Modern Medicine, Old-Fashioned Care

Meet Our Veterinarians and Staff

Dr. Ransome Weis, DVM

Dr. Weis graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996 and has since been in small animal practice, first in Virginia and then in Bucks County. Dr. Weis and his wife, Dr. Laura Weis, bought Doylestown Veterinary Hospital, formerly Animal Clinic Doylestown, in 2002. His particular interests include surgery, endocrinology, and the rapidly evolving science connecting diet, the gut biome and health. Dr. Weis completed his undergraduate degrees with majors in biology, chemistry, and mathematics at Dickinson College in 1977. Before attending veterinary school, he worked as a teacher. He enjoys skiing, working on his older farm house and spending time with his wife and sons.

Dr. Laura Weis, DVM, CVH

Dr. Laura Weis focuses her practice on homeopathy and nutritional counseling. She is serving as a Board member with the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy, and a faculty member with the Pitcairn Institute of Veterinary Homeopathy. Dr. Weis graduated from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998 with the highest combined standing in both clinical and classroom work. She then moved to Bucks County and has worked since that time in small animal medicine and surgery. She is also passionate about human homeopathy and nutrition. She enjoys tending her chickens, bees, and goats. Dr. Weis lives with her husband, Dr. Randy Weis, their three boys, three cats, and three dogs—a French Bulldog and two Maremmas.
Dr. Weis is also a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA), the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy (AVH), the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA), and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP).

Dr. Lois Palin, VMD

Dr. Palin has practiced veterinary medicine in Bucks County for 29 years. She joined our staff in June, 2001. Dr. Palin is dedicated to developing lasting relationships and providing the best care for her patients and their families. Dr. Palin is a 1991 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, and graduated with honors from the College of Wooster with a B.A. in chemistry in 1987. Dr. Palin and her husband, Jim, live in Upper Makefield with two fun-loving dogs and one very handsome cat. They are proud parents of college students, Monica and Jim. In her spare time, Dr. Palin enjoys paddling on a dragon boat team, skiing, and traveling with her family.

Dr. David MacDonald, DVM, CVA, CVSMT

Dr. David MacDonald joined our medical team in July 2014. He has the unique opportunity to blend modern medicine with the practice of Chinese herbal medicine and other holistic modalities to offer a fully integrative approach to pet healthcare. He is a certified veterinary acupuncturist (CVA) and a certified veterinary spinal manipulative therapist (CVSMT). Originally from Eastern Canada, he is a graduate of Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island. Dr. MacDonald has been practicing veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania for over 20 years with extensive experience in surgical procedures and dental care. Dr. MacDonald and his wife have 2 children, Oliver and Edie-Rose, and their family includes a Pointer mix, Lendri, and two cats, Nougat and Harper.
He is member of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, the AHVMA, the AVMA and the PVMA.

Dr. Jerica Lugo, VMD

Dr. Jerica Lugo, VMD, discovered her passion for animal advocacy as an undergraduate at Drexel University prior to earning her degree at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.Specializing in soft tissue surgery and education, she is grateful to play a role in strengthening the bond between owner and pet. She also loves to help pets put aside their fears and realize that the veterinary office is not such a scary place, after all. Raised in Connecticut (where she was surrounded by animals), Dr. Lugo and her husband previously lived in Philadelphia, before a friend introduced her to Bucks County and the Doylestown area.When she is not practicing veterinary medicine, Dr. Lugo enjoys spending time with her husband and the couple’s three senior animals: cats Panda and Storm, and a Boston Terrier mix named Annabelle. She enjoys hiking, knitting, and watching great films.

Dr. Brittany Sembler

Caroline, Licensed Veterinary Technician

Caroline is a certified veterinary technician and joined our staff in October, 2008. She graduated from Harcum College in 1986 and completed an internship at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital. Caroline loves being in the veterinary profession and has been working in private practice for over 30 years. Caroline lives in New Britain with her husband John and their 2 children, John and Olivia. Her family also includes Yoda, a lab/shepard mix and 2 cats, Harley and Sparkles. In addition to spending time with her family, you can find her reading a good book or exercising her green thumb in the garden.

