Sarah Richey, D.V.M.
It was with much excitement Dr. Richey acquired Ridglea West Animal Hospital in March of 2024. Her lifelong dream was to own her own family-oriented animal hospital. She grew up in Northwest Tarrant County, graduating from Northwest High School. Dr. Richey has a B.S. in Animal Science from Texas Tech University, then attended Veterinary School at St. Mathews University. She finished clinical studies at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. After coming back to Texas, she gained further experience with small animal and exotic medicine. Dr. Richey has practiced in private, corporate and emergency medical clinics for the last 10 years, performing surgical procedures and managing medical treatment plans . She will work alongside Dr. Craig Verwers continuing to provide compassionate and personalized care for your dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and small mammals. She is thrilled to make Ridglea West Animal Hospital her forever home!
Craig Verwers, D.V.M.
Dr. Verwers’ interest in veterinary medicine goes back to his freshman year at Western Hills
High School when he met a Fort Worth veterinarian and learned what a veterinarian did. He started working for that veterinarian as a kennel assistant when he was 14 years old and continued working with different veterinarians through high school and college. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A & M University College of Veterinarian Medicine.
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Dr. Verwers lives on a small farm in the Aledo area. He raises sheep and currently has chickens, and of course dogs and a barn cat. Ronnie, an Anatolian Shepard works with Lucy, a Great Pyrenees to guard the homestead protecting it from all unwanted four-legged creatures like coyotes and raccoons that might hurt the sheep or chickens. Little Susie Q, who does her best to run with the big dogs, doesn’t know that she is only six pounds.
Dr. Verwers’ desire is to partner with you to give your pet the longest, healthiest, and happiest life possible. He enjoys sharing the latest information with pet parents on ways to make this goal possible. Important components to maintaining good health are preventative lab work, good dental care, and quality nutrition as part of an overall preventative protocol. With a full in-house lab, digital x-ray, ultrasound, and radio and laser scalpels, he is able to do diagnostic procedures as well as many general surgeries. Extensive use of cold laser therapy helps many cases.
In the past several years, Dr. Verwers has become an avid golfer; frequently playing twice a week. His ongoing involvement with the Optimist and Rotary clubs is important to him because of the benefits they provide to the community and the friendships he has formed through them. He regularly volunteers at Beautiful Feet in the kitchen making breakfast. But most importantly, he is the husband of Debbie, a father of four and a grandfather of seven.
Olivia, Practice Manager
Olivia began her career in the pet care field working at Doggy Day Care. She loves working directly with the dogs and hopes, someday, when she is “old” to have her own Doggy Day Care. After leaving the Doggy Day Care business, she came to work at Ridglea West Animal Hospital as a Kennel Assistant with the intention of becoming a Certified Veterinary Assistant. However, an opportunity opened to become a Client Care Representative at the front desk and she gave it a try. The rest is history. She is now a key member of our Client Care team. She stays connected to the kennel as a supervisor, teaching and training those beginning their careers as kennel assistants. Her favorite part of her job is getting to know all the pets and their parents.
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Olivia shares her home with Prince, an Anatolian/Pyrenees cross. He is the Love of her Life. Look for him picking out a special toy at the pet store or in the Braum’s drive-thru waiting for his pumpkin spice ice cream cup. Clover and Honeybun are Holland Lop brothers and Khalessi is a Diablo Blanco Leopard Gecko. Though Toulouse and Valkyrie are officially listed as “cats” on their medical records, Olivia really believes that they are raccoon/monkey crosses. This is based on all the trouble the two of them can find to get into. Finally, Khloe makes up for it as the “best cat in the whole world”. When not at her desk, Olivia enjoys sleeping, gaming, tattoos, makeup, hunting for Squishmallows, and collecting and using anything that is PINK, preferably with glitter.
Sara, Lead Technician
Congratulations to Sara as she has finished the three levels of the Certified Veterinary Assistant program!! Sara has been involved in the veterinary field for almost 7 years and has really made her time count. Sara is great with all types of pets, but we tend to focus here on cats, rabbits, and birds. She is our on-site, in-house “cat whisperer” as she can coax sick kitties to eat and many an angry cat to be calm. She has a way about her and her Fear Free Certification for dogs and cats is put to good use in the exam room. She has also been certified Fear Free Avian allowing her special skills and powers in handling birds for examination, nail and beak trims, and diagnostic procedures. Sara is committed to easing your pet’s concerns while with us as an Elite Fear Free Professional. This title indicates her commitment to continually educating and improving her understanding of what it takes to make your pet comfortable in a potentially stressful situation.
