Meet Our Veterinary Team in Niagara Falls

Dr. Peggy Dowell, Veterinarian & Owner

Dr. Peggy Dowell graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph in 1984 and has been working in the Niagara Peninsula ever since. She opened  “Chippawa Animal Hospital” at 3808 Bridgewater Street in the south end of Niagara Falls in 1991. Her main interests are preventive medicine, dentistry, and surgery for maintaining healthy pets.

She has had many dogs and cats over the years and they have given her immense love and enjoyment.  These days she shares her life with Isabelle, a calico cat with squinty eyes and tons of personality.

Dr. Ashley VanLeeuwen, Veterinarian

Dr. Ashley Van Leeuwen graduated with distinction from the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph in 2014. Born and raised in St. Catharines, she was thrilled to return to the Niagara Region following graduation. Her love of animals and an interest in veterinary medicine started at a very young age – earning her career day badge for girl guides by shadowing a local vet clinic (and with only one minor fainting episode involved!).

Ashley has two rambunctious Boston Terriers named Leonard and Howard who are the center of her world! In her spare time she enjoys traveling, photography and hiking. Halloween is her favourite holiday and she can’t wait to dress up her boys in costumes.

Dr. Jessica Kilkenny, Veterinarian

Jessica completed her veterinary degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario in 2020 and was eager to return home to the Niagara Region where her friends and family live. She loves all aspects of being a Veterinarian, but has a special interest in dermatology and dentistry.

In her spare time, Jessica loves to golf, run, and play basketball. She is also an avid scuba diver and can’t wait for her next trip to the ocean! She shares her home with 2 amazing cats named Lola and Fedex (after the FedEx truck that rescued him).

Jessica looks forward to meeting all of the lovely clients and pets of Chippawa Animal Hospital.

Ashley, RVT

Ashley graduated from Northern College in 2013. Initially Ashley covered a 1 year maternity leave for us. Three years later she accepted the position of full time Registered Veterinary Technician. She has been a great addition (once again) to our team.

Ashley lives with her husband, Stark; the perfect Australian Shepherd, and Maverick; the cuddly rescue kitty. Ashley loves all things outdoors so you will usually find her somewhere out in nature, and afterwards you can find her cooking up a storm! Ashley is cursed with the “accident prone” gene, but we love her anyway.

Sheyenne, RVT

Sheyenne graduated from the Veterinary Technician program at Georgian College in 2020. Shortly after graduating, she became an RVT and joined our team in 2022. She has loved animals her whole life but always thought of herself as more of a dog person, especially Siberian Huskies. That was until July of 2024…she adopted a stray female cat whom she named Valkyr and found out she was pregnant a month later! She found loving homes for 2 of her kittens, and decided to keep the other 2, naming the female Persephone, and the male Jaguar. Needless to say, she can add cat person to the list.

However, when Sheyenne is looking for puppy cuddles, a frisbee partner, or a walking buddy, she can take her fur brother Jansen, an Australian Cattle Dog mix with her anytime. He may be a senior now, but he can still play frisbee all day long if you let him. Hence the nickname her family gave him: “energizer doggy”.

Audrey, VT

Audrey graduated from the Veterinary Technician program at Seneca College in August 2023. She has always had a love for all animals, but has a special place in her heart for our feline friends. She has one cat that she adores, Toothless (named after the dragon in How To Train Your Dragon. Don’t be fooled, he has teeth!).

In her spare time, Audrey enjoys doing all sorts of arts and crafts (with a special place in her heart for crochet), spending time outdoors, and exercising. Audrey is looking forward to getting to know all of the amazing pets and clients of Chippawa Animal Hospital!

Sylvie, Reception

Sylvie came from a “large” town called Mattawa, ON (Near North Bay)….population 3000 people; 2500 kids and 500 adults.  She graduated from Canadore College with a diploma in Business/Commerce Bilingual in 1989.

She met her husband up north in 1986 and then in 1989, she left her very demanding career as a plus size model (as if) up north to move to Chippawa and marry her husband of now 26 years.  Sylvie came to work at Chippawa Animal Hospital in 2002.

Sylvie does not have children but does have one very needy Ragdoll cat named Courage.  Sylvie aspires to restart her plus size modeling career (lol) once she retires (in about 20 years), but not before.  Sylvie loves to read and get pedicures and she especially loves her nails which may, at any given time glow in the dark.

Jenn, Reception

Jenn graduated from Conestoga College in 2013 with a Health Office Administration diploma and worked in human dentistry for 7 years before starting in the veterinary field in 2020.

Jenn has a love for fluffy animals – as evidenced by her dogs: a Chow Chow “Chewie” and a Samoyed “Samwise”. During her spare time, she is usually at the gym but also enjoys camping and hopes to do a lot more portaging in the future.