Our Veterinary Team in Reading, MA | Reading Animal Clinic

Reading Animal Clinic‘s staff is filled with highly trained and experienced animal lovers who care deeply about their jobs. Everyone makes it a goal to learn everything they can about the field they love in order to give our patients the highest level of care.

Our team is also kind. The members treat each patient, whether healthy or sick, with plenty of love and attention. They educate owners on the importance of preventative care to keep their pets healthy, while doing everything they can to help when their pets are not feeling well.

If you would like to speak to someone on our team, don’t hesitate to contact us today at (781) 944-1699.

The Fear Free concept is based on recognizing and taking steps to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress associated with visits to the veterinary hospital and requires good communication between the owner and veterinary team.

Veterinarians

Dr. Elizabeth Shurland

Practice Owner

Dr. Shurland is the owner of Reading Animal Clinic. She was born and raised in Reading, MA. She attended Tufts University as an English Major and worked in the publishing industry for 2 years. She attended Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1992, then completed an internship at Angell Animal Medical Center. After working in private practice for a year in North Andover, she moved to Philadelphia where she worked in a small animal practice for 9 years while her husband attended medical school and completed his residency. She returned to Massachusetts in 2003 and started working at Reading Animal Clinic in 2004. Dr. Shurland became the owner of The Reading Animal Clinic in 2013. She now lives in Reading with her husband, 3 children, 2 cats, and 3 dogs.

Dr. Rose Flynn

Medical Director

Dr. Flynn, our Medical Director, started working at the Reading Animal Clinic as a veterinary technician after obtaining her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Rutgers University in New Jersey. She attended Iowa State University School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in May of 2014. After graduation, she was excited to return to the Reading Animal Clinic as a veterinarian. She has interests in exotic small mammals as well as internal medicine and ultrasound. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her husband, two daughters, two cats (Little Man and Bonkers), and dog (Luna).

Dr. Yoonjin Moon

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Moon developed an interest in veterinary medicine while attending the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After graduating from UMass with a degree in Animal Science, she attended Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. She has interests in ultrasonography, fear free care, client communication, anesthesiology, and soft tissue surgery. In her free time, she enjoys indoor gardening, yoga, running, and spending time with her own troublemaker pup, Mosey.

Dr. Rachel Russo

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Rachel Russo was raised in Peabody, Massachusetts and knew since the age of 5 years old that she wanted to become a veterinarian. She did her undergraduate work at the College of the Holy Cross where she majored in Biology. Dr. Russo received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. This was followed by a small animal internship at Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in Rhode Island. Prior to starting at Reading Animal Clinic, Dr. Russo worked as a general practitioner for 14 years at a large general practice and referral hospital. Dr. Russo’s professional interests include preventative medicine as well as internal medicine.

Dr. Russo resides in Middleton with her husband and two children. Her pet family includes a cat, a dog and a bearded dragon.

Administration

Kristi

Clinical Director

Kristi and her family relocated from California to the Boston area in 2020, eventually settling in Reading in June 2021. Kristi obtained her CVT license in 2005 and has a diverse background in ECC, shelter medicine, and extensive leadership experience. Kristi is deeply committed to advancing the field of veterinary technology, inspiring future leaders, and providing the best possible care to our patients. She is also passionate about animal welfare and raising awareness about the nation’s homeless pet problem. Kristi is a former roller derby player who enjoys trail skating! She also enjoys hiking with her family and dogs and discovering all of the natural beauty that Massachusetts has to offer!

Kristin

Practice Director

Kristin joined the RAC team in 2020 as the Practice Director. Kristin has been in the veterinary industry for over 25 years. 13 of these years were at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. She has held a variety of veterinary roles throughout her career. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). When she is not at RAC she enjoys spending time with her two daughters, her dog, Karma, and her two cats, Merlin and Roxy.

Keana Hull

Practice Manager

Keana, an established operations professional with a passion for animal care. Her desire to lead teams that deliver a mindful and high-quality experience has led her to be a member of this incredible team. As a dog mom, she appreciates the importance of a pet owner’s relationship with their vet. When our clients are faced with situations in which their pet is ill, the care and sensitivity shown by our medical personnel are essential. Her goal is to maintain the hospital’s approach of treating every animal as if they were our own furry children, while also ensuring that all of our clients have the support they deserve. In her spare time, you will find her with her husband and two dogs, Sadie and Snoopy.

Leah

Business Manager

Leah has an Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology from Becker College and is a Certified Veterinary Technician. She has been at Reading Animal Clinic since 2000. During that time, she has become the go-to person for the other technicians, the doctors, and our clients. She has many responsibilities including animal care, reception, and office management. She became a veterinary technician because it combines her love of medicine and animals. She owns a Yorkie/Silky mix named Rosie who loves to go on hikes

Veterinary Technicians

Jenna

Veterinary Technician

Jenna was born and raised in Montana. After high school, she decided she wanted to serve her country by joining the Marine Corps. During her service, she met and married her husband. In 2011, she was honorably discharged and decided she needed to pursue a college education. Being from Montana, her love for animals became embedded in her life. She actually wanted to be a veterinarian in her younger years but decided she preferred the responsibility of a technician. In May 2016, she graduated from Mount Ida College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Veterinary Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys playing legos with her daughter and cooking for her family. She also enjoys watching movies while her Yorkshire terrier, Milli, and cats, Spartacus and Zorro snuggle on her lap.

