Our Team.
Dr. Cheryl Kong - Veterinarian & Owner.
Dr. Kong was born in Scarborough, Ontario, raised in Hong Kong and received her veterinary degree from the University of Glasgow. Upon graduation with commendation, she started her veterinary career in Reading, England before moving to Vancouver in 2016, a city which she fell in love with on her many childhood visits to see her grandparents and extended family.
Dr. Kong has a keen interest in emergency medicine, soft tissue surgery and has experience with small/cage mammals. She is also a certified canine rehabilitation therapist (CCRT). This involved 90 hours of extended training in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of lamenesses in dogs. Seeing her first love, a yellow lab named Logan, have pain and a diminished quality of life from arthritis and debilitating joint pain was the motivating factor for Dr. Kong to receive her rehabilitation certification.
Dr. Kong is looking forward to building lasting relationships with the pets and their people in this Mount Pleasant, Kensington-Cedar Cottage community. As an owner she will lead by example with her calm, patient demeanor and hopes to create an environment for a cohesive close knit team of animal care professionals who are equally passionate about giving our furry family members the healthiest, best life possible.
In her spare time, Dr. Kong plays ice hockey, camps, hikes and skis. She shares her home with an adopted tabby cat named Rolo.
Dr. Kong has completed the Fear Free Veterinary Certification Program and is recognized as a Fear Free Certified Professional.
Dr. Loretta Yuen - Veterinarian & Owner.
Dr. Yuen has long established roots in Vancouver. She attended elementary and high school in Vancouver and obtained her Bachelor’s of Science degree at UBC graduating with Honours in Conservation Biology. She is an active member in the community having coached her daughter’s soccer and field hockey teams from the ages of 5-14 and holds multiple volunteer roles at her childrens’ schools and other community initiatives.
Dr. Yuen received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from WCVM and graduated with Distinction. Upon graduation, she quickly moved back to beautiful Vancouver where she has been a practicing veterinarian and the Medical Director of a well established practice for over 20 years.
Starting a clinic she could call her own has always been a personal career goal but having put family and motherhood first, it was put on hold. With her kids now older, Paws on Fraser is the fruition of a lifelong dream. Her vision for this clinic is to provide quality, compassionate care for her patients and owners. Her interests include dentistry and the diagnosis and treatment of challenging medical cases. However her favourite part of practice has always been to see the joy that pets bring to their families and connecting with the owners. She hopes that Paws on Fraser can be the place that people look to for genuine, trusted and personalized veterinary advice and care.
Dr. Yuen has a dog, a cat and a rabbit at home who are all rescued with their own unique story to tell. In her free time she plays field hockey for the Meralomas, skis, kayaks and recently joined the pickleball craze.
Dr. Yuen has completed the Fear Free Veterinary Certification Program and is recognized as a Fear Free Certified Professional.
Dr. Trisha Kong - Veterinarian.
Dr. Trisha Kong (aka Dr. Trisha), as you may have guessed, is indeed Dr. Cheryl Kong’s sister! As sisters, they shared a similar path in their journey to become veterinarians with Dr. Trisha also obtaining her veterinary degree with commendation at the University of Glasgow.
Drawn by a strong ice hockey culture and amazing proximity to downhill skiing, Dr. Trisha moved to Vancouver right after graduation in 2015 to start her career in veterinary medicine. During her career, Dr. Trisha has worked in both emergency veterinary hospitals and busy, multivet general practice hospitals. As well she is a certified canine rehabilitation therapist (CCRT). She brings her diverse experience to Paws on Fraser with a keen interest in surgery, dentistry and rehabilitation medicine. In addition to her work at Paws on Fraser, Dr. Trisha also holds a position at the University of British Columbia overseeing the welfare and medical care of the research animals there.
For Dr. Trisha, the best part of being a veterinarian is the ability to make a positive impact on the lives of our pets. She was drawn to the team at Paws on Fraser due to the hospital culture of fostering strong connections with both the pets and the clients, and the belief that the whole team is integral to providing quality care. Of course being able to work alongside her sister was an added bonus!
