Hospital Staff

Our nursing staff has over eighty years of combined experience. All of our nurses and assistants have a passion for veterinary medicine and animals.

Our lead veterinary technician, Debbie Utter, RVT, has over thirty-five years of experience in veterinary nursing, shelter and wildlife medicine. She has also trained and shown dogs in obedience. She enjoys going to continuing education seminars and staying current on the latest medical advances.

Chris Pitts, RVT, has over twenty years of experience in the veterinary field. She started off with large animals, and made the switch to small animal medicine sixteen years ago. She is great advocate for her patients, and donates her time to Greyhound Rescue. She, too, enjoys continuing education classes and is a lifelong student of veterinary medicine. She is fluent in Spanish.

Cara Marchando, a veterinary assistant with Marin Pet Hospital since 1998, has worked with pets as varied as rabbits and pheasants. Outside of the hospital she is dedicated to the task of rescuing abused and neglected horses. To this end, she started a horse rescue organization called Hollow Oak Horse Rescue in 2003. To date she has rescued one-hundred horses and ten donkeys.

Dawn Bedell, our Lead Receptionist, began her veterinary career with five years as a veterinary assistant. She brings her know-how, a compassionate ear, and strong organizational skills to our front office. When not at the hospital, Dawn spends time training her rescue horse Petunia, playing with her two kitties, and enjoying the fact that her daughter is a straight A student.

Amanda Hofeling, our receptionist, was raised in a family where canine rescue was a priority; her family began Pound Puppy Rescue on the peninsula in 2001. She adopted her own rescue dog, Doc, from the Marin Humane Society when he came to us for a fracture repair. She is wonderful at fielding the veritable plethora of questions we receive, and cheerfully keeps the front office together.

Karen Banacka, our kennel attendant, has been with Marin Pet Hospital for six years. She maintains the kennel in sparkling clean condition, and is ever watchful for any issues that might crop up for our boarders. She is great at giving our boarders individual attention, and is particularly good at making nervous guests feel at ease.