Dr. Melissa Hardy, DVM

Veterinarian & Practice Owner

Dr. Melissa Hardy graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI in 2012.

After graduating, she moved to Fort McMurray, AB where she practiced in a busy small animal clinic. She made the move back to Ontario to be closer to family and joined a practice in downtown Hamilton for some time before making the move to Practice Owner at West Niagara Animal Hospital.

During her free time, Dr. Hardy enjoys spending time with family, renovating her house and travelling. Dr. Hardy has traveled to places such as Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala to work in spay/ neuter clinics and provide veterinary care to animals in need. She has a cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Busta who is a lovely companion to her two young daughters.

Dr. Melissa Luna, DVM, HBSc.

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Melissa Luna was born in Bogotá, Colombia and moved to Toronto at a young age. She obtained an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Guelph majoring in Animal Biology prior to completing her DVM at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2022.

Dr. Luna has been a part of the team at West Niagara Animal Hospital for over 2 years now and greatly enjoys being a part of such an incredible team. Dr. Luna enjoys many aspects of general practice including soft tissue surgery, dermatology, nutrition, and emergency medicine.

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Luna can be found exploring the outdoors with her husband and two fur babies. Her favourite thing to do on the weekends is to take her dog, Wesley, swimming and dock diving. She also enjoys traveling, hiking, playing tennis, and spending time with friends and family. In the future, Dr. Luna hopes to be able to travel to developing countries to provide spay/neuter and vaccinations for pets in need.

Dr. Jada Chiasson, DVM, MPH, BSc.

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Jada Chiasson grew up in Montreal and completed a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Environmental Science at McGill University. She continued her studies at the University of Guelph, where she earned her DVM and Master of Public Health.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys working as a small animal practitioner and also dedicates her time working for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). She is also passionate about wildlife medicine and has previously worked as a wildlife rehabilitator in Nova Scotia.

Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Chiasson enjoys playing hockey, discovering new hiking trails with her dog, Jasper, and reading Agatha Christie novels.

Karen, RVT

Practice Manager & Registered Veterinary Technician

Karen is an experienced RVT who joined the team in October of 2017 after having the pleasure of working with Dr. Hardy at a previous clinic in Hamilton.

She graduated in 2003 from the Veterinary Technician program at Ridgetown College through the University of Guelph. She became registered right after graduation. Karen celebrated her 20th anniversary as a technician last year!

Karen has worked in multiple clinical settings, including emergency. Her favourite aspect of her job is caring for hospitalized patients and she values her experience in anesthesia.

Outside clinic life, Karen enjoys camping with her husband & children, and long-distance running. Karen currently lives with 3 cats: Melon, Astro and Charlie. She also has a very loyal border collie mix named Rocket and a sweet hamster named Ferb.

Andrea, RVT, BSc.

Registered Veterinary Technician

Andrea is excited to be a part of the team at West Niagara Animal Hospital.

Andrea attended the University of Guelph and earned her Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Zoology, in 2007. Shortly after this, she decided to pursue a career in the veterinary field and enrolled in the veterinary technician program at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus.

Andrea has worked in a veterinary clinic setting for over 15 years now, and she absolutely loves what she does.

When not at work, Andrea enjoys playing soccer and spending time on her hobby farm with her husband and their three rescue dogs and assorted farm animal pets.

Julie (“Jules”), RVT, BA.

Registered Veterinary Technician

Julie is a Registered Veterinary Technician from Sheridan College. Julie has always been around animals. Whether it was dogs at the cottage or horseback riding, she has always been passionate about them.

When not working, she keeps busy with her two young sons and hopes to add a pocket pet to the family soon! She loves that in vet med no two days are the same and enjoys working on “medical puzzles” (cases) with the DVMs. She looks forward to a long career in the field and is a great asset to our team.

Tracy, VT

Veterinary Technician

Tracy graduated from the Animal Health Technician program at St. Clair College in Windsor in 1989. Her vast experience as a technician extends to both small animal and equine practice.

Tracy is a busy technician who also runs her own farm sitting business, Stablecations since 2012. Equestrianism is one of her passions and she also has excellent culinary skills. In addition to this, Tracy is a dedicated dog mom to her beautiful German Shepherd, Alba, who can often be found spending time with us at the clinic.

We are very excited to have Tracy as a full-time valued member of our team!

Kathryn

Office Operations Manager & Client Services Representative

Kathryn joined West Niagara Animal Hospital as a receptionist in July of 2019 and joined the clinic’s management team in 2022.

Kathryn took an unconventional route before getting into a field where she could work and help animals. From a young age, Kathryn was petrified of all animals. She used to climb on top of her dad’s shoulders if she saw a dog or cat. This all changed when she was introduced to a 3lb puppy, who she held all day. Her parents knew they had to take this miracle puppy home. Brandy was a beloved member of the family for 19 years and completely changed the way Kathryn interacted with animals.

From then on, she became an avid animal advocate and snuggler. She regularly stops for all animals and talks to cats for hours at parties. Her soulmate came later in life in the form of an anxious black & white cat named Jersey who was her partner in crime for many years and is sorely missed.

She previously worked in the legal field & taxation but finds working with animals & their human parents much more fulfilling.

Kathryn currently shares her home with her son and 2 beautiful Maine Coons, Jason and Roger, who can also be found keeping clients entertained in our reception area.

Kayla

Client Services Representative

Kayla has been working in the veterinary field for a couple of years, driven by a lifelong love for animals. Her fur family includes 2 domestic short hair cats, Chai and Binx, and a Sphinx cat named Loki. Kayla’s newest addition comes in the form of a chocolate Labrador Retriever puppy, Teddy.

When she’s not busy at the clinic, you can find Kayla with her son, at the gym or indulging in her guilty pleasure – reality TV. Kayla’s passionate about animal care and is always eager to learn and grow in this amazing industry.

Becka

Client Services Representative

Becka is a dedicated veterinary receptionist with over a decade of experience in the animal health industry. Becka was born and raised in Hamilton but ventured up north to the Temiskaming Shores area a few years ago and just relocated back down south to Welland.

Becka has always had a passion for animals and the outdoors. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her two young kids, Weston & Oakley, her husband, and 2 feline companions, Karma & Pixie. Hiking is another favorite pastime of hers, allowing her to connect with nature and recharge.