Dr. Thomas Zehnder received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California at Davis in 1979. After two years of dairy and small animal practice on the north coast of California, Dr. Zehnder returned to his hometown of Elk Grove. In 1984, Dr. Zehnder took over ownership and management of Bradshaw Veterinary Clinic along with Dr. Michael Johnson. With their combined 60 years experience in the profession, they have designed and developed the Franklin Ranch Pet Hospital to be one of the most advanced in the industry. Dr. Zehnder is married with 4 children. His outside interests include golf, tennis, waterskiing, snow skiing, and horseback riding. His goal is to offer the Elk Grove/Laguna area unsurpassed service and comfort for their pets.

Dr. Samantha Hunt was born in Southern California, but grew up here, in Elk Grove. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from the University of California at Davis in 2006. Samantha started working in the Veterinary field in 2004 and continued to work as a Veterinary Technician for 7 years until she was accepted into Veterinary School. She also worked in a research lab at UC Davis for several years prior to her acceptance into veterinary school. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California at Davis in 2015.

Dr. Hunt’s veterinary interests include: preventative medicine, ophthalmology, internal medicine and behavior. She lives in West Sacramento with her fiancé and three cats (Ricky, Lucy and Nina). Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, dancing (especially Latin ballroom), watching movies, and playing sports.

Dr. Emily O’Connell (Sutton) was born and raised in Chico, California. Her participation in both 4-H and FFA during her childhood fueled her love of veterinary medicine and her decision to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from California State University, Chico. After spending a few years honing her skills as a veterinary technician, Dr. O’Connell was accepted to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and completed her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. During her veterinary education, Dr. O’Connell developed a passion for animal behavior. In addition to training under a veterinary behaviorist during school, she is also Fear Free certified and an advocate for low stress handling and cooperative veterinary care.

Dr. O’Connell, while not a board-certified behaviorist, is pleased to offer behavior consultations for common behavior concerns, including:

• Breed and adoption consultations prior to getting a new pet
• New pet acclimatization and cooperative care methods, including concerns for inappropriate behavior in the veterinary hospital setting
• Separation related anxiety behaviors
• Resource guarding
• Inter-housemate relationship concerns
• Inappropriate social behavior concerns, including leash reactivity
• Aggression considerations and interventions
• Cognitive decline and aging pet health concerns
• Identification of behavior concerns that may require consultation with a veterinary behaviorist

Dr. Cole Gevurtz (“Dr. Cole”) grew up in Napa and is a proud northern California native. She graduated with her Bachelor’s of Science in biology at UC San Diego and earned her doctorate at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

She is a Fear-Free certified professional and a certified Cat-Friendly Veterinarian as part of the American Association of Feline Practitioners. She is passionate about making veterinary visits enjoyable and low-stress for her patients and their owners. She works hard to provide the best healthcare for each of her individual patients and treats them each with integrity, compassion, and empathy. She looks forward to building relationships with her clients and caring for their beloved pets. She enjoys collaborating with her team, serving her community, and being a role model for women in science.

She lives with her 3 cats, Jake, Eleanor, and Finn, and her Golden Retriever, Captain. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her friends, family, and pets.

She enjoys playing tennis, hiking with her dog, and spending time with her boyfriend and family. She has a soft spot for Mastiffs, Corgis, and mutts.

She is Fear-Free certified and has been passionate about working with animals since she was a kid. She is dedicated to creating a welcoming and collaborative environment for her clients and patients. Outside of work, her interests include traveling, hiking, reading, and painting.

Bio coming soon!