My Family's Pet Doctor

Dr. Anne Maichel

Dr. Maichel has lived in the Columbia Gorge area for 11 years.  She is originally from Hawai'i and was born on the island of Kauai and still considers herself an island girl at heart.  She completed her undergraduate work at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa campus, attended the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, and then attended veterinary school at Kansas State University.  Upon graduation, she was awarded the Paul & Phyllis Curd scholarship award for excellence in small animal surgery and internal medicine.  She resides in Hood River with her husband Scott and their daughter Dakota.  She has six dogs (a Pit Bull, English Bulldog, two Shih Tzus, a toy Maltese, and a Chihuahua), two cats, two guinea pigs, and a goldfish named "Chubs".  She enjoys traveling, biking, hiking, paddle boarding, reading, and sewing in her spare time.

Dr. Katie Sowell

Dr. Katie Sowell is a native Oregonian. She attained her Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Pacific Lutheran University and then returned to Oregon State to earn her veterinary degree. She graduated in 2008, with the second graduating class to spend all four years of veterinary school in Corvallis. She and her husband moved to the gorge area after graduating and love the drier climate. Dr. Sowell resides in Tygh Valley with her husband Jamie and her two children.  She has loved animals, children, and the outdoors since she was young, inspiring her to work and volunteer in many positions related to these areas.

When she is not at the clinic, she is busy keeping up with her two young children. She loves hiking in the woods and along the river with her children and big black lab. She also has two cats, one amiable orange male and the other a very pretty, long haired tabby, affectionately nicknamed "the just for show" cat.  

Trena Shaw

Trena was raised in Alaska and Washington State. She eventually worked her way down to the Columbia River Gorge over 10 years ago. She resides in The Dalles and has an amazing family consisting of her husband, four children ranging in age from seven to sixteen.  She has two dogs: a shy German Shepherd and a sweet Labrador who is on a dog version of Jenny Craig. She has two cats, one of which is a special three-legged cat, an amputee who had been a patient at the clinic and it was love at first sight. She also has one bunny, a bird, and a gold fish.

Three and a half years into obtaining a Bachelor's of Science in Business, she decided she was heading in the wrong direction and sold a small business project she had been working on.

It was only by chance in 2013 that Trena came to work at My Family's Pet Doctor.  She had heard of a job opportunity even before it was even advertised. She started as a part-time receptionist, working just a couple of days a week.  She eventually started helping out in the back whenever she could and eventually, she transitioned into a full-time veterinary assistant. After working with so many sweet four-legged patients and getting to know their human families, Trena knew she had found her calling. In 2014, she decided to go back to school to earn her degree as a Veterinary Technician through Penn Foster.  Trena seemed to have made this decision overnight and when she did, there was no going back.  One minute she was talking about possibly going back to school and within days, she was enrolled and pursuing her dreams.  Trena is one determined person and she is someone that does not wait for opportunities to befall her.  Once she makes up her mind, she definitely paves her own path.  Now, she has completed all of her written academic work and tests, has finished the required small animal externiship, and will be completing her large animal externship requirement by Fall of 2016.  Once she completes this final requirement, she will be able to test for certification and become board certified and licensed in the state of Oregon.