Dr. Benjamin Savard grew up raising and breeding standard poodles, frequenting dog obedience shows, and even competing in showing competitions. He’s been drawn to the animal care world for as long as he can remember, and becoming a veterinarian has allowed him to take his passions to the next level!

Born in Wisconsin, Dr. Savard moved to Arizona before he was even a year old. Since the age of 12, he’s been working in the family business in every capacity imaginable. From 2000 to 2003, he attended Arizona State University’s pre-veterinary program, then attended Colorado State University to earn his DVM degree in 2007. After working in two Arizona animal hospitals, Dr. Savard returned to the family business and helped open Raintree Pet Resort’s very own Medical Center in 2013.

Dentistry work is Dr. Savard’s passion within veterinary medicine. Oral health is so impactful to an animal’s overall well-being, he says, and there’s something very satisfying about performing thorough dental care on a pet with a less-than-stellar mouth.

Dr. Savard and his wonderful wife Julia have four children: Elizabeth, Marie, Joshua, and Lucy. The family shares their home with Catalina, a one-year-old cat who attempts to stalk people from the middle of an open room but then races off upon realizing she’s been noticed.

Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Savard enjoys reading, playing the mandolin and guitar, skiing, and scuba diving.

Dr. Stacy Duffy has always appreciated the unconditional love shared with numerous pets over the years. Dr. Duffy knew that the best way to satisfy her interests in the scientific world while helping animals to live happier, healthier lives at the same time was to become a veterinarian! She's happy to do just that as a member of the Raintree Pet Resort + Medical Center family.

Dr. Duffy is a Scottsdale native and knew at only 10 years of age that she would one day become a veterinarian. She began working at a pet clinic in Scottsdale when she was 18, then pursued a bachelor’s degree in biology at Arizona State University. Dr. Duffy worked in a few different career fields for a number of years, while pursuing her original dream: helping animals as a licensed veterinarian. She earned her second bachelor’s degree in veterinary science at the University of Arizona, and then a master's degree in molecular biology at Arizona State University. Next, Dr. Duffy moved to North Carolina, where she started working at Duke University as a laboratory manager in the research setting. She then gained acceptance into North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine to earn her doctorate.

Dr. Duffy became a part of the Raintree Pet Resort + Medical Center team in the spring of 2019 and is thrilled to help pets and animal owners of her hometown as an Associate Veterinarian. Her focus is on health, wellness care and long-term care, but also has a strong passion for pain management. Dr. Duffy feels a special connection with our feline friends and continues to delve deeper into the mysteries of feline medicine and their well-being.

At home, Dr. Duffy shares her life with several “fur babies”. She has two dogs: Chloe, a Pomeranian who is the light of Dr. Duffy's life, as well as a Peek-a-Poo named Ayce who makes it a point to acknowledge everyone he meets. She also has five cats with four of them being littermates: Emmett, Sheamus, Finnegan, Fionna, and Sadie. Finally, Dr. Duffy also has a family of mice who are in retirement from the laboratory environment who she lovingly named after inspirational professors and veterinarians from her schooling.

Julie never does anything without jumping in all the way and becoming the best—it’s simply in her nature. When she began breeding Standard Poodles, she couldn’t stop until she was a notch above what everyone else was doing! When she discovered that she didn’t feel entirely comfortable leaving her own pets at a kennel, she had a thought: why not open her own resort?

Julie grew up in Wisconsin with two older brothers and a silver toy poodle named Sherrie, which she suspects triggered her love of poodles and animal care. She had been working as a groomer at Raintree Pet Resort when the opportunity arose to purchase the business. In 1990, Julie and her husband Homer jumped at the chance to start a family business based around their love of pets.
Julie is especially proud of the fact that her family’s resort has become somewhat of a trendsetter at the national level. Raintree Pet Resort was Arizona’s first dual-accredited pet resort, receiving accolades from both the American Boarding Kennel Association and the American Grooming Shop Association. Within four months of opening, Raintree was fully accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association. For Julie, creating a state-of-the-art, progressive, safe, and fun-filled cross between pet resort and medical center is the crowning achievement of her life.

Julie and Homer have eight grandchildren, which now keep them busier than ever. Although they don’t keep any dogs at home, Julie thoroughly enjoys her grandchildren’s cats. Needless to say, she and her husband Homer enjoy passing on their love of animals to the next generation!

Homer and his wife were married in 1981, and their first Christmas gift was a silver toy poodle. Ever since then, Homer says their lives were overrun by poodles! It led to an intense passion for training and showing silver standard poodles, and Homer’s life hasn’t been the same. Since 1990, he’s owned Raintree Pet Resort alongside his wife, Julie.

Homer is mainly involved with the development side of the business, working on the layout, design, and financial models. When Homer and Julie decided to add a medical center to their existing facility, Homer spent over half of his working time for a whole year getting everything prepared. Of course, it was quite a challenge managing the remodeling while still running the resort, but Homer emerged victorious. In fact, he was so successful that he’s even led a few consulting projects to help others create pet resorts!

