DR. ANGELA BELL

VETERINARIAN/OWNER

SPECIAL INTEREST DENTAL HEALTH

My journey into veterinary medicine started over 30 years ago in Chatham-Kent; not with a dramatic life-changing event, but with a high school co-op placement that made me swap my lifeguard whistle and sports teams for kennels and cat hair. Some called it a questionable trade; I called it destiny. (Also, lifeguards don't get many puppy kisses on the job.)

Fast forward to 2003, I graduated with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College, having officially transformed my childhood dream of helping animals into a full-time career-with a focus on small animals, preventative care, dentistry, the human-animal bond, and doing it all as fear-free as possible (for both the pet and the person holding the leash).

Like any good underdog story, I climbed the ranks the old-fashioned way: from kennel student to veterinary assistant, to a veterinary student again, then associate vet, emergency on-call vet, and later a locum veterinarian-never straying far from my hometown roots.

Today, I'm beyond proud to be the co-owner of Maple City Animal Hospital in Chatham, Ontario, with Dr. Michael Fife, where we've built a brand new, state-of-the-art facility that combines warm hearts with modern medicine.

One of my more unexpected turns on this path? Teaching veterinary technician students at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus. I loved every minute of sharing my passion, and one of the best part of this career twist is that one of my current superstar technicians was once one of my former students. As fate would have it, our family adopted a senior rescue beagle from the college named Belle, which also happens to be my name. I figured it was a sign. Or a mix-up. Either way, she came home with us.

I also share my home with our mixed breed German shepherd puppy, an indeterminate number of cats (don't ask, don't count), a pet rat, and some fish that might actually outlive us all. I'm a proud mom to three human teens, the oldest of which can occasionally be seen working at the veterinary clinic.

My approach to veterinary medicine is simple: honest, compassionate, and clear communication with pet parents, backed by an amazing veterinary team with a shared mission to help animals live their happiest, healthiest lives. Because in the end, it's not just about treating animals-it's about celebrating the deep, silly, messy, beautiful bond we have with them.