Angel & Cato

Growing up near her grandparents’ farm in Atlanta, Georgia, Angel VanDerGracht was constantly around farm animals—caring for them with her grandfather and riding the horses sparked Angel’s love of veterinary medicine.

After four years in the United States Coast Guard, Angel moved back to Georgia and got a job at a pet clinic. After moving to the Tampa Bay area, she got a job right away at Animal Associates Animal Hospital, where she serves pets and their owners every day as the Head Veterinary Technician and Head Receptionist! She’s now worked in the veterinary field for over 15 years.

Angel loves educating clients, especially about good quality food for pets and why diet is so important. She also loves doing dental procedures on pets–it’s extremely gratifying to see the before-and-after results of a teeth cleaning! Angel lives with her husband and two dogs: Cato, a Boston terrier, and Churchill, an English Bulldog. They also have several cats and two aquatic turtles. Angel also feeds wild squirrels, ducks, and turtles daily in the pond near their home. In her spare time, Angel likes exercising by competing in triathlons and running with friends. She also likes working in the yard, watching college football, and spending time with her husband on their boat.

April & Lacey

April grew up riding horses in northwestern Pennsylvania, and her earliest career aspiration was to become a jockey. She recalls bringing home all sorts of animals that she wanted to keep, much to her mother’s disdain! When the time came to consider a career path, April had a thought: why not combine her passion for animals with her interests in medicine and science by becoming a veterinary professional?

April’s animal-care career began when she started working for the veterinarian that she brought her own pets to for compassionate care. She mentored under the veterinarian for four years, becoming the Lead Veterinary Technician and Office Manager, before moving on to a large multi-doctor practice for another four years. Next, April relocated to Florida, where she joined the Highland Animal Hospital team as the clinic’s Office Manager. She’s been here ever since!

Medically, April is passionate about behavior modification and radiology work. Her favorite part of the job, though, is client care; she loves getting to know the area’s pet owners and forming lasting relationships over the years.

April has two sons and two stepdaughters, one of whom is currently studying at the University of South Florida. She shares her home with two cats—Baby Girl, who demands food and attention constantly, and a Siamese named Monkey—and a Siberian Husky named Loki. In her free time, April can be found enjoying a good book or documentary, relaxing at the beach, giving her time to environmental and human-rights causes, and spending quality time with family and friends.