Get to know us!
At Highlands Pet Hospital, we treat your family as if they were our own. We consider it a privilege to be entrusted with the care of your pets and are committed to providing a welcoming experience tailored to you and your pet’s specific needs and lifestyle.
DR. KRISTEN GIBSON
Dr. Gibson's Bio
Why did you become a veterinarian?
I have always loved animals, but it was really two things that sparked my dream of becoming a vet when I was younger. The first was my family dog, Max. He taught me so much about compassion, unconditional love, trust, and patience. The second was a documentary by a veterinary college. Watching the veterinarians, veterinary technicians and students work together to save the lives of animals solidified that dream for me. From then on, I knew that I would spend my life caring for the health and well-being of animals.
What do you love most about your profession?
There are so many things that I love about this profession. I love being an advocate for the welfare of our pets. I love the challenge of figuring out what each patient needs to help them live the best quality of life possible. I love helping to nurture and strengthen the human-animal bond between pets and their families. And I especially love the relationships that I get to form with my patients and their families year after year.
What are your goals when you meet clients and patients?
Whether I am meeting a patient and their family for the first time, or we’ve known each other for years, I strive to create a caring and trusting relationship with both patient and client. At every visit, I aim to ensure that my patients feel safe and comfortable and that their families leave with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to care for their pet’s every need.
I know how important and loved each patient is to their families. My goal is to work together with clients to develop a health plan that fits their lifestyle and allows their pet to live the best and healthiest life possible.
Do you have any pets?
I have two four-legged family members. My dog Dexter – a basset hound mix, who is one of the laziest dogs you’ll ever meet and our newest furry family member, Frank – a border collie cross who we recently adopted from the Lethbridge Animal Shelter!
What does life look like outside of veterinary medicine?
When I’m not at the clinic, you’ll find me chasing after my two young kids, Emily and Zachary, alongside my husband, Kyle. We spend as much time as we can with friends and family and enjoy getting outside as much as possible.
DR. JUSTIN GREEP
Veterinarian
Dr. Greep's Bio
Why did you become a veterinarian?
There are several reasons why I became a veterinarian, but the main reason was to prove to myself that I could do it (feel free to ask me about my other reasons).
When I was seven years old, I wanted to become a veterinarian because I was fascinated with animals. When I became older I realized how difficult it would be to become a veterinarian. With very poor grades, I quickly gave up on my dream. In University, my first two years were disastrous, but it turned out I had severe ADHD and required medication to help me focus. It seemed that overnight my grades went up by nearly 40%, and the veterinary medicine door no longer seemed out of reach. It took me 5 difficult years of undergrad to finally get my grades high enough to be considered for vet school, but with persistence, I was able to make it.
You may wonder why I would share this story, but I feel that there are many young people in a similar situation and this may give them some hope. You can do hard things and achieve your dreams, but never be afraid of getting a little help along the way.
What do you love most about your profession?
The thing I love most about my profession is that every day is different. The variety that comes from being a veterinarian is incredibly rewarding. I have the opportunity to wear many hats. One day I’ll be doing dentistry, the next I will be performing soft-tissue surgery. I am able to work with all sorts of animal species, not just dogs and cats. I am fortunate enough to work with ferrets, guinea pigs, pot-bellied pigs, hamsters, gerbils, reptiles, aquarium fish, and more.
Another aspect I love about my profession is the opportunity to continually expand my knowledge. The veterinary field is dynamic, always changing, and always growing. There are always new opportunities to learn and this allows us to better help your amazing animals.
What are your goals when you meet clients and patients?
The main goal I have when meeting clients and their pets is to try to be as empathetic to their specific situations as possible. As a veterinarian, we see pet owners at their happiest as well as in some of their darkest moments. We deal with animals at all stages of life and in all conditions of health. My hope is that each client and their pet can see and feel that I truly care about their well-being.
Do you have any pets?
I have one dog and an aquarium full of tropical fish. My dog Bindi is a Havanese. She is the sweetest girl and earns her keep by making sure our kitchen floor is always spotless! As for my aquarium fish, I have Tetras and Rasboras, but the pride and joy of my aquarium are my Orange Laser Corydoras (Corydoras aeneus).
What does life look like outside of veterinary medicine?
When not in the clinic, I am spending time with my beautiful wife and 4 wonderful (most of the time) children. Between family and work, I do not have much free time for myself, but when I am able to sneak away from real life, you can usually find me fishing, hiking, or camping.
MICHELLE COOK
Office Manager
Ms. Cook's Bio
Michelle has been working at Highlands since 2007, starting as a receptionist but moving into the role of office manager in 2015. While most of her days are now spent behind the scenes, you’ll still see her sneak up front to fill in for the reception team or to come up to chat with clients. She loves all aspects of this job, but client care is her passion and she loves getting to know people, hearing their stories, and making them feel like family. Outside of work, Michelle runs a busy household alongside her husband Shaun but loves everything about being a mom to their three sons, Seth, Eli, and Cohen, and fur kids: Daphne, the old English sheepdog, and Holly, her orange tabby rescue kitty. Michelle loves to read, bake/cook, watch movies, work out, and spend time in the beautiful Lethbridge coulees.
