Meet our amazing Team!

Meet our amazing Team!

Dr. Wes Rice is a proud 2001 graduate of the Texas A&M University College of Medicine located in College Station, Texas.  Prior to receiving his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Rice received two Bachelors of Science degrees:  one in Veterinary Science and another in BioMedical Science.  He has been practicing veterinary medicine since June of 2001, in the Berryville, Arkansas area.  He has proven himself to be an excellent doctor, with a keen interest in specialty surgeries and complex hard-to-diagnose internal medicine cases.

Those who know Dr. Rice personally and/or as their veterinarian will usually tell you that Dr. Rice stands out amongst veterinary professionals because he truly cares about people and their pets.  Another thing you will also hear about Dr. Rice is that he will stubbornly persist with a case until he can reach a sound diagnosis.  He thrives on such challenges.

Dr. Rice is married and has three children.  His wife, Kristy, is Hospital Administer for the hospital.  She works mostly from their home, thanks to modern technology.  Their children are Larkin, Ashton, and Lorali.  The children are home schooled and enjoy visiting and helping at the clinic as often as possible!

At this point in his life, Dr. Rice enjoys practicing the veterinary medicine he enjoys and spending time with his family.  He loves being outdoors and teaching his children about the beauty of nature.  Dr. Rice has many interests and hobbies, some of which are scuba diving, fly fishing, hiking, gardening, and woodworking.

 

Dr. Ashley Poley joined The Family Pet Veterinary Hospital as an Associate Veterinarian in November 2019. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2018. Prior to receiving her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Ashley received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Central Arkansas.

 

Dr. Ashley is a native of the Harrison area and is proud to serve in the Berryville community. Dr. Ashley is happily married to her husband, Jake. They welcomed their first daughter, Abigail, in May 2022, and she is the light of their life and is the sweetest, happiest little girl. Their personal pets include a Yorki-Poo named Buddy, a Morkie named Teddy, and a Siamese mix cat named Luna. Dr. Ashley has always had a passion for helping animals. This passion began at the age of 5 years old when she was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she stated either a veterinarian or a medical doctor. 

Her favorite cases in the clinic are internal medicine cases due to the complexity and higher thinking they require, animal wellness as this sets the pet up for long-term health, and client education as she loves to answer questions pet owners may have regarding the health and well-being of their pet. Dr. Ashley thrives on helping people with their pets and developing a great relationship with her clients.

Outside of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Ashley loves to spend time with her family, boating on Table Rock Lake in the summer, scuba diving, and traveling as much as possible.

 

Kristy Rice is Dr. Rice’s wife as well as co-owner and Hospital Administrator.  She obtained her college degree in business administration and then worked at Rockline Industries and Scott & White Hospital in their human resources departments.  She then moved on to several different positions at Texas A&M University while Dr. Rice was attending undergrad classes and then veterinary college.  Kristy was a Housing Assignments Coordinator for the On-Campus Housing Department, did medical transcription at the College of Veterinary Medicine, and worked at the College of Medicine doing accounting and inventory.

Kristy is passionate about the veterinary industry;  in fact, her family and closest friends sometimes have to remind her that there are other subjects to discuss other than business!  She enjoyed attending some veterinary classes with her husband when she could, and she attends continuing education classes as much as possible.  She worked full-time at the clinic while her and Dr. Rice’s three kids were little, then she began working from home once the kids were school-age as it was much easier to home school there than at the clinic with so many distractions.  What kid wants to do school when there’s a cute puppy to pet or an interesting surgery to observe?!

The Rice family lives on a small hobby farm on which they raise Nubian dairy goats.  They also have horses, chickens, multiple dogs and cats, as well as the occasional rescued chipmunk, bird or squirrel to bottle feed.  They love animals and farm life in general.  The whole family also enjoys the mountains, beaches, hiking, camping, traveling, and cooking.  Kristy likes to do these things with the family as well as read books and plant flowers.  Oh, and, yes – she also loves numbers and reads things like business accounting and personal budgeting books for relaxation!

Tracy has been with us since 2012. You will find her busily going about her duties in the reception area most of the time. She is our office manager guru who, with a smile on her face, manages an impressive level of multi-tasking between handling multiple phone lines, helping clients and their fur babies check in and out, running to “the back” to question the doctors about the status of certain patients, etc. She helps hold the clinic together and keep things organized.

Tracy and her husband, Donnie, are from Berryville and share five children and eight grand-children. They have three dogs, Angel, Diamond, and Charlie, and a cat named Jack. Tracy enjoys gardening, hanging out at the pool, and spending precious time with her grand-kids.

Stephanie was not raised in a barn, but she got there as quickly as she could! Stephanie grew up in the beautiful town of Berryville where she plans to stay and eventually start her own small-town farm. She is very happily married to her husband and best friend Dillon, and they are the proud parents of one adorable young daughter.  Stephanie is a huge animal lover, always has been, and she says she always will be. Together she and her husband have 3 dogs including their huge American Bully named Tysynn who often frequents the clinic to say “hi” to all the staff and meet new friends. They also have 2 cats, 16 chickens, 1 horse and an ornery goat named Tuff. She has a huge desire to help and care for animals of all shapes and sizes and will always greet you with a smile! She has been a member of our great team since June of 2019, and says she is looking forward to many more years with us! She loves coming to her dream job and seeing all your beloved pets and will always be here to help in any way possible!

 

We love having Julie at our clinic!  She has an awesome, cheerful personality that both her co-workers and clients appreciate.  Julie works both as a tech in the back and in reception helping clients in person and via the phone.

Julie grew up in the bootheel of Missouri.  However, she moved to our area from South Texas where she loved the heat, speed limits, and flat roads.

Julie has quite a few years experience in the veterinary field but says that can be a secret or you might guess her age! 

There’s not an animal that she does not love!  She has a major soft spot for all poodles; her furry family members are Jade, a standard poodle, and Squirt, a spicy toy poodle. 

Karmryn is a quiet, hard-working young lady who has been a great addition to our team of veterinary assistants.  Kamryn is a small-town girl who loves living on her farm with her family. She has four siblings that make sure to keep her busy, especially the little ones.  On her small family farm, they have chickens, geese, and many rabbits. She also has a cute boxer named Joe and an attitude-filled cat named Thumbs.  Kamryn enjoys the outdoors, reading, photography, and raising bunnies!  As a new high school graduate,  Kamryn loves the opportunity to continue to learn everyday about something she is passionate about and to help animals in need.

We love having Savannah on our team as a veterinary assistant.  Savannah was born and raised in a small town in ‘downeast’ Maine.  Growing up by the ocean, she naturally enjoyed seafood and swimming.  She and her family moved to Berryville two years ago.  What a big change from Maine, I’m sure! Savannah enjoys fishing, hiking, and spending time with her husband, daughter and 3 dogs, Charlie, Clarkson, and Cooper.

Shelby joined our team as a veterinary assistant, and boy, we are glad to have her here!  Shelby has lived in a lot of different places, but Arkansas is the place that has her heart.  She loves all things animal!

Shelby is married and has 4 children.  She has 3 dogs, Dixie,  Macy, and Trigger.  She has 1 house cat named Suzie.  She also has 2 horses, Stormy and Scarlett, as well as cows, chickens and pigs who all are individually named – that would be a long list!  Her hobbies include working on her small farm, taking her children to sports events, and floating on the river.

Cricket was our little old lady of the clinic.  She will always hold a special place in our hearts.  Rest in peace sweet girl!