Meet Tammy: The Hospital Manager Who Went from Software to Pet Care
September 5, 2019
Tammy is the hospital manager at Massillon Animal Hospital.
I’m Ohio born and raised. Growing up, my parents demonstrated what it meant to be kind to animals. One summer, our family was adopted by a baby squirrel who would perch on my dad's shoulder while he was outside working. Another summer, a family friend found a baby raccoon on its own and we took turns bottle feeding it while they worked. My parents raised rabbits for a few seasons and we always had a pet dog or cat - and sometimes hamsters or fish.
Although I’ve always loved animals, my journey to working in the veterinary field is a bit different than most. In 2006, I was working at a software company but felt like I needed to make a change. I took a leap of faith, quit my job, and became a full-time dog walker/pet sitter.
The job was great and I really enjoyed being able to work with everyone’s pets. However, after a particularly harsh winter, I decided I had to move my work indoors which is what led me to apply to Massillon Animal Hospital as a receptionist. That was in 2008 and I’ve been here ever since.
I worked in a support role for four years before I was promoted to hospital manager in 2012. When I received my promotion, I felt like I’d finally discovered what I had wanted to be growing up. None of the jobs I’ve had prior to this have allowed me to challenge myself and utilize my skills to the extent that this one does - and because of that, I enjoy coming into work each day.
Tammy is the hospital manager at Massillon Animal Hospital.
My favorite part about working as a hospital manager is being able to help people and their pets. People who don’t know much about this profession sometimes assume that all we do is play with puppies and kittens all day. That’s not true but it is one of the best parts of working in an animal hospital. When things get hectic, tiresome, or downright sad, I always have the opportunity to recharge by loving on a dog or cat. It brings me joy when I need it and lets me put my best foot forward as I get back to work.
Luckily, this works for me at home too. My husband and I have two cats, Marcellous and Maybe. We rescued the brother-sister pair from the hospital when they were returned by their original adopter because they were deemed too shy. They weren’t kittens which made them somewhat difficult to find a home for so, after a few months, I decided to bring them home with me. These days, Marcellous and Maybe are still shy with strangers but enjoy life in the Haley household. They’re both sweethearts who I look forward to seeing when I get back from work.
One thing I really love about VetCor is the stability I’ve gotten. Before Massillon became a VetCor hospital, I didn’t feel as secure in my job. With the switch to VetCor, we gained employee benefits, competitive edges with our vendors, and concrete benchmarks to work towards. VetCor has taken the guesswork out of managing the hospital and that truly makes me feel at ease. I look forward to improving my skills and continuing to grow this practice over time.
Outside of the hospital, I love spending time with my husband and our 8-year-old son. We’re an active family and we enjoy hiking, fishing, and visiting new places whenever we can.
