Dr. Dee Thornell
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Known to her patients as "Dr. Dee," she has called Alaska home since 1982. She earned her doctorate, cum laude, in 1981 from Michigan State University of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Dee is the owner of both Animal House Veterinary Hospital and Noah’s Ark. She treats every form of pet from small animals – to horses - to exotics; but has a special interest in Equine dentistry. Her first clinic was a mobile one, operating out of the back of a pick-up truck and doing business locally, as well as in Healy, Central, and Delta Junction. In 1996 she renovated and moved into her current location at 2702 Peger Road. The 11,000 square-foot facility now houses not only Animal House, but Noah’s Ark, Muttessori School for Dogs, and Rooster's Brew Deli & Bistro. Dr. Dee and her husband, Ken, share their home with 3 cats, 3 dogs, 5 horses, and a miniature donkey.
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Dr. Terry Wighs
It was June 21, 1974 when Terry Wighs, an eager young man fresh from graduating from the University of California, Davis, with a B.S. degree in Animal Science arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska. Perhaps a spiritual haunting, a "calling", to the north country brought him to the "Land of the Midnight Sun". It was to be a summer job, to work for the Institute of Arctic Biology, at the Reindeer Research Station in Cantwell, Alaska. This adventure turned into a permanent position that lasted until the spring of 1978.
In May of 1978, interests in a new path brought him to a new opportunity to work as a herdsman, for the UAF Agricultural Experimental Station, Animal Science Department. Most of us old timers and children, now grown adults, remember these times when cattle grazed on the hillside, and where two cows actually had "windows" (rumen fistulas) on their sides. Many toured the swine barn filled with hogs being raised indoors, and enjoyed a moment with "Mark", the Hereford bull, and carefully named steers, being fed experimental rations in the cattle barn. Other pursuits, also took him to rural areas, artificial inseminating cattle and horses for "Wighs Bros. Artificial Insemination Service".
Aviation had always been a passion, and before long, Terry became an Instrument Rated Commercial Pilot. After daily chores were done at day's end, he could be seen heading for the airport to fly his Cessna 170B toward the Alaskan Range.
As years passed, he was blessed with three children who could be often seen playing in the yard at the farm, and walking about the gardens. His oldest daughter Sarah, still remains in Fairbanks, working as a dental hygenist.
Terry left the experimental farm in August 1989, after being accepted into Veterinary School at Kansas State University, and graduated four years later, with a DVM degree in 1993.
After working for a small animal clinic in Salina, Kansas for 18 years, and after all the children had finished school and left the "nest", the longing to return home to the Golden Heartland has brought him back where he now takes on a new chapter, working at the Animal House Veterinary Hospital, as an associate Veterinarian.
Dr. Anne Williams
Dr. Anne Williams graduated from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011 where she specialized in large animals. She then headed to a Thoroughbred breeding farm in New Zealand to work the foaling season. After enjoying many wonderful foals and a few adventures, she returned to California. Shortly after, she and her husband, Travis, moved to Alaska. Travis was born and raised in Fairbanks and always longed to return home. Dr. Anne worked in Anchorage at Alaska Equine and Small Animal Hospital up until a few weeks before her daughter, Kailey, was born. After enjoying the winter with her daughter, Dr. Anne joined the team at Animal House to provide veterinary services to horses.
Horses have been her passion for many years. She earned her Bachelors of Science degree from UC Davis in Animal Science with an emphasis in Equine Industry. In her high school days, Dr. Anne rode dressage competitively, trained and showed her horse, Beau, up through fourth level. While Beau remained in California, her dog, Coco, and cat, Maya, made the journey with them up North. Dr. Anne loves horseback riding, hiking, jogging, reading, and fishing.
