Sand Road Animal Hospital, LLC

Cindy Sandefer’s skills and training perfectly complement those of her husband. While Dr. Dave cares for the animals at Sand Road, Cindy handles the practice’s business operations. She is well qualified for the task, having earned a degree in nursing from Utica College in 1987 and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut in 1999.

Cindy fits a wide range of activities into her busy schedule, from the creation and implementation of budgets to the guidance of our management team. An essential component of her role is strategic planning. As she explains it, “My goal is to gather the resources to fund the needs of today and prepare for the visions of tomorrow.”

Like Dr. Dave, Cindy brings passion and enthusiasm to her work, along with a commitment to excellence. It is her challenge and privilege to see that Sand Road Animal Hospital and Millerton Veterinary Practice live up to their full potential. She is equally passionate about her favorite pastimes: hiking with Dr. Dave and their black Lab Garth, and riding her quarter horses Bucky and Tess on the trails near the Sandefers’ home in Goshen.

Cindy welcomes your feedback. To share your comments or suggestions, contact her at clsandefer@sandroadanimals.com

Melissa joined Sand Road Animal Hospital in 1997, working part-time while pursuing her undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut. After graduating magna cum laude with a degree in anthropology, she took on the full-time position of Evening Coordinator, recruiting, training, and overseeing our front desk and hospital personnel. She also worked briefly as practice manager at our satellite practice in Millerton, New York.

In 2006 she became Human Resource Director for both practices. Her responsibilities include the recruitment and hiring of veterinarians, technicians, and staff members. In addition, she handles all aspects of benefit administration, employee retention and development, and payroll.

Melissa is as busy in her off hours as she is at Sand Road. She is currently working toward a graduate degree in humanitarian studies at the University of Connecticut, she is an avid amateur photographer, and recently she became engaged. She plans to be married in May.

Jeanne Day joined our staff in 1997, eventually working and excelling in every department of the practice. For a number of years, she was our office manager, developing a team of receptionists, veterinary assistants, and hospital caregivers second to none.

Today, buttressed by her ongoing studies in business management, accounting, and computer science, Jeanne oversees the daily operations of the entire practice. She is a whiz at keeping our computers up and running, a critical skill given the complex technology required to keep our two practices, boarding facilities, and retail store connected and problem free. Above all, she sees herself as a client advocate. Her goal is to insure that our clients receive the best customer service and patient care possible.

In her free time, Jeanne works as a professional dog show handler. She also loves showing her own pet Oliver, a champion Portuguese water dog. When not on the show circuit, she and her husband Danny enjoy hiking and biking near their home in Pine Plains.

Jeanne is always happy to address clients’ questions and concerns. Contact her at (860) 824-5223, or at jeanne@sandroadanimals.com

Angela Gibbs came to Sand Road Animal Hospital by a circuitous route. She worked in Nigeria and Senegal with the Peace Corps, taught in Africa and Switzerland, was a senior editor with the Reader’s Digest, and later a free-lance editor for Time Warner Publications and the Literary Guild. She also helped to launch and later managed a store specializing in furniture, clothing, and assorted personal items gleaned from around the world.

In 2002, Angela joined the Millerton Veterinary Practice, where she handled the reception desk and billing. She moved to Sand Road Animal Hospital in 2006 to take up the new position of Client Liaison. Her duties include providing estimates for hospital surgeries, billing hospital patients, supplying clients with daily updates upon request and, in emergency situations, facilitating payment plans for unexpected surgery or illness. She is always available to answer billing questions.

Angela lives in Sharon, Connecticut, with her husband Paul, two pugs, a Tibetan spaniel, a three-legged cat, and an ill-tempered love bird who regularly tries to kill the cat. Her e-mail address is angela@sandroadanimals.com

Bonnie brings a wealth of experience to her duties at Sand Road. An artist and floral designer by trade, she also worked in the plant and food industries before joining our staff in 2001. “Sand Road felt just like home,” she remembers, and to the lucky boarders under her care in the early years of her tenure, Bonnie was their family away from home.

Bonnie eventually joined our hospital care team, where she quickly distinguished herself. Today she heads up that department and is known not only for her gentleness with the cats and dogs under her care but also for the pride she takes in her work.

“We are never too busy to reassure a nervous patient,” Bonnie says. “That might mean taking a dog outside for a walk, moving an anxious cat to a different cage, or providing additional blankets to snuggle up to. Soon our patients begin to trust us and to feel safe in their surroundings.”

Bonnie’s many interests outside of work include cooking, Native American studies, and all forms of art and music.

Chris joined our practice in 2006, bringing with him ten years of retail experience. He genuinely enjoys working with clients and is never too busy to answer questions, to discuss new products, or to place a special order.

Chris welcomes your ideas. For suggestions on how to improve our customer service or our line of products, contact him at (860) 824-5760, or at his e-mail address: chris@sandroadanimals.com

Chris is currently working toward a degree in general education at Northwestern Community College in Winsted. When time permits, he enjoys photography, watching sports, and going for long motorcycle rides.

Kimberley held a variety of customer service positions before joining our front desk staff in 2006. Her warmth, enthusiasm, and compassion made her a natural fit for the job, and just two years later, she became our Front Desk Coordinator.

Kimberly oversees all aspects of our front desk operations, from staff training to the scheduling of appointments and the billing of office visits. Her goal is to see that our clients receive prompt and courteous attention and the most efficient service possible. She encourages your comments to help us understand what is working and what needs to change.

Contact her at  Kimberly@sandroadanimals.com. Your feedback really helps us understand what is working and what needs to change.

The single mother of two boys, Gregory and Tyler, Kimberly is also the adoptive owner of three cats—all of them rescues from Sand Road.

To the cats and dogs who board with us, Amanda is like a doting aunt. She welcomes them and knows each by name. She is familiar with their medical records and the food they like. She schedules their baths and playtimes and watches out for their well being. She and her staff treat your pets like their own. They comfort and cosset them, feed and exercise them, and keep their accommodations clean and fresh. As an added convenience during your pet’s stay, Amanda can arrange an annual exam and vaccines with one of our veterinarians. At home in Sheffield, Massachusetts, Amanda and her husband Jon have their own coterie of pets: six dogs, two cats, a llama, several mini-horses, and a herd of goats. We are always looking for ways to improve our boarding services. Contact Amanda with your suggestions at (860) 284-7357 or by e-mail: Amanda@sandroadanimals.com

Sherri previously worked as a System Support Analyst in a Bank Operations center for nine years. In 2007, she became a stay-at-home mom of her two young daughters. Along with being an at-home Mom, Sherri has joined our team as our Marketing & Advertising Developer.  Her duties include; designing brochures, sales flyers, newspaper ads, business cards and anything else needed. Along with her design duties Sherri also manages our company website and upcoming online store.

Sherri lives in upstate NY with her husband, two daughters, an irritable cat Matty-boy and their new black labrador puppy, Casey Moon. Sherri is also an active member of her local chapter of the non-profit group, MOMS Club, where she is their Membership VP. If she has any spare time; Sherri enjoys reading and photography.

Sherri can be reached via email at Sherri@sandroadanimals.com