veterinarian and treating patients throughout their entire lives. Another aspect of the job he enjoys is treating shelter and rescue animals. There are limited funds for these patients, so performing low-cost procedures like spays/neuters can be immensely helpful in getting them adopted.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Jack lives with his partner, Joe, and their two cats: Hayes and Maple. Hayes is a cuddle bug who is starting to learn tricks, and Maple is a toy-loving ball of energy. The couple’s plethora of pets also includes a curious albino African Pygmy Hedgehog named Pretzel, a shy Leopard Gecko named Milo, and two tarantulas: Bellatrix and Ursulan.

Aside from animals, Dr. Jack’s biggest passion is swimming. Growing up, he was on multiple competitive teams, including the swim team at University of Maryland, where he completed his undergrad. His greatest achievement in this area was qualifying for States in high school and making the podium for his best event, the 100-meter butterfly. Dr. Jack is also an avid reader. His favorite book is titled Crispin: The Cross of Lead.

1,358

SLOPPY KISSES

4,858

BELLIES RUBBED

2,345

TREATS GIVEN

!Mobile Content

!Header Logo

!Give us a call button

!Call Icon

Contact Us Today!