Dr. Lori Elliott is an Indiana native and graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. Dr. Elliott has special interests in learning new therapies/diagnostics for diseases, keeping geriatric pets comfortable and happy, and working with ways to acclimate new pets into the household. Outside of work she enjoys gardening, cooking, golfing, and spending time with friends and family (2 legged and 4 legged!).
Dr. Jim DeBell graduated from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. He was born in Massachusetts and grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is married with four daughters and enjoys woodworking and working with stained glass in his spare time. While in North Carolina, Dr. DeBell worked at Duke Primate Center. His special interests include cardiology, orthopedics, and primates.
Dr. Kenny Lucas is a Richmond native and graduated from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. He was born in Germany and is a former sportswriter who is married with a son and a daughter. His special interests include endocrinology and neurology. He enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and following UVA athletics.
Dr. Emily Fant is from Northern Virginia and went to Virginia Tech for her undergraduate degrees. She then graduated from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2019 – War Eagle! Her professional interests include dermatology, diagnostic imaging and surgery. Dr. Fant and her husband have two Great Danes, Waylon and Bailey. While Dr. Fant enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and volleyball, her absolute favorite thing to do on the weekend is snuggling with her pups on the couch!
Dr. Tamara Leopold, affectionately known as Dr. Leo, born, and raised in Virginia Beach, earned her doctorate from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech in 1999 and her undergraduate degree at James Madison University in 1994. After practicing in her home city for a year, she moved to Durham, North Carolina, to be with her new husband as he finished his advanced degree. She then moved back to her home state of Virginia to practice small animal medicine in and around Richmond for the past 19 years. Her special interests are in strengthening the bond between pets and their people and learning new diagnostics and therapies. When not working, she is currently caring for her daughter and son. She enjoys reading, working outside in the yard, going to movies, and visiting with friends.
SHADY GROVE STAFF
Everyone at Shady Grove Animal Clinic is dedicated to ensuring that your animal’s health needs are met. Our reception staff assists clients as they get ready for appointments and helps the doctors keep track of medical records and incoming and outgoing messages. The veterinary assistants work in the exam rooms to keep your animal comfortable and safe, and provide food, walks and head rubs if they stay with us for the day. Our licensed veterinary technicians have specialized training that allows them to administer medications, obtain laboratory samples, monitor anesthesia and assist in almost every procedure that the doctors perform. The managerial staff takes care of the nuts and bolts of the clinic to ensure we have the supplies, facilities and training that we need, but they know some of our patients almost as well as the doctors do!