Dominique

Certified Veterinary Technician

Dominique started working at Reading Animal Clinic in 2018. Dominique was a member and leader in the youth 4-H where she was able to start working in animal care and participate in many community service activities. Dominique graduated in 2013 from NSCC and became a certified veterinary technician the same year. Previously, she worked at a general practice for 5 years and has volunteered as a wildlife rehabber. She has an interest in exotic animal medicine and has owned many species of animals including cats, fish, rabbits, hamsters, ducks, and frogs. She currently has a cat named Squishy and a tropical fish tank.

Vanessa

Veterinary Technician

Vanessa had a passion for helping animals at a very young age. She grew up with a houseful of animals and volunteered at the rescue her mother still works at today. Vanessa worked as a kennel assistant in general practice throughout high school and was given the opportunity of a Veterinary Technician position once she graduated. She pursued her passion until she was given another opportunity to pursue Client Care. She has worked 10+ years in the Veterinary field. On her downtime, Vanessa enjoys snowmobiling, four-wheeling, binge-watching Netflix, and spending time with her husband. She is the proud owner of a polydactyl kitten named Dougie Fresh Toes.

Jess

Certified Veterinary Technician

Jess has been working professionally in the veterinary field for 4 years and joined the team at Reading Animal Clinic in June 2020. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Technology from Mount Ida College where she graduated in 2017. Jess passed the Veterinary Technician National Examination and became certified in 2017. Her skills include all aspects of small animal veterinary medicine, with a special interest in surgery and client education. In her spare time, she loves to be outdoors exploring what nature has to offer, camping, traveling, listening to music, reading, trying new foods, meeting new people, spending quality time with the ones she loves, and petting all the animals she can! Jess currently has no pets of her own, so she lives vicariously through everyone else’s until she is able to adopt!

Alex

Veterinary Technician

Alex grew up in southern New Hampshire and has always had a passion for small and large animals. Alex attended the University of New Hampshire for Biomedical Science and found her passion for large animals by living on a dairy farm on campus. She is currently enrolled in Penn Foster to receive her associates in Veterinary Technician. Besides her passion for dairy cows, she has a passion for felines and reptiles. Alex joined the team at Reading Animal Clinic in April 2021. Her skills include all aspects of small animal veterinary medicine, with a special interest in feline medicine and dentistry. As a cat enthusiast, Alex owns a munchkin named Mozzie and a Brown tabby named Timber. She also has a household full of 8 reptiles! In her free time, she enjoys cooking, sewing and spending time with her family, and training her cats to do new tricks.

Technician Assistants

Heather

Technician Assistant

Heather was born in raised in the Northshore as an only child. Her love for animals started at a young age, growing up with many farm animals such as ducks, chickens, cats and a pony. Heathers journey at RAC started in September 2020. She previously graduated from NSCC with an Associates in Animal Science, as well as a Cosmetology License. When she is not at the clinic, Heather enjoys walking her chihuahua, taking photos of nature and spending time on the beach with friends. She looks forward to always continuing her education.

Alicia

Technician Assistant

Alicia was born and raised in northeastern Massachusetts. She has always had a love for animals, large and small. Alicia received her Associates degree in Animal Science from Holyoke Community College in 2014. After taking time off to start a family, Alicia joined Reading Animal Clinic in 2021. When not spending time with her husband, son and pug, Molly, Alicia can be found playing Dungeons and Dragons, doing puzzles and hand crafts such as sewing, knitting, and cross stitch.

Emma

Technician Assistant

Emma is a student in the Veterinary Science Program at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School. In her spare time, she enjoys attending dance classes, competing in competitions with her team, and spending time with her family!

Rachel

Technician Assistant

Ray has always dreamed of having a career path where she felt she was making a difference and helping. She went into nursing school out of high school and quickly realized humans were not her path. Later, she worked at a doggy daycare and boarding facility where she found her passion for working with animals. Finally, she pushed those fields together and pursued a career in the Veterinary field! She is working at the Reading Animal Clinic as a Veterinary Assistant and is working towards become a Veterinary Technician. On her off time, Ray enjoys spending time outdoors, with her friends and family, as well as attending as many concerts as possible!

Adam

Technician Assistant

Adam was born in raised in Massachusetts. Constantly surrounded by pets growing up, he developed a love for animals early on. He recently graduated from Clark University and is hoping to attend Veterinary School in the near future. In his free time, Adam enjoys spending time with his two cats (Annie and Sweet Pea), taking care of his fish tanks, hiking, and cooking.

Zachary

Technician Assistant

Zach has been passionate about animals and the natural world since his grandfather started taking him birding at age 6. He received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Roger Williams University in 2021. He worked in a research lab for 4 years, studying aquatic diseases of bivalves and sea turtle microbiomes, before deciding that the research life wasn’t meant for him. He would much rather spend more time in the lab or clinic getting his hands dirty. He has a pet leopard gecko and recently became a cat dad. Outside of work, Zach loves hiking and birding, scuba diving, playing, and listening to music, reading fantasy novels, and video games.