Homer’s success has inspired him to get his Real Estate License and earn his CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation. There are only about 9,000 other CCIMs worldwide!
At home, Homer and his wife have two adopted desert tortoises, Curly and Larry. They hibernate from November to April, so Homer affectionately calls them his “part-time” pets. The family also cares for Max, a female umbrella Cockatoo who has been entertaining the Savard’s clientele since 1996.

Homer’s always been interested in playing music; in fact, he’s been a semi-professional bluegrass musician for 35 years! He plays the banjo and mandolin, and his band even opened the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 2001, opening the show in front of 10,000 people. He also likes fly fishing with his grandchildren and jumps at every opportunity to do so!

The veterinary world allows Doreen to combine everything she’s passionate about: leading a team of professionals to achieve top-level success, providing the public with unmatched service, and working hands-on with adorable pets. She’s thrilled to continue her journey in veterinary care as Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center’s Director of Operations!

Doreen was born in Boston, Massachusetts but grew up in the northwestern part of Chicago. She stumbled into the hospitality field during her collegiate years after working part-time as a guest services agent at a hotel—Doreen received her Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management in 1997, then entered the field of tanning salon management.

Next, Doreen dove headfirst into the veterinary profession, first as a Veterinary Technician and then as a Practice Manager. She’s been managing veterinary clinics ever since! She would serve as the Practice Manager in a successful six-doctor animal hospital in Illinois for 13 years, even obtaining her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager accreditation in 2012.

After one too many harsh Chicago winters, Doreen decided to follow her dream of moving to Arizona and continue her passion for leading teams of talented veterinary professionals who are committed to quality veterinary care and exceptional customer service. The Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center family was the perfect fit—Doreen officially started with the team in February of 2019 and has been enjoying every moment since.

Doreen and her husband, Jeff, share their lives with several pets at home. They have two sibling Boxers, Dillon and Cole, as well as a pair of loveable Siamese cats who go by Nemo and Sebastian.

Christine always knew that she wanted to enter a profession that allowed her to help others. It wasn’t until she began volunteering for an animal shelter during her college years, though, that her path became clear. Christine fell in love with the very first cat that she spent time with, and knew right away that she wanted to work to improve the lives of other animals. The rest is history!

Christine grew up in Paradise, California and began working at a local veterinary hospital in 1997 while earning her Bachelor’s degree in psychology. She would remain at that clinic for nearly 10 years, and also earned an additional Bachelor’s degree in biology as well as her Master’s in psychology during that time.

It was shortly after graduating in 2007 that Christine was offered her first practice management position, and she’s been helping pets and animal parents in that capacity ever since. She’s proud of her designation as a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager, an achievement she earned in 2016, and also became a Level 2 Fear-Free Certified Professional in 2018. In 2019, Christine was designated a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant by the International Association of Applied Behavior Consultants.

Christine has been a member of the Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center family since 2019, and she loves the fact that no two days are ever quite the same. For her, there is always something new to learn or experience. Medically, Christine is interested in feline behavior and medicine, as well as hospice and palliative care, but her favorite part of her work is getting to meet a great variety of animal and human personalities every day.

Much of Christine’s free time away from the office is spent with her own pets at home. She and her fiancé live with two Golden Retrievers, a Labrador Retriever, several cats, and two ferrets who go by Ava and Estevan.

When she moved to Phoenix in the early months of 2012, Ashley set a goal for herself: she was going to find a job working with animals, even if it meant picking up after the elephants at the zoo! Ashley was delighted when she was offered a position here at Raintree Pet Resort + Medical Center. She’s worked her way up from her initial post as a dog walker, and now serves as one of the Resort Managers.

In high school, Ashley joined a program in which she took veterinary assistant classes and completed an externship at a local vet’s office. Although she adored her time there, Ashley moved away from the veterinary field for a while. It wasn’t long, though, before she realized that nothing made her feel as fulfilled as she had while working with animals! As soon as she started here at the resort, she knew she’d made the right call.

The busy holiday seasons at Raintree Pet Resort + Medical Center are Ashley’s favorite time of year here. There’s never a dull moment at the front desk, and Ashley can’t get enough of it!

At home, Ashley has three dogs: Bentley, a purebred Boxer; lab/pit bull mix Sophie; and Micah, a pit bull mix that Ashley found behind a Circle K. She also has two cats named Nigerian and Dinah.

Christina grew up in the Savard family business—she’s the daughter of owners Homer and Julie! The bond between pets and owners has always fascinated her, and now she gets to be a firsthand witness to that as the Marketing Manager of Raintree Pet Resort.

Christina grew up in Cave Creek, Arizona with her parents, older brother, and many poodles. Currently, she and her husband Mark reside in Phoenix with their four children: John Gabriel, 9; Evagrace, 6; Amelia, 3 and 3 month old Simon. The family has a 2 cats named George and Trey.
Christina is also a licensed associate mental health counselor with a Master’s Degree in counseling. When she’s not working, she enjoys gardening in her aeroponic gardens, which use no dirt and far less water than traditional gardens! She has a passion for both nutrition and preventative health for the two legged and four legged members of her family!

