Dr. Shelley
Veterinarian
Education: Western College of Veterinary Medicine 1992
Hometown: Port Coquitlam
Pets: Winston the Pug who is one of our ‘greeters’, Milly her recent rescue and 2 cats Maggie & Brandon-Muller
Dr. Shelley Horvat graduated for the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992 and after working in Maple Ridge and working as a locum throughout the lower mainland she settled in at Fraser Valley Animal Hospital in Abbotsford the fall of 1999. Dr. Horvat, now a grandmother of 5 and the mom of 3 dogs and 2 cats has always wanted to work in a hospital where the medicine is top notch, the care for the animals is loving and there is compassion and understanding of client needs. So, over the years Dr. Horvat has dreamt of how to accomplish this and in the summer of 2017, she moved into a newly designed building. The building has been designed to minimize the anxiety that hospitals can create in our pets – with slip free floors, calming colour palette, full spectrum dimming lighting, and specific dog and cat clinics with each area having its own species-specific music and pheromones – all known to help decrease anxiety.
Dr. Horvat believes so strongly that we can give our pets the best care if they are not anxious that she has become certified in Fear Free animal handling and medicine and all staff, under her guidance follows the Fear Free standard of care. Her passion for medicine and being able to offer her patients the best care means she is also passionate about continuing education including her most recent accomplishments of laser surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and ultrasound courses. As well she has just finished her AAHA certificates in Fear Free and Endocrinology. She is a member of the American Feline Practitioners Association and with Robbie together they worked together to receive Gold level with the Feline Friendly Certification for the hospital.
When not at work Dr. Horvat has a multitude of passions including hiking, travelling and despite being a grandmother she is an avid hockey player!