Dr. Brittany Sembler

Rhea, Veterinary Technician

Rhea has been with Doylestown Veterinary Hospital since 2007. She took a few years away from caring for pets in 2012 to raise her two children and returned to the hospital in 2015. Rhea has an associate’s degree in radiologic technology from Indian Valley Community College in Ogelsby, IL. She loves caring for all pets, but kittens hold a special place in her heart. Rhea’s family includes her two cats Chutney and Quincy. When she’s not at the hospital, Rhea enjoys spending time with her family, gardening or exercising.

Julie, Licensed Veterinary Technician

Julie started at Doylestown Veterinary Hospital in June 2012. She graduated from Manor College in 2006 with a degree in veterinary technology. She also has a passion for dog behavior and training and has been leading dog training classes since 2007. She raised two Seeing Eye puppies and has fostered many rescue dogs and puppies over the years. Julie lives with her wife Lorelei, two adopted dogs Daisy and Geordi, and her adopted cat Wash. When she is not surrounded by animals—which is not often—Julie enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and working on art projects.

Dr. Brittany Sembler

Danielle, Veterinary Technician

Danielle joined the Doylestown Veterinary Hospital staff in September, 2012, after being at Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center for four years. Danielle graduated from the veterinary technician program at Penn Foster, and she studied life sciences at Penn State University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time and walking in the park with her dogs Kona, Jane, and Rufio. Her cat Sasha completes her furry family.

Justine, Veterinary Technician

Justine joined the Doylestown Veterinary Hospital family in 2003. In 2007, she decided to take a break from working to study Veterinary Technology at Harcum College. In July 2015, Justine returned to the hospital team. She loves all aspects of veterinary medicine but providing care and comfort for the geriatric patients is what she enjoys most. Justine enjoys snowboarding, writing, and being at home with her new baby boy Eli, her husband Scott, their dog Bandit, and 3 unruly cats.

Stephanie, Veterinary Technician

Stephanie, Licensed Veterinary Technician

Stephanie joined Doylestown Veterinary Hospital in January 2024. She earned an associate’s degree from Manor College and received her veterinary technician certification in 1998. School externships gave Stephanie exposure to emergency medicine and large animals, but her experience is with small animals. She enjoys the hands-on work of caring for pets, and her role has expanded to pharmaceutical inventory management. She lives with her husband, four children as well as her cats Mack and Connie, and her mixed breed dog, Cy. When she’s not working, Stephanie enjoys volunteering with her children’s activities, dabbling in culinary arts, deadlifting laundry piles, and attending sporting events and concerts.

Alicia, Operations Manager

Alicia, Operations Manager

Alicia joined Doylestown Veterinary Hospital & Holistic Pet Care in December 2024, bringing nearly two decades of experience in the veterinary field. Her journey began in 2007 at a local animal shelter, where she discovered her passion for helping pets and their people. This led her to pursue a career in veterinary medicine in 2010, and she became a certified veterinary technician in 2011. Alicia has worked as a veterinary technician and spent 11 years as a lead client service representative. Alicia thrives on building relationships with pet parents and is always happy to chat—especially with fellow “crazy cat people.” Alicia has been involved in animal rescue for years and has fostered for Harley’s Haven since 2012. A Pennridge native, Alicia, her husband Michael, and their daughter live in Trumbauersville with their two adopted pit bull mixes, Bodhi and Riah, along with six cats: Slater, Kwazii, Panda, Homie, Nova, and Mad-Eye Moody. When she’s not at work, she enjoys reading, paddle boarding, horseback riding, and spending time at her family’s home in Tioga County.

Lora, Business Manager

Lora Leone joined the DVH staff as business manager in September 2013 after managing front desk operations for Holiday House Pet Resort & Training Center. Her business experience includes running a successful trucking company with her husband for the last 33 years. When she’s not working diligently to manage two businesses, Lora shares a passion for physical fitness with her two adult daughters by running in races and participating in Spartan obstacle racing. She completed the “Mother of all Spartan Races”—The Beast Race in Killington, VT. She also loves taking quiet walks through Tyler State Park with Ash, the family’s German Shepard. Lora lives in Bucks County with her husband of 37 years.