JAYCEE COOK
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Ms. Cook's Bio
Jaycee joined our team in January 2022 and has been the perfect addition to our Highlands Pet Hospital family. Jaycee graduated from Lakeland College in 2012 and has spent the last 9 ½ years working at a mixed animal practice in Lloydminster before making the move here to Lethbridge. Jaycee’s favourite part about being an RVT is nutrition! She especially loves using proper nutrition to help our patients reach their weight loss goals! Jaycee also enjoys dentistry – the before and after transformations, both the appearance of the teeth and the pet’s quality of life post-dental procedure, make it incredibly rewarding! When she’s not working, Jaycee is home spending time with her husband and daughter and cockapoo Garry! They love to go camping together and travel as often as they can to go visit family. Jaycee also loves to spend time outdoors in her garden, or knitting in the cooler months!
JULIE EPP
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Ms. Epp's Bio
Julie graduated from the Animal Health Technology Program at Olds College in 2022 and joined our Highlands Pet Hospital team in October 2022. Her favourite thing about being a RVT is the surgical aspect of it because she loves seeing up close how all of the anatomy works together and how far veterinary medicine has come in helping our animals. Anesthesia is one of her favourite duties that she gets to perform daily. Julie is a huge extrovert and loves getting to meet and know our amazing clients! She loves that this job is always changing and that we are always learning new techniques and more ways to improve the care of pets, so no day is ever the same! When she is not at work, Julie loves spending time with her husband Christian, and their animals – two dogs, a Golden Retriever and a Shepherd mix, as well as a one-eyed kitty named Tinkerbell. She enjoys being outdoors and being active, whether it is going on a hike, camping, snowboarding or rollerblading with the dogs! If there are people (and pets) around, Julie is in her happy place! Give her a good game of volleyball or basketball and a room full of fun, competitive people and she will flourish!
Madison Bourassa
Registered Veterinary Technologist
Ms. Madison's Bio
Madison joined our Highlands Pet Hospital team in May of 2023. She graduated from the Animal Health Technology program at Olds College in 2021. Before she became a RVT, Madison spent six years working in various boarding and shelter facilities which is a testament to her dedication and love of animals. Madison’s favorite part of being a RVT is providing quality care to our patients and support for our clients. She loves that there are constant opportunities to learn new skills and gain more knowledge. When she’s not at work, Madison loves spending time with her fiance Hayden, their cat Cleo and their two rescue dogs: Frank (a Shar Pei/Border Collie X) and Tchai (a Chihuahua/Border Collie X). She also enjoys photography, reading and baking.
MARIE HARA
Technician Assistant
Ms. Hara's Bio
Marie joined our Highlands Pet Hospital team as our technician assistant in the summer of 2021. She moved here from the US in 2019, having worked in veterinary hospitals for the past 10 years in both the New York City and San Francisco bay area. Marie’s favorite part of veterinary medicine is getting to spend time with a variety of animals every day! She’s amazing at holding and calming our more fractious feline patients. Marie is pet mom to a feisty feline named Archibald, who she recently rescued from the Lethbridge Animal Shelter and also has two adorable ferrets named Eris and Artemis – the three of them keep her busy!! In her downtime Marie loves PC gaming with her husband – she especially loves survival games! She’s also amazing at drawing! If you’ve been the recipient of one of our puppy/kitten packs, many of the pictures in the informational handouts are courtesy of Marie’s incredible talent!!
Jessica Strickland
Ms. Strickland's Bio
Brenna Malchow
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Malchow's Bio
Brenna joined our Highlands Pet Hospital family in September of 2021, and we appreciate her soft-spoken, calm, and compassionate disposition. Brenna grew up surrounded by all types of pets, and her passion for animals led her to graduate from the Veterinary Medical Receptionist program at Olds College in 2014. Since graduating, she has gained many years of experience working in both small and mixed animal practices, and she always looks forward to helping pets and their people every day. When she’s not at the clinic, she can be found shopping for plants to add to her collection, out running – training for races, or spending time with her pomeranian, Penny.
HANNA WERRE
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Werre's Bio
Hanna joined our team as an Administrative Assistant in November 2022. Hanna grew up surrounded by animals and has always had a passion for their care, which led her to work with animals as a teenager, then eventually work as a receptionist/vet assistant in 2018. After moving to Lethbridge in June, she decided to go back to her passion for animal care and joined the amazing Highlands Pet Hospital Team. Hanna loves providing quality, friendly service, getting to know the clients and their pets, and making all of our visitors feel welcome. She excels in organization, attention to detail, and creating a welcoming space for clients. Outside of work, Hanna spends most of her time with her husband Jared, and their rescue dogs: Crumpet, the Saint Bernard, and George and Franny, the Chihuahuas, as well as their cat Ollie. Thrifting is also one of her favorite pastimes, as she loves to give secondhand items a new life. She also enjoys hiking and camping, crafts, and walking her dogs in her free time.
Jesie Thomson
Jesie's Bio
KEVIN (BACON)
Clinic Mascot
Kevin's Bio
Kevin became part of our Highlands family in March 2017. He was surrendered to us as “Abby” because of reoccurring health concerns that his elderly owner could no longer manage. Initially, we had planned to get Kevin’s health issues under control and then find a new family for him. It wasn’t long, though, before Kevin worked his way into the hearts of all staff members, and parting with him was no longer an option.
Kevin once was a bit of an introvert and preferred to spend his days sleeping in the back, usually in random boxes (his favourite) and giving staff members alternating Jekyll/Hyde spells of love and attitude. He has since become much more personable and now loves to sleep in his cat tree upfront in reception and waits patiently for clients to come over to brush and love on him!
