Meet the Team at Gardner Animal Care Center

Haley studied at Becker College in the Animal Science Program, graduated in 2013, and became a CVT (certified veterinary technician) not long after. Before joining the GACC team, Haley completed her externship hours here and had such a great experience she was thrilled to be called back as a permanent member of the team. Since early childhood, she has loved animals and always knew that working with them was what she wanted to do. Haley lives in New Hampshire with her boyfriend and three dogs, a sheltie mix named Beetle, a Pomeranian mix named Binckley, and a Chihuahua mix named Oliver. She enjoys yoga, running, hiking, and spending time with her friends and family in her spare time.

Gone, but never forgotten.

Kasey started at the Gardner Animal Care Center in 2014. Kasey went to school in South Carolina for business management while serving four years in the United States Air Force. After her enlistment, she returned to Massachusetts and was married shortly after. She and her husband have three boys, which keeps them very busy! When Kasey was about seven years old, she witnessed a stray cat deliver a litter of kittens. Since then, she knew she wanted to do something that involved animals. She believes working for a veterinarian is a great way to provide customer service, which she loves doing, and also being around animals all day.

In her free time, Kasey likes spending time with her family and being outdoors. She is also a big baseball fan. You can usually find Kasey watching her kids play at the local baseball field. At home, Kasey has two American Bullies named Vayda and Brix and a cat named Kiki.

Claudia is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) with more than 30 years of experience in dog training and canine behavior modification. Claudia is originally from Germany, where she started training dogs competitively at the young age of 14. She competed in the sport of Schutzhund in Regional and National Level competitions and taught pet obedience classes since the early 90s. After she moved to the US in 2002, she immediately started to do the same here; personally, her most significant success as a dog trainer and handler was her “Vice National Schutzhund Champion” title in 2006.

In 2007 we were fortunate to add Claudia to our team, and she has been teaching classes ever since. Claudia teaches on Saturdays only as her “real job” as an Assistant Manager in a Bank requires her attention Monday through Friday. Along with standard training classes, Claudia specializes in problem behavior dogs and finding individualized solutions to address these problems.

Claudia is passionate about all dogs. Her main objective is to help our clients learn to understand their dogs better based on their characteristics and tendencies that might differ from other dogs in the class. Her teaching style is based on canine behavior science and transparency in its approach. Her classes are not “cookie-cutter.” Everyone receives the same basic training, but the pace and precise technique depend on the team’s individual needs. Claudia strives to create a respectful, trusting relationship and bond between humans and dogs.

Many employee pets, including Dr. Mike’s and Dr. Brian’s dogs, have been through her classes successfully.

Claudia’s favorite breed is the German Shepherd Dog; her Kennel name, “Van Gogh,” is world-renowned. Claudia and her son share their home with a 13-year-old sable GSD and a 6-year-old rescued Pitbull-Mix, a certified Therapy Dog.

Karen is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) who hosts obedience classes on weeknights and evenings here at the GACC. She is a CGC and PUPPY S.T.A.R evaluator for the American Kennel Club (AKC) and a SPOT evaluator for the United Kennel Club (UKC). Karen teaches Advanced Canine Good Citizen classes and Therapy Dog Training classes in our 3,000 sq. ft. indoor training facility. She also teaches Puppy Preschool, Puppy Obedience, and Basic Obedience classes in the same facility on weeknight evenings throughout the year. She is certified in all levels of dog obedience training. She has been instrumental in helping many dogs at GACC achieve advanced levels of Canine Good Citizenship, as well as going on to become therapy dogs. She is dedicated to helping dogs fit well into our society through behavior training.

Since 1998, Karen has been active in animal-assisted therapy (AAT). Her background in psychiatry and education equipped her to move into this field and become an educator and a tester/observer for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Many of her students have gone on to actively visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, and senior centers, bringing joy and hope to others. Karen and her dog, Mya, are active in the community, visiting several weekly medical facilities. Mya has made well over 650 therapeutic visits and has reached the highest title of a therapy dog that the AKC awards- “Distinguished Therapy Dog.” Mya can also act as a “demo” dog and assistant in some of GACC’s obedience classes.

Karen is particularly interested in the early socialization of dogs and strengthening the human-animal bond. She is GACC’s dog behavioral instructor for the GACC Daycare team. She is currently supervised by three cats, two Golden Retrievers, and a German Shepherd Dog, who brings her much happiness, keeps her on her toes, and teaches her new things all the time!