Outside of work, Dr. Trisha is an avid ice hockey player, skier, and scuba diver. Although she doesn’t have any pets of her own at the moment, Dr. Trisha gets her daily animal fix with all the wonderful pets she sees coming through the doors at Paws on Fraser.
Dr. Trisha has completed the Fear Free Veterinary Certification Program and is recognized as a Fear Free Certified Professional.
Dr. Jenna Hewitt-Kenda - Veterinarian.
Dr. Jenna Hewitt-Kenda grew up in the North Vancouver community of Deep Cove. Academically strong as well as being a star athlete, Dr. Jenna began her post secondary education playing NCAA Division 1 varsity ice hockey at the prestigious Ivy League, Brown University. After two years at Brown, she transferred to the University of Waterloo to complete her bachelor's degree in Honours Science as well as being captain of the Waterloo varsity hockey team. There she was awarded with the Academic All-Canadian honours.
Dr. Jenna received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. During veterinary school, she volunteered in northern Saskatchewan, providing spay, neuter and wellness services to underserved communities and was recognized with multiple scholarships and awards.
She was drawn to Paws on Fraser for our shared commitment to Fear Free veterinary services and their collaborative style of medicine. Dr. Jenna has strong interests in oncology, ultrasound and preventative medicine. She is looking forward to using the ultrasound and radiology skills that she gained while working in the medical imaging department of the Veterinary Medical Centre, and is excited to foster long-term partnerships with clients and their pets!
She lives on the North Shore with her partner Luke, her three dogs Redford, Lenny and Lily, and her cat Zola. Outside of work, she loves going on multi-day backpacking trips, and playing in slo-pitch and ice hockey leagues.
Dr. Jenna has completed the Fear Free Veterinary Certification Program and is recognized as a Fear Free Certified Professional.
Awards Received:
Class of 1978 Wellness Scholarship: recognizes students who have ensured self-care for themselves and their fellow veterinary students during veterinary school
Sophie Katarynych Small Animal Care Award: for her aptitude for patient advocacy and compassionate care during clinical rotations
American Animal Hospital Association award for Proficiency in Primary Care: for exceptional clinical proficiency in general practice medicine and commitment to patient-centered care and the human-animal bond.
Kristine - Registered Veterinary Technologist.
Born and raised in Vancouver, Kristine graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2016 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Biology. After adopting her pug, Dutch, she realized her passion for animals which led her to pursue a career in the veterinary field.
Kristine graduated in 2019 from the Douglas College Veterinary Technology (VTEC) program in the top 10% of her class and received both proficiency and distinction awards during her 2 year program. She has been working as a Registered Veterinary Technician ever since. Her favourite aspects of being a technician include ensuring patient safety under anesthesia, dentistry and the challenge of getting a blood sample or catheter in those tiny dog and cat veins.
When not working, Kristine enjoys a good charcuterie board, traveling and spending time with her pug Dutch, cat Patrick and husband Eric. We are excited to have Kristine part of our team!
Nadia - Registered Veterinary Technologist.
Nadia was born and raised in Vancouver and has had a deep affinity for animals since childhood. Nadia graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Animal Biology, and then graduated from Thompson Rivers University with a diploma in Animal Health Technology, receiving the award for academic excellence and practical proficiency.
Nadia started her career as an RVT at a busy small animal vet hospital in Vancouver before moving to Baltimore to fulfill her dream of working at a zoo hospital. For 6 years she worked with penguins, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, chimps, bats, snakes, bearded dragons, and various other species. She was also involved with training the leopards, polar bears, otters and zebras to help reduce their fear and anxiety during routine handling and veterinary health exams.
When Nadia moved back to Vancouver, she returned to the same busy vet hospital where she excelled as an RVT for over 10 years. There, her specific interest was tending to the VPD K9 squad. Nadia’s favourite part of being an RVT is working with fearful patients and ensuring they have a positive and calming experience when at the hospital.