Courtney was born and raised on a farm in Yuma, Arizona and grew up with creatures of all shapes and sizes. Ever since she was a little girl, she’s been passionate about the health and well-being of our animal friends. Courtney simply can’t imagine doing anything else—she’s been working in the veterinary field for her entire career! Now, she is thrilled to continue her journey as a Senior Veterinary Technician here at Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center.

Courtney was only 15 years old when she signed on at a local pet clinic, and was trained on-the-job to become a Veterinary Technician. When she wasn’t helping the doctors there with small animals, she was helping the team assist with local zoos and wildlife rescues around the state—Courtney worked with everything from rhinos and wolves to lions and bears!

Courtney continued working with her first practice until January of 2017, when she moved on to help open the OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale. While she loved the work, being on call at all hours and serving as the sole Technician started to take a toll. Courtney decided to transition back into small-animal care, and she was thrilled to join the team here at Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center in October of 2019. Medically, she’s fond of ultrasound work and is also interested in surgery and anesthesia. Most of all, Courtney loves to meet new pet owners and their adorable companions every day.

Away from work, Courtney remains active in horse showing, something she’s done professionally all over the world for most of her life. She’s even competed in Grand Prix show jumping and has won awards with many incredible horses over the years. At home, Courtney and her boyfriend share their lives with several pets: a pair of Dachshunds named Polo and Diesel, Weezy F. the longhaired cat, a Leopard tortoise named Cleo, a peach-faced Lovebird who goes by Paco, and Otis the banana-belly ball python.

Christina always felt a deep sense of sadness and anger whenever she witnessed animals suffering at the hands of other people. That’s why she decided to do something about it—Christina joined the veterinary profession in order to better the lives of as many pets as she possibly could! Now, she’s a Veterinary Technician and gets to use her skillset to help animals every day.

Christina grew up in Southern California before her parents moved her and her brother to southeastern Arizona. She attended the PIMA Medical Institute in Tucson to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician, then worked in emergency medicine for three years in the city before relocating to Scottsdale. In the early summer of 2018, Christina joined the team here at Raintree Pet Resort + Medical Center, and she’s been tending to the needs of the area’s pets ever since.

Medically, Christina is interested in X-ray and ultrasound work, as it allows her to see exactly what’s going on with a patient for a quick, effective diagnosis. She’s also fond of the rewarding nature of surgical work. Most of all, Christina loves to meet new pet owners and their adorable companions on a daily basis!

When she’s not here at the clinic, Christina can be found racing and working on all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, and trucks; attending concerts; camping; or spending time with her own pets at home.

Shannon grew up in Phoenix as an only child, and she adored the company of the many family pets. As she got a little older, she began to develop interests in biology, anatomy, and medicine. What better way for Shannon to combine her scientific fascinations with her love of animals than by working in the world of veterinary care? Now, she’s proud to serve as a member of Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center’s Veterinary Technician team!

Shannon received her initial training in veterinary medicine at the Humane Society, where she worked for many years. After transitioning into general practice, she realized that she had found her true calling—Shannon has been helping pets and their loving owners in that capacity ever since. She joined the Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center team in May of 2019, bringing with her special medical interests in cardiology and radiology. She’s always amazed by how many answers can come from a single X-ray!

Much of Shannon’s free time is spent accompanying her kids to dance classes, sports practice and games, and other extracurricular activities. She and her husband, Jimmy, have two young children and also share their home with a number of pets: Daisy, a Chihuahua who was rescued by Shannon at her previous place of employment; a cat who goes by Spotty Stripes McQueen Twilight Sparkle Cat (named by Shannon’s children); and Herman the loveable bearded dragon.

Bio coming soon!

Emily grew up alongside dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, parakeets, and more. She often took on the responsibility of feeding, walking, and caring for the family pets, and that passion simply never quit. The older she got, the more Emily knew that she wanted to advocate for the health and well-being of all the pets that she possibly could. That’s why she decided to become a veterinary professional!

Emily is from Phoenix and first started her animal-care journey by volunteering at local shelters. She started working at a pet store during college, then became a Veterinary Technician in Tucson while completing her veterinary science degree at the University of Arizona. Next, Emily came across an opening here at Raintree Pet Resort and Medical Center, and was thrilled to join the hospital family in August of 2019 as a Veterinary Assistant.

Around the clinic, Emily likes monitoring pets during surgeries, and she’s also fond of new puppy exams, client education, and exotic pet care. Her favorite part of every shift, though, is getting to meet new pet owners and their loveable companions face-to-face.

Emily’s interests outside of work include singing and playing the piano, traveling—she’s been to Spain, Portugal, Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and more!—and caring for her own pets at home. She and her family share their lives with Roxy, a sassy but lovable Miniature Dachshund; a high-energy Pitbull named Jacob; Lassie the playful Miniature Poodle; Lassie’s son, Indi; and a chatty and hungry tuxedo cat named Meow-Meow.