Paige

Paige, Customer Care Specialist

Paige joined our customer care team in September 2018. She graduated from the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at Central Montco Technical High School with certification from the American Red Cross. Prior to joining us, she worked as a CNA specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia. Paige feels the training has given her a greater understanding urgent medical needs, patience, and compassion as part of her role with the veterinary hospital. Her love of animals and caring for others is demonstrated daily as she welcomes clients and enjoys hearing how the pets and parents are doing. Paige has also volunteered at the Elmwood Park Zoo. Paige loves spending time with her pets, yellow Labrador Bella and her cat Leo, as well as family and friends while being outdoors or relaxing at home watching a good movie.
Trinity, Customer Care Specialist

Trinity, Customer Care Specialist

Trinity joined Doylestown Veterinary Hospital in April 2024, bringing a deep passion for animal care and client service. She began her career as an Animal and Customer Care Technician at an animal shelter in 2022, where she gained hands-on experience in caring for pets in need. Trinity grew up in the Central Bucks area and attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. She fostered two cats, Malcom and Guppy, and now lives with her beloved cats, Muffin and Hubble (pictured)—yes, named after the telescope! When she’s not caring for animals, she enjoys working out, drawing, and spending time with family, friends, and her significant other of over four years.

Angela, Customer Care Specialist

Angela, Customer Care Specialist

Angela joined the Doylestown Veterinary Hospital team in 2023, bringing her warmth, dedication, and passion for animals to every client interaction. After spending years in banking, she followed her heart and changed her career path into the veterinary field in 2020. At that time, Angela started fostering dogs and worked as a receptionist for a large animal veterinary practice where she learned a lot about farm animals. She is a self-proclaimed “foster fail” and currently shares her home with three beloved dogs, Bella, Lexi, and Benson, as well as Thorn, her three-year-old bearded dragon. Angela and her husband Doug are the proud parents of four daughters and one granddaughter. She loves connecting with clients and their pets, making every visit to DVH a welcoming experience.

Alexis, Veterinary Assistant

Alexis, Veterinary Assistant

Alexis has been a dedicated veterinary assistant with Doylestown Veterinary Hospital since the summer of 2022. Early on, she gained hands-on experience in pet care working at area dog daycares and pet boarding facilities. Alexis completed the veterinary assistant program at Penn Foster and is currently pursuing certification as a veterinary technician at Bucks County Community College. She is a native of the Reading area and has been living in Chalfont since 2019. At home, she enjoys the company of her playful cat, Boops, who keeps her entertained with endless antics. When she’s not at the hospital, you can often find her roller skating at skate parks around Pennsylvania or hitting the slopes to snowboard in the winter.

Paige, Veterinary Assistant

Paige, Veterinary Assistant

Paige joined Doylestown Veterinary Hospital in August 2024, with a commitment to animal well-being. She began working with pets at a boarding facility in 2022 before transitioning into a veterinary assistant role. Currently enrolled at Bucks County Community College in a pre-veterinary program, Paige is working toward becoming a veterinary technician while pursuing her goal of becoming a veterinarian. Beyond her work at the hospital, Paige spends summers reading to children alongside therapy dogs at a library near her home—a tradition that began in middle school with her mother. Originally from New Jersey, Paige has lived in several states, including Maryland, Delaware, and California, before settling in Quakertown in 2024 with her boyfriend. Their home is happily shared with a lazy boxer mix, Chloe Rose, a spirited ocicat, Cooper James, and his sweet brother, Azazel Joseph. In her free time, Paige enjoys reading, photography, and spending time with her nephew.

Melanie, Veterinary Assistant

Melanie, Veterinary Assistant

Melanie brings over a decade of experience in the pet care industry to DVH, joining the team in November 2024. Her career journey started with Hamilton Animal Hospital and Horsham Veterinary Hospital, followed by managing a PetValu store. She also operated her own pet sitting/dog walking business for eight years. Melanie is a certified veterinary assistant and dog trainer through Animal Behavior College, combining hands-on experience with professional training to provide compassionate and skilled care to every pet she meets. She is a longtime supporter of Morris Animal Refuge and Gentle Giants Horse Rescue. Originally from the Abington-Hatboro area, she has called Warminster home for the past six years, where she lives with her fiancé and their two boys, Keegan and Konner. She was dog mom to Bud (pictured), and their home is currently filled with the love of four cats (Maizey, Baloo, Bagheera, and T’Challa), a playful black English Lab named Bucky Barnes, and a turtle named Spike. Outside of work, Melanie enjoys spending time with her equine friends, Wasabi the mule and Sammy the horse, as well as baking sourdough bread, reading, and hiking with Bucky during the warmer months.

Make An Appointment Today!