When not working, Nadia shares life with her loving husband, their beautiful blended family, their 2 rescued dogs and 1 cat. Nadia volunteers managing her son’s football team every spring and fall (Go Warriors!!) and her hobbies include weight lifting and Muay Thai.
Nadia’s experience and commitment to quality care, along with her calming and patient way with people and pets, is a perfect addition to the Paws on Fraser Veterinary care team.
Nadia has completed the Fear Free Veterinary Certification Program and is recognized as a Fear Free Certified Professional.
Jessie - Registered Veterinary Technologist.
Jessie started her foray into animal care working as a veterinary assistant in various clinics around the Lower Mainland and working on a farm in Tsawwassen raising hogs and chickens. In 2022, she traded in her overalls and bucket of hog food to start the intensive 2 year Douglas College Veterinary Technology (VTEC) program. Jessie officially became a registered veterinary technologist in June of 2024 receiving the Gold Cord Award given to students in the top 10% of their class.
Since joining our team, Jessie has proven herself to be a skilled technologist. In her daily work she enjoys anesthesia and radiology the most, and is always up to the challenge of trying to win over a fractious or fearful cat. She has a special interest in fear free practices and appreciates the emphasis Paws on Fraser places on providing a calming, fear free environment for the pets. Jessie is very happy to be working with like minded peers and to learn from many kind, knowledgeable mentors.
In addition to being an RVT, Jessie is a busy pet mom of 2 cats and 1 dog: Revy, is her dog that is trapped in a cat’s body; Fluffy is the retired farm cat obsessed with Cattit treats; and Zoe is her sweet rescued dog from Kuwait who happens to be the doppelganger of Dr. Yuen’s dog.
Outside of work Jessie enjoys surfing, paddle boarding and finding the powder on her snowboard. She is also a fan of true crime podcasts, has an obsession with raccoon paraphernalia and enjoys eating anything cheese related.
Jessie has completed the Fear Free Veterinary Certification Program and is recognized as a Fear Free Certified Professional.
Crista - Veterinary Assistant.
Crista comes to us with a wealth of experience having spent the last 5 years at a large, fast paced hospital as the assistant that trained all the other assistants. Here at Paws on Fraser, Crista is the person behind the scenes that does it all: she ensures that the veterinarians and technicians have everything they need for their exams and surgeries; she helps to keep the pets restrained, safe and monitored during procedures such as blood draws and x-rays; and she makes sure every hospitalized pet is set up comfortably.
Crista’s inspiration for entering the veterinary field is her rescued cat, Ming. Ming became diabetic shortly after Crista adopted him and required a lot of veterinary care. It was through Ming that Crista saw first hand the care, knowledge and dedication that goes into caring for our 4-legged family members. She wanted to learn more and become an integral part of that care team for other pets. Thus began her career as a veterinary assistant.
In her spare time you will find Crista reading and learning everything she can about feline diabetes. As well she enjoys knitting, gardening and spending time in nature. Having come to us from a large veterinary hospital, Crista is looking forward to the opportunity to form more personal relationships with the pets and owners here at Paws on Fraser. We are so happy to have her part of our animal care team.
Michelle - Veterinary Assistant.
Michelle comes to us from a small town in the south of Ireland, known for its fishing and farming, called Skibbereen. Having grown up on a farm with cows, sheep, donkeys, ponies, 2 dogs and 3 cats, Michelle has always had an affinity for animals. Upon graduation from highschool she completed a veterinary assistant course and began her formal career with animals. She started at a local boarding facility where she learned to handle and care for dogs with all different temperaments. From there she moved onto working in a busy mixed veterinary practice assisting with the care of farm animals, dogs and cats.
In the summer of 2023, Michelle visited her brother in Vancouver and instantly fell in love with the city and knew she wanted to live here as well. Wanting to work in a quality veterinary hospital, Michelle looked at the websites and reviews of all the Vancouver veterinary clinics and decided Paws on Fraser was where she wanted to work and sent us her resume. We were impressed with her initiative and determination and hired her! Michelle appreciates Paws on Fraser’s high standard of care and commitment to giving each pet a positive experience with every visit.
