Meet The Veterinarian
Dr. Bree Montana graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science degree focused in the field of Biology. She graduated with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1992.
Following graduation from veterinary medical school, Dr. Montana has worked exclusively in small animal and exotic hospitals, while pursuing additional medical training in the latest technologies. Dr Montana has advanced training in ultrasonography, echocardiography, chemotherapy, dentistry, emergency medicine and surgery, transfusion medicine, class IV laser therapy and rehabilitation.
Navigating the wilderness of medical diagnostics and therapies can be a daunting challenge. Dr Montana invites you to join our hospital family, so that we may help you direct your animal companion’s route to good health.
Bill
Co-Owner
Bill West attended UCLA on a golf scholarship, transferring to Cal Poly Pomona to obtain a Bachelors’ degree in Ornamental Horticulture. Following graduation, and an internship with Disney’s horticultural program, Bill started “Colorscaping,” a landscape design firm. Located in Studio City, the firm designed and maintained gardens and estates in the Los Angeles area. Moving to San Francisco, Bill continued to pursue landscape design, winning several California Landscape Contractors Association awards on the way. Bill’s work has been featured in Sunset Magazine’s Landscape Design award issues, as well as San Francisco Chronicles’ garden tour issues.
In 2003, Bill and his wife Dr. Bree Montana moved to North Lake Tahoe, where they took on a new challenge; renovating the Agate Bay Animal Hospital. Bill realized that the hospital needed a calmer, more healing environment, yet the neighborhood still needed a facility for dogs to be trained, groomed, and boarded. DogGoneCrazy was born to meet that need! In 2012, Bill and Dr Bree were able to remodel their large facility in Tahoe Vista to incorporate a sound-protected state of the art hospital into their beautifully appointed boarding, training, and grooming space at DoggoneCrazy. Attention to detail, extremely high standards, and a very strong work ethic helped Bill to create these facilities right here on Lake Tahoe’s pristine North Shore.
You’ve probably seen Bill logging miles around the Lake; a top 50 finisher in the IronMan, top 100 finisher in the Western States 100, and a competitive triathlete, he is a dedicated cyclist and runner. When he isn’t working or working-out, you will surely find Bill hiking with Bree, their daughter Ember, and their three Siberian Huskies, Blizzard, Ice and Powder, or sneaking out for a little fly fishing or snow boarding…maybe this year they’ll even get a little golf in, too!
Ember Skye
Receptionist
Ember is currently attends Sierra Nevada College where she is pursuing a double major in History and English. She has three cats (Rain, Thunder, and Pipi Longstockings the latter of which is a very lovable cannibal who lives in her room), three dogs (Ice, Powder, and Blizzard), one horse (Austin), one fish, and two parents (who are very hard to train – they still wake her up in the morning, can you imagine?). She hopes to one day teach but for now really loves working as a receptionist and kennel assistant at Dog Gone Crazy and Agate Bay Animal Hospital!
Jennifer
Certified Veterinary Technician
Hospital Manager
Jennifer is a Chicago native that moved to Boulder, CO to further her love for animals by attending the Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology. She graduated in 2001 and continued working as a certified veterinary technician in Boulder at a general practice, and also at an emergency clinic. After many years of hiking the Rockies, she decided to move back to her city roots, where she took on the role of head technician in the beautiful Gold Coast of Chicago. She spent several years there expanding her skills and knowledge in emergency care, surgical assistance, anesthesia, dentistry, phlebotomy, radiology and general nursing care. But, because this city girl is truly a nature freak at heart, she eventually began looking for a new home that would be surrounded by nature and beauty, and found it in Lake Tahoe. Continuing the role of head technician at Agate Bay Animal Hospital, she enjoys her Tahoe life outside of work with her awesome dog, Rasta, hiking and running in the mountains or relaxing on the beach. Aside from missing her family and friends in Chicago and Boulder, she is pretty much living her dream life. Oh, and she has two cats, Ninja and Rabbit.
Kara
Technician in Training
Our little southern belle Kara has always had a helping heart. She originally went to college in Atlanta to study the art of helping people thru music. After her studies in music therapy, she realized medicine would be more suitable for her. By combining her love for animals, and passion for helping others, she decided to further her studies by taking courses to become a certified veterinary technician. She has now been living in Lake Tahoe for 3 years, and is currently working as a Veterinary Technician in training at Agate Bay Animal Hospital. Come December, Kara will officially be a Licensed Veterinary Technician. When she is not saving our four legged friends, she is keeping up with her music by attending concerts, enjoying snowboarding, and being lazy on the beach with her two dogs, Eiko and Franti.
Kristina
Business Manager
Kristina was born in England but moved to the States as a child. Raised by her animal-loving mom, Kristina grew up with an array of different animals: dogs, cats, horses, chickens, bunnies, chinchillas and even a pet pig named Amos. At age 15, Kristina started volunteering at her local animal shelter, which jump-started her passion for animal welfare. She attended the University of California, Santa Cruz and began working as the Volunteer and Foster Coordinator at Santa Cruz County Animal Services. Upon graduation in 2007, Kristina was offered a position as Office Manager at Adobe Animal Hospital where she worked, while starting her own 501c3 animal rescue. In 2010, she moved to Grass Valley to be closer to her mom. She began working at a local veterinary hospital before finding a position at Sammie’s Friends Animal Shelter. In 2012 Kristina headed for the mountains, where her love of hiking and being outdoors could be nurtured! Kristina lives with her three rescue dogs, Buddy, Linus and Boris and her cat MooMoo. When she isn’t at work loving the patients and camp kiddos, she can be found riding horses with her mom, on hikes with her dogs or volunteering her time rescuing animals.
Kristin
Camp Counselor
Technician’s Assistant in Training
Kristin grew up in Bremerton Washington, and relocated to Lake Tahoe in November of 2011. She loves animals and has always wanted to work with them. She began taking her prerequisites for the Veterinary Technician program in Washington and plans to continue her education to reach her goal of becoming a Licensed Veterinary Technician. Kristin recently adopted a kitty named Penny and is very excited to have her a s a new member of her family. In addition to being an animal lover she enjoys nature (especially during the summer) and is looking forward to taking advantage of all that beautiful Lake Tahoe has to offer.
Nate
Camp Counselor
Technician’s Assistant in Training
A native of Columbus, Ohio, Nate moved to Lake Tahoe in the summer of 2010. He attends Sierra Nevada College where he pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in hopes of pursuing a career in Veterinary Conservation Medicine. Nate is passionate about the outdoors and conservation. His love of skiing, hiking, mountain biking and back packing guides Nate’s search for an adventurous canine companion…all great doggie candidates welcomed to apply.
Foundations