Our team
Dr. Marco Veenis, D.V.M.
Marco studied veterinary medicine and graduated with distinction at Utrecht University in Holland. Utrecht is one of Europe’s largest Veterinary Medicine Colleges and is fully accredited with the American and Canadian Veterinary Medical Associations. He practiced small animal medicine for nine years in the Netherlands before moving to Canada with his wife Liesbeth, daughter Marthe and son Luuk. In 2002, Marco and Liesbeth purchased Okanagan Veterinary Hospital. They have built the practice to become a full service small animal hospital with a strong surgical component. The hospital just completed an expansion and major renovation in 2008.
An avid outdoor enthusiast, Marco can often be found hiking through the woods with his dog Goochem. His cats Pluis and Lucky have gracefully allowed him to share their home with his family.
Dr. Pawel Palkiewicz, DVM
Pawel recently joined the veterinary team at the Okanagan Veterinary Hospital. He received his veterinary degree at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon in 1997. His previous veterinary experience includes almost 10 years of working in one to the largest referral practices in Calgary where he gained extensive experience in emergency medicine and surgery and critical care. He also worked in primary care practices and strongly believes in preventive medicine. Pawel’s special interests include internal medicine and ultrasound as well as dentistry.
Pawel enjoys living in the sunny Okanagan where he and his family can kayak, canoe, and camp for an extended season. The whole family likes snowshoeing and cross country skiing in winter. When not outdoors, he enjoys reading and classical music. He spends the rest of his spare time vacuuming the hair shed by his 4 cats and 1 dog.
Dr. Tannis McCarthy, DVM 
Tannis completed her Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary with a major in Cellular, Molecular, and Microbial Biology in 2000 and completed her DVM at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. After graduation she began practicing at both an emergency clinic and a general practice clinic in the Okanagan Valley and gained extensive knowledge in emergency medicine and internal medicine with a particular interest in ophthalmology.
Tannis can often be found on the numerous sports fields around the city where she plays both Soccer and Ultimate frisbee. Her home life includes her husband Andrew, close family, friends and two wonderful dogs: Bailey and Jerry.
Liesbeth Snikkers, Office Manager
Liesbeth is our woman behind the scenes. She does most of the inevitable paperwork that comes with owning a small business and keeps everything running smoothly.
She is married to Marco and shares his love for the outdoors. She loves to go camping and likes to spend time with her family.
Kelly Dust, Registered Animal Health Technician 
Kelly is our lead technician. She joined Okanagan Veterinary Hospital in 2005 after several years working for the Winnipeg Humane Society and various veterinary clinics including a vet hospital in Melbourne, Australia. She is a graduate of Thompson Rivers University. In addition to her love for animals, Kelly enjoys hiking, painting, playing music and spending time with her cat, Willy and her dog, Molly June. Kelly is back from maternity leave, but hopes to welcome another little one soon.
Cheryl Worsdall, Registered Animal Health Technician 
Cheryl began her career in pet care as a volunteer at the Alberta Society for Injured Birds of Prey. She trained as an Animal Health Technologist at the NAIT in Edmonton. She spent five years working at an emergency veterinary hospital prior to joining our team in January, 2008. She has become proficient in radiology and is especially adept with our canine patients. She has an infectious smile, upbeat personality and changing hair colors. She spends most of her time upfront to greet our clients and answer their questions.
Cheryl is a car buff and loves to dance. She is often spotted with her two dogs, Ginger and Shelby in their Jeep heading for the mud!
Rachel Trottier, Registered Animal Health Technician
Rachel’s experiences with stray dogs in Taiwan encouraged her to start a career as an Animal Health Technician. She rescued 8 dogs and brought 2 dogs back with her to Kelowna.
Rachel graduated in 2008 from Thompson Rivers University.
She worked at Westbank Animal Hospital and at Canada West Specialists and Critical Care Hospital.
Her hobbies are swimming, hiking, camping and spending time with her dogs Sadie and Bear.
Shelley Brew, Animal Health Technologist 
Shelley graduated from Olds College in Alberta in 1995. She did her practicum at a clinic specializing in exotics/caged pets and stayed and worked in small animal clinics in Calgary for 5 years after graduation. At which point she moved back to the sunny Okanagan where she was born and raised. Since her return she has worked in both small and large animal clinics. She loves nursing and the special bonds we get to form with client's pets. In addition to veterinary nursing she owns her own pet sitting business and is very busy with her young family. She loves hiking with her 2 dogs, Clarke, a very energetic Dobermann and Bean, her happy go lucky Border Terrier. She enjoys spending time with her family, camping and gardening, volleyball and some rare quiet time with her precious old man, Frank. Frank is her cat who has been with her since before college, travelling from aprtment to apartment together. She also enjoys fostering injured and orphaned baby birds. In the clinic she is renowned for her infectious laughter.
Lacey Hough, Receptionist. 
Lacey is the face of our clinic and brings almost 10 yrs. experience in office administration, both in and out of the veterinary field. In the summer you can find her and her husband at the baseball field or camping with their bull Terrier, Billie. In the winter she’s on the volleyball court or at home by the woodstove with one or all three of her cats.
Laurie Kruiper, Ward Nurse
Laurie began her career in 1997 working with animals that needed boarding and kenneling. She has been with Okanagan Veterinary Hospital since its inception. She treats all of the pets she works with as if they are her own and her commitment to their well-being has made her an invaluable member of our team.
Laurie enjoys reading gardening, embroidery and spending time with her 15-year old lab cross, Umbro.
Chellan Robinson, Ward Nurse 
Chellan is hoping to become an Animal Health Technologist and offered to volunteer at our clinic to gain experience, but we gave her a job instead. She helps Laurie with all her duties, keeps the clinic spotless and makes sure your pet is comfy and well cared for. We are encouraging her to pursue her dreams and are confident that one day we will welcome her as an AHT!
Goochem, Chief of Security
Goochem was destined for a show career because of his rugged good looks. Unfortunately certain parts of his anatomy never made it to their proper destination and his breeder had to abandon her plans.
He has been with our clinic since its inception and has volunteered as a blood donor on many occasions to save the life of a fellow canine in need.
Goochem enjoys attention and cookies of any kind and can be seen romping through the woods of the Okanagan on his days off. He has been known to frequent the Spotted Spa for a day of leisure and helps to keep an eye on things there as well.