Sand Road Animal Hospital, LLC

David Sandefer, affectionately known to clients and staff as “Dr. Dave,” is the heartbeat of Sand Road Animal Hospital. His energy, dedication, and vision are the lynchpins of our practice.

Dr. Dave grew up on a dairy farm in upstate New York. Even as a boy he knew his calling. He wanted to be a veterinarian.

Throughout high school, he worked with a variety of dogs, cats, and farm animals, first as a caregiver and eventually as a technician. He worked in a veterinary hospital while pursuing a degree in animal science from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Science, and later at Cornell’s large animal hospital as he followed up his studies at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

After graduating in 1983 with awards for excellence, he returned to his roots in upstate New York to work as an associate in a busy mixed animal hospital. Then, in 1987, he and his wife Cindy took a trip that changed their lives. On a visit to the northwest corner of Connecticut, they met Dr. Larry Washington, who had four years earlier, started a small animal clinic in Falls Village. They bought the practice on a wing and a prayer and, over the years, have molded it into the full service facility it is today.

Dr. Dave is proud of that accomplishment, and of assembling a team of gifted doctors and support staff with a common goal: healing the furred and feathered friends that enrich the lives of us all.

Jennifer Jones Kline grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, surrounded by cats, dogs, and horses. She was an avid pony clubber and spent much of her free time during high school and college working in small animal hospitals and with a veterinarian at a local thoroughbred racetrack.

In 1994 she earned a degree in animal science at the University of Vermont, graduating summa cum laude. She pursued her studies at Colorado State University's School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating magna cum laude before moving to the Hudson Valley to join Rhinebeck Equine as an equine practitioner.

In 2002 she became certified in Animal Acupuncture and Chiropractic. "Having another tool to treat animals and alleviate their pain has been immensely rewarding," she says. "But while I truly love horses and equine medicine and surgery, I found that I missed working with our small dog and cat companions. So in 2004 I began offering small animal house calls in addition to my horse work. Two years later I was thrilled to become part of Sand Road Animal Hospital's health care team."

Dr. Jenn currently lives in Salisbury, Connecticut with her husband Tyler and their young daughters Leila and Neve.

Katie Vagliano joined Sand Road Animal Hospital in the spring of 2006, working part-time as a relief doctor. At the time, she and her family were living in the suburbs of Boston and spending weekends at her husband's childhood home in Norfolk, Connecticut. Impressed by the state-of-the-art facility and the kind, talented people at Sand Road, she joined the practice full-time in June and took up residence at her husband's farm in Norfolk.

Dr. Katie is a 2003 graduate of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, where she was inducted into the Phi Zeta National Veterinary Honor Society. She was also awarded the Hill's "Buddy Award" for outstanding achievement in the area of small animal practice. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Vermont, graduating summa cum laude with honors in 1996, with a degree in animal science. She continued post-graduate studies and research at UVM until moving to Massachusetts to pursue her veterinary training.

Before joining the healthcare team at Sand Road, Dr. Katie practiced in small animal hospitals in Holliston and Marblehead, Massachusetts. She enjoys all aspects of small animal medical and surgical care, and is particularly committed to preventative medicine.

In her free time, Dr. Katie enjoys walking the fields of her farm and outings with her family: husband Justin, their sons Andrew and Alec, and a menagerie of animals, including a cat, a Great Dane, a Bernese mountain dog, and several donkies.

 

Amy Damers earned her degree in veterinary medicine at Cornell University in the year 2000. After graduation she set out to find a job in Connecticut to be near her family and fiancé. While considering five different job offers, she decided on a whim to make the long trip to northwest Connecticut to interview at one last practice, Sand Road Animal Hospital.

She describes the experience as a moment of Zen. Sand Road was the embodiment of everything she dreamed a veterinary practice could be: a state-of-the art facility in a beautiful setting, with a team of talented doctors and a dedicated staff committed to bettering the lives of animals. She joined the practice and has never looked back.

Dr. Amy grew up in New York on Long Island and is the youngest of six children. She graduated magna cum laude from Villanova University and did post-graduate study and research at S.U.N.Y. in Stony Brook. She is a strong advocate of preventative medicine and, in addition to cats and dogs, enjoys working with "pocket pets" such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and ferrets.