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At home, she enjoys spending time with a wide variety of pets. Spike the tortoise, Cowgirl or “Girl” an Angora rabbit, Poco the Sun Conure, Blue the Quaker Parrot, Castro the dog, and a big group of cats=Whiskers #1, Pooh, Cowboy, Mr. Fluffy. She likes to spend time on her own learning more about veterinary medicine, frequently coming to the practice with an idea to try a new product or investigate a new way of doing something. Her evenings are spent peacefully brushing Cowgirl and Cowgirl enjoys the attention. She also trains her birds. She gets some of her techniques from Bird Tricks.com. Aside from time with pets she takes part in Treasure Hunts. She was involved in The Golden Ticket search in the recent past that took her on long weekends through Texas and as well as visiting several other states.
Nikki, Lead Receptionist
Nikki joined our team at Ridglea West Animal Hospital in the summer of 2023 as a kennel assistant. Through our online and in house training, she recently earned her Certified Veterinary Assistant certification (CVA). Her interest in veterinary medicine began with her membership in Future Farmers of American (FFA) at Arlington Heights High School. Here she learned much about the health and care of farm and pet animals. Through FFA, she showed a little Holland Lop at the Fort Worth Stock Show. After graduation Nikki spent a year in the doggy day care field getting real-life experience in the care of dogs.
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Nikki has a house full of pets. CoCo, the Shih Tzu, is a sweet older lady enjoying her retirement years. She lives in a household of four cats, so you know that she is never totally left on her own. There is Baby, Panther, Godzilla, and Fatty. Panther is full of personality. He knows how to “sit” when asked and his job is to wake up the household in the morning. Nikki came to us because of her special interest in “exotic” pets. She is especially fond of Franklin the tortoise, who came to her as a baby so small he fit in the palm of her hand, and has grown to a foot in diameter.
She enjoys all aspects of working with and helping your pets, but especially likes to help those that are nervous to relax, and become more comfortable at Ridglea West Animal Hospital. As her knowledge and skills grow, she is hoping to become a surgical assistant.
She enjoys spending time with her family. As a hobby, she crochets. While making the traditional blankets, she recently completed a skirt and working on the matching top.
Alyssa, CVA
Alyssa’s interest in animals developed in the Arlington Heights High School FFA program. In 2018 and 2019 she showed rabbits through FFA. Alyssa started working here in February 2021 as a Veterinary Kennel Assistant. As part of her training, we use the Texas Veterinary Medical Association’s (TVMA) Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) program. Alyssa began studying for the Level I portion right away and soon passed the test and became an Exam Room Assistant. Just recently, Alyssa completed Level II of her CVA training and has already begun working on Level III. Alyssa’s favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is the problem-solving involved in pet care. She is always open to learning new methods and techniques to help improve your pet’s health and care.
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In addition to her dogs-Molly the Chihuahua and Luna, a Pit Mix, and cats-Lulu and Charlie, she has personal experience with her Holland Lop rabbits-Jack and Jill, and a backyard flock of chickens. With all her practical experience in caring for her own pets, she understands general pet care. In her off time, she enjoys hunting and fishing with her dad. Her favorite fishing lake, just down the road, is Eagle Mountain Lake. At home, she relaxes with watercolor painting. Her favorite subjects are animals.
Jessica, CVA
Jessica joined our team January of 2023, coming to us as a Certified Veterinarian Assistant (CVA) with great experience in pet healthcare. She has been associated with helping pets and families all her life working with her veterinarian dad. Jessica has a black Labrador named Paloma, and two parakeets, Conejita and Capitan. She enjoys helping pet families keep their furry/scaly/feathery friends healthy.
When not at work, she volunteers at an equine therapy facility for people with disabilities. She is also a car and truck enthusiast and likes going to truck/car meets, as well as concerts.
Rosie, Medical Assistant/Kennels
Bio coming soon!
