Dr. Lynne Friedlander, DVM
I began my animal care career at age 8 in Atlanta, GA when the Atlanta Humane Society became my after school home. I rode the city bus there most days to volunteer. In time I became a fixture and it was there I acquired my first horse - a rescued cruelty case being held as evidence against the abuser. With the help of my mom, I founded the Atlanta Humane Society Junior Auxiliary at age 13 and proceeded to organize the Junior Auxiliary's first major fundraiser - a sponsored horse show. By this time, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had already seen thousands of unwanted animals perish and had determined that I would become an animal advocate. It was clear to me we had made domestic animals dependent upon us and therefore, owed them a debt of stewardship and compassion. I spent weekends and summers working for large animal vets and small animal vets as a volunteer. With the help of loans and grants, I attended University of Georgia as an undergraduate, majoring in Zoology.  To my surprise I was accepted to UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, even before achieving my undergraduate degree and began my veterinary education in earnest in 1980.
 
By the time of graduation in June 1984, I had my first position working for both a small animal hospital and a large animal practitioner in Newnan, Georgia. While my work was exhausting, challenging and rewarding, it became clear that I needed to focus on a narrower spectrum. I had grown to fully understand that the most important job of Veterinarians was as educators.  I put my attention on the world of companion animals and sought to become as proficient as possible. In time, I realized I wanted as much challenge as our profession could offer and began practicing exclusively in Emergency and Critical Care Medicine. I spent 3 years being a “vampire” – getting up at 5 pm to work a 14 hour shift and sometimes making extra money at day clinics as well. In 1994 I was invited to open and manage multiple hospitals in the Northern California Bay Area. It was another eye opening experience for me as a manager and mentor to younger doctors. The day of my relocation to California, I met the man that would be my husband. As our lives evolved together and we decided to raise a family, I left corporate medicine to return to my roots in general medicine working in the beautiful setting of Marin County. Fortunately, Marc’s career brought us to the Denver area and I have been given this opportunity to work with Overland Animal Hospital.

I jumped at the chance to be part of this hospital because the outstanding facility, location and size offered an opportunity to realize a dream. Furthermore, the team already had strong values of compassion and unparalleled care for our patients. We understand that a pet is a family member and sometimes the only family we have in our home. Their well-being and your peace of mind is everything to us. Compassion is our guiding principle – for our patients, their families, each other. We hope to be an integral part of this community by serving pet owning families. This environment will become a premier provider of veterinary care and ancillary services. In the hospital we have set uncompromising standards of care for every patient. And more, we are working to make all services available on site to allow us to serve your pets every need.  We provide preventative care, “sick” patient care, digital radiography, general and advanced surgery, laparoscopic surgery, full service dentistry, on site ultrasound diagnostics and more. Moving forward, we hope to provide physical therapy and remain open for after-hours care.  Our choice to add training and day care means that we can help strengthen the bond between pet and owner, prevent or manage unwanted behaviors and provide a safe environment for physical and mental well-being our patients. We hope that you are as excited as we are over these enhancements and more to come!
 
We are so proud of our staff and facility – please come by to meet us and take a tour anytime!

Dr. Stacy McVicker
A good portion of my childhood was spent with my nose in a book.  No stories greater captivated me than the veterinary tales of James Herriot, the Yorkshire animal doctor who cared for what seemed like every creature from diminutive kittens to cud-chewing cows. Already enchanted with our family's menagerie of snakes, birds, dogs and cats, I knew from early on that helping animals was an essential part of who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. I also, however, had a passion for writing and pursued degrees in English and Communication. But even with this less traditional pathway, my Masters thesis focused on the importance of spaying and neutering.

With the notion of helping wildlife, I embarked on what would become my first career working in Kansas City for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I was able to focus on interesting legislative issues, learn about consensus building among some very diverse interest groups, and even work at the local level to establish environmental priorities in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. In my spare time, I worked with a local rehabilitation group to educate the community about the wonders of wildlife usually with an opossum or a king snake on my arm. I still remember that the female opossum has thirteen nipples shaped like a horseshoe inside her pouch as well as fifty razor sharp teeth.

When I realized my desire to become a veterinarian had never diminished, I began checking off my science courses and volunteering my time at a local veterinary hospital. After researching veterinary schools, I realized that Colorado State University offered not only an amazing education, but welcomed nontraditional students with diverse life experiences. After one year working with disadvantaged communities in Denver's EPA office, I was accepted into veterinary school and a new life unfolded.

While in vet school I founded a student chapter for shelter medicine, implemented a grant focused on lasers and pain management, volunteered my time with the wildlife rehabilitation arm of the Humane Society of the United States, and helped with medical procedures at the Larimer County Humane Society.

Helping homeless animals has always been a sizable part of who I am.  In my spare time, I participate in vaccine clinics in low income communities and support feral and stray cats in the Denver metropolitan area through my advocacy efforts with Divine Feline, an amazing Trap, Neuter, Return animal welfare organizatIon. I also offer my services to the HOPE Program, a non-profit that provides no cost wellness care for the animals of fixed income senior residents in Denver.

Overland Animal Hospital feels like coming home in terms of working in an up-to-date medical facility with doctors and staff who want to make a positive difference for animals and their families. After six and a half years working in a busy emergency hospital as a general practitioner, I'm excited to bring my medical and surgical experience a bit closer to home and find ways to utilize my special interests in acupuncture and pain management, feline care and nutrition and hopefully develop new areas of interest to better meet the needs of the animals and families cared for in our community.