We are happy Michelle found us as she has been a sunny, friendly and hardworking addition to our team. Her Irish colloquialisms such as “getting stuck in”, “morning lads” and “glook” are teaching us new ways to express ourselves.
In Michelle’s spare time she enjoys exploring the natural beauty of Vancouver with long walks, time at the beach and camping with friends.
Rowan - Client Care Representative.
Rowan joins us having just moved from Ottawa. Having been born and raised in B.C she is excited to be back in this beautiful province.
Prior to joining Paws on Fraser Veterinary Hospital, Rowan gained her veterinary experience at a busy clinic in Ottawa where she was quickly promoted to head receptionist due to her exceptional organizational and communication skills. As a veterinary receptionist, Rowan has found a career which allows her to combine the things she loves most - meeting and working with people and being with animals. She has loved animals since she was a child, and is very grateful to work in a field that lets her incorporate this into her everyday work life.
Rowan currently does not have any pets of her own, but grew up with family dogs her whole life. In adulthood she has found a deep love for cats as well and is on the lookout to adopt a cat of her own very soon.
Outside of work, Rowan loves going to music events and festivals with her friends, spending time outside and also curling up on the couch with a good snack and Netflix. Rowan is looking forward to getting to know all the pets and clients at Paws on Fraser.
Siobhan - Client Care Representative.
We are excited to introduce Siobhan whom you will see at our front desk helping you and your pets.
Siobhan first moved to Vancouver to obtain her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Mathematics at UBC. She fell immediately in love with the city, met a beau, adopted a perfect former street dog and is now firmly established as an East Van resident.
Prior to starting at Paws on Fraser Veterinary Hospital, Siobhan had previously worked with both Dr. Yuen and Dr. Kong. She already knew she admired their medical knowledge, gentleness with their patients and support for their coworkers, so when the opportunity arose, she did not hesitate to join the team. She is thrilled to be working with them again!
A life long learner, Siobhan not only has a BSc, she also has a diploma as a Veterinary Technician Assistant and is currently working on becoming a Registered Veterinary Technologist. This intense 3 year program requires Siobhan to work and train under the mentorship of veterinarians and RVT’s at an accredited veterinary hospital while doing her coursework through Thompson River’s University. We are honoured to mentor and support Siobhan throughout her program.
During Siobhan’s limited free time she loves exploring remote and quiet spots in nature with her dog Raven (aka Rae Rae) and doing anything arts and crafts related.
Siobhan’s natural empathy, wonderful communication skills and attention to detail make her the perfect addition to the Paws on Fraser family.
Codi - Client Care Representative.
We welcome Codi to our Paws on Fraser family as a client care representative. Codi grew up in High River, Alberta spending her childhood and teenage years raising horses and barrel racing in rodeos. In 2013 Codi moved to the West Coast to be near the ocean and has been enjoying Vancouver since.
Codi comes to us with a background working in both general and 24 hour emergency veterinary hospitals. Having spent the last couple of years working emergency and overnight shifts, Codi is happy to be returning to general practice where she can rejoin the diurnal population of being awake during the day and sleeping at night. In addition, Codi looks forward to developing long term relationships with our clients and playing a role in our patients’ care throughout their lives.
When not at work, Codi enjoys spending her time foraging, cooking delicious pastas and pizzas from scratch, along with other homestead hobbies such as raising her chickens and tending to her bees. As well, Codi enjoys bird watching, kayaking, singing loudly off key, and binge watching reality TV. If you want to distract her, start up a conversation about Below Deck or Alone.
Codi’s gaggle of pets include a gorgeous, adopted cat named Jug, whose favourite time to snuggle is while someone is on the toilet, a 20 gallon fish tank full of shrimp, hens named Bluebell and Charcoal, and a rooster named Cheeks.