Meet Our Doctors & Staff
Dr. Bonnie Abbott cares for small family animals. Her special interests include cancer care, surgery, senior pet care, preventive care, and grief care for the family.
She has been honored in 5280 Magazine as one of Seven Top Veterinarians in the Denver area. A native of Colorado, Dr. Abbott received her veterinary degree from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000.
Dr. Abbott completed an intensive Internship at Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center. She’s been practicing for 19 years.
Dr. Carisa Rindal has returned to Colorado with her husband and two young children after a seven year departure to practice as a relief veterinarian in Phoenix, Arizona.
Dr. Rindal has extensive experience in general practice and emergency medicine. Her special interests include internal medicine, surgery, neurology, grief counseling and improving the quality of life in our older companion animals.
Dr. Rindal attended Iowa State University, the oldest Veterinary institution in the United States, and graduated in 2005. After graduating she completed a small animal emergency and specialty internship in Northbrook, Illinois with training in neurology, cardiology, internal medicine, surgery, radiology and emergency medicine.
Dr. Audrey Herndon has a passion for keeping animals healthy so they can continue bringing joy to the people around them. Graduating from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018, she fulfilled her childhood dream.
Dr. Abbott worked with and mentored Audrey in the years leading up to veterinary school and they are excited to be working together again. Dr. Herndon is one of the brightest, most personable, and hard-working veterinarians that Dr. Abbott has been fortunate to mentor.
Dr. Herndon’s practice style involves listening carefully to all concerns and then offering honest and comprehensive treatment plans. She has a special interest in Dentistry and Dermatology cases—she’s also an excellent surgeon. While she has lived in 4 continents and has traveled to 21 countries, she now calls Colorado home.
She spends her free time traveling or just relaxing at home with her husband and young daughter. She also shares her home with Paisley, the Golden Retriever, and can be found riding her Quarter Horse pony, Piper, through the open space parks and mountains. She loves Indian food and Chai tea lattes.
Dr. Shelle Raines is originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi. She attended Mississippi State University where she received an undergraduate degree in psychology and a minor in biology. She graduated from MSU School of Veterinary Medicine in 2000.
Before moving to Colorado, Dr. Raines practiced in a large mixed animal practice in Wilson, N.C. Since moving to Colorado, she has practiced in Superior, Boulder, and Westminster, exclusively treating small animals.
Dr. Raines provides expert care for family pets and has specific interests in radiology/ultrasound, internal medicine, and dermatology.
She and her husband, Bryant have a young son and standard poodle, Addison. When not at work Dr. Raines enjoys painting, boxing, camping, and antique shopping.
Austin came all the way from Phoenix, Arizona to join our team!
He began his veterinary career in high school as a kennel attendant, and worked his way up to technician. Austin took a break from the veterinary field to focus on school and gained management experience as a shop foreman at a custom cabinetry shop. Eventually, his love of animals brought him back to veterinary medicine as a practice manager where he earned his CVPM (Certified Veterinary Practice Manager).
His favorite part of the job is improving efficiency so that we can care for more animals, and he is looking forward to helping Vista Animal Hospital grow while maintaining its amazing atmosphere.
Austin is happy to be out of the heat, and is excited to enjoy the beauty of Colorado with his wife, 2 children, chihuahua/dachshund mix, and cat.
Dawn became a Certified Veterinary Technician in 2005, shortly after relocating to Colorado. Her 15 years of experience in small animal medicine, along with her aptitude for details and organization, make her a great fit for her current role as Administrative Assistant.
She loves working in veterinary medicine and has a special interest in geriatric and hospice care.
In her free time, she enjoys camping, attending live music shows and mixing craft cocktails.
Heidi has always had a love for and compassion towards animals. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in zoology at Miami University in Ohio, where she grew up.
After working briefly as a zookeeper she found that she enjoyed assisting with medical procedures so much that she went back to school to become a veterinary technician. She moved to Colorado and graduated from Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in 2009. Heidi lives with her two cats, Ethel and Norman.
Heidi enjoys going to the movies, hiking, game nights, karaoke, sketching, reading, and cooking vegan food. Some of her most memorable experiences were working with big cats at a sanctuary in Texas, caring for endangered Hawaiian birds at the Maui Bird Conservation Center, and skydiving over the beach in Santa Cruz, CA.
Jeana graduated from Bel Rea Institute of Animal Technology in September of 2020 and joined our team shortly after. As a Certified Veterinary Technician, she has 2 years of medical schooling to help care for your pets. She originally comes from New York, and she has 9 siblings!
She lives with her husband, James, her niece, Nashaly, her dogs, Roxy, Kai, and Lucy, and her cat, Salem. Jeana was drawn to our profession after losing her own beloved pets and deciding she wanted to start a career where she can help save animal lives. In her free time she likes to watch TV, play video games, and read.
Ashley recently joined our team and enjoys working at our family-owned and operated animal hospital. The best part of her day is helping our clients get the best care possible for our community’s pets and their families. She loves her two cats Chi-Chi and Chicken Nugget.
Ariel has been in the veterinary industry since she was 19 years old! She has always had a deep bond with animals and cannot imagine doing anything else.
She enjoys connecting with pets and their families — and takes the time to listen to what brings them in for a visit so she can help them.
Her family includes her husband, 3 dogs, and 3 cats — she says, “Our house is a zoo!”
In her free time, Ariel enjoys horseback riding, playing in a pool league, and hiking. She loves to travel and likes to collect foreign coins and shot glasses from her adventures.
When she was younger, Ambrosia says she wanted to be a trainer at Sea World — she’s always loved animals and the bond they have with their families. Her goal with every patient is to be sure that ALL of their health needs are met.
Speaking of families, her furry family is made up of her dog, Flash, her cats, Miley and Spaz, and her hedgehog! She’s also the proud mother of three adorable children.
In her free time, she enjoys playing video games and attending festivals.
