Meet Our Veterinary Team
Meet the Veterinarians & Team of The Pets I Love Veterinary Hospital. We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets.
Get To Know Our Veterinary Team!
We are solely dedicated to your pet’s care. We look forward to getting to know you, and we hope you’ll take the time to scroll down and get to know us.
Get to Know the Pets I Love
The Pets I Love Veterinary Hospital was founded by Dr. Debra Szpicek and Dr. Anthony Smatt in 2014. We have been an integral part of serving the community, and it has been an incredible journey! We maintain a warm, welcoming, and safe place for owners to bring their pets and receive personal attention with a high standard of veterinary care.
Dr. Anthony Smatt
Veterinarian / Owner
Dr. Smatt received his degree from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. He was born and raised on the island of Jamaica, where he worked with a local veterinarian, who was a large influence on his decision to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. He has worked with both small animals and exotics, with a special interest in emergency medicine and surgery. He and his wife, Dr. Szpicek, opened the doors to The Pets I Love Veterinary Hospital in 2014. Together they are raising their three children in Monroe, NY.
Amanda
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Amanda is our newest team member! She previously worked with The Pets I Love in the summer of 2022 and has since graduated from SUNY Delhi with a Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Science. A local resident of South Blooming Grove, New York, Amanda loves spending her free time at the gym or with loved ones and her pets. She has a dog named Pancake, a cat named Mimi, and a betta fish named Opal. Additionally, she has a passion for travel and the great outdoors.
Dr. Debra Szpicek
Veterinarian / Owner
Dr. Debra Szpicek is a Veterinarian and Co-owner of The Pets I Love Veterinary Hospital, which opened in 2014, along with her husband Dr. Anthony Smatt. She graduated in 2002 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on the island of St. Kitts and completed her clinical year at the University of Missouri. She received her undergraduate degree as a licensed Veterinary Technologist from Mercy College in 1998. Dr. Szpicek became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist in 2012 after having her own health issues in which acupuncture played an integral part in her recovery. She has a special interest in internal medicine.
Amanda
Hospital Manager
Since 2017, Amanda has been an integral part of our animal hospital team, overseeing our administrative functions as Hospital Manager. She provides support to our staff and ensures our employees have access to the resources they need to provide our clients and patients with the highest level of care and service possible. In addition to working behind the scenes to keep the practice running smoothly, she is the liaison to help extend our bond with clients and their beloved pets far beyond the walls of our hospital. In her free time, Amanda loves spending time with her family and taking care of her own pets – two dogs named Shelby and Reese, and two cats named He-Man and Lucifer!
Rachel
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Originally from Queens, Rachel attended La Guardia Community College and became a licensed technician in 2006. She moved upstate eleven years ago and commuted while working at an NYC animal hospital catering to the fancy pets of Chelsea for over nine years. She decided to bring her skills closer to home after the birth of her son. Rachel worked in the area at a few different hospitals before finding her place at The Pets I Love in the spring of 2018. Due to the shortened commute, she now has more time for camping, fishing, and bike riding. She lives in the Warwick area with her family, several chickens, two fish, and one cat.
Ella
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Ella has been in the veterinary field since 2003. She graduated from SUNY Canton in 2010, earning a degree as a licensed Veterinary Technician. She joined The Pets I Love in 2015 and brings with her many years of experience in emergency and critical care medicine. Ella has always had a love for animals and knew at a young age she wanted to work with them. She is also very talented and is the queen of DIY projects! Her most recent creative projects are decoupaging furniture and coasters with comics! She has a Chinese Crested dog named Wesley and two cats, Ash and Cole.
Jordan
Technician Assistant
Jordan started working at The Pets I Love in September 2019. Originally a fashion student, her love for animals pulled her into the veterinary field. Jordan started off as one of our receptionists and has so effortlessly blossomed into one of our veterinary assistants! She is eager to learn and is currently in school to become a licensed technician. She has a difficult time not taking every cat home with her. In her free time, Jordan enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and animals. She has a dog named Scotty and 4 cats, Twiggy, Cashew, Pea, and Stanley (all adopted from The Pets I Love!).
Ashlin
Technician Assistant
Ashlin has worked for The Pets I Love since she was 15 years old starting out as a volunteer kennel assistant. She is currently attending Mount Saint Mary College in pursuit of her dream as a future Veterinarian! She enjoys a fast pace work environment where she can learn new and exciting techniques. Ashlin has a dog named Maggie whom she loves very dearly. She is always the first to greet the adorable puppies and kittens coming through the door!
Amber
Client Service Representative/ Veterinary Assistant
Amber just joined our team! She has been working in the veterinary field for almost two years. She graduated from Orange Ulster Boces as a veterinary assistant in 2020 and will be pursuing a career as a veterinarian. She has two dogs named Zuko and Katara and likes to spend her time playing guitar and drawing.
Jackie
Veterinary Assistant
The Pets I Love welcomed Jackie to their team in February 2023. A graduate of Orange County Boces with a veterinary assistant degree in 2020, she aspires to become a wildlife conservationist. Jackie’s love for animals started at a young age and has only grown since then. She’s passionate about all types of animals, from small and fluffy to large and scaly. When not taking care of her own personal zoo consisting of two French bulldogs, three cats, two crested geckos, two toads, two snakes, a tortoise, and a frog, she enjoys reading, traveling, and cooking.
Stevie
Stevie brings over a decade of experience working with animals, starting in the grooming industry and then branching out to work in shelters and veterinary medicine. Stevie is a proud parent to four cats – Ginny, Nikki, Rescue, & Reylo – and three dogs – Campeon, Aurora, Tala, & her Service Dog, Jesper.
Meagan
Technician Assistant
Meagan is a dedicated veterinary assistant with a heart of gold. She is currently pursuing her Veterinary Technician license through Penn Foster, and her passion for animals shines through in everything she does. Her love for animals began with her experience in aiding injured wildlife. Besides being an animal lover, Meagan also has diverse interests such as photography, motocross racing, and classical ballet dancing. She has a dog and 2 cats at home whom she loves dearly. Meagan finds great joy in helping animals and making a positive difference in their lives.
Jailyn
Technician Assistant
Jailyn recently joined our team in late 2022 and brings with her almost three years of experience in veterinary medicine. She is currently pursuing her Veterinary Technician License and her ultimate goal is to work in an animal rehabilitation center. Jailyn is bilingual and loves to travel. During her free time, she enjoys taking her dog, Nubei, to the park.
Peter
Peter is a unique member of our team, having joined us in 2018 after living in New York City for a decade. He is part of the “Not Fast, Just Furious” group and holds the hospital record for the longest nap taken during work hours. His duties include overseeing operations as Assistant Manager, but he also takes on the important task of daily lunch inspections and taste tests, ensuring that everyone eats a nutritious meal—especially dishes involving marinara sauce. Although he tends to raise his voice at the staff on a daily basis, we appreciate his Grinch-like qualities, including his furry, pot-bellied, pear-shaped appearance and cynical personality. It’s worth mentioning that he is not a dog owner, but we can all agree that his heart has grown three sizes since joining The Pets I Love.