Dr. Claire Ainsworth grew up in Lamont, Alberta, a small town not unlike Mayerthorpe.  Following in her dad’s footsteps…Claire always knew she would grow up to be a Veterinarian, and that mixed animal practice would be her focus.  She graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005 and came to practice in Mayerthorpe that year.  It was here that Claire met her now husband Grant, with whom she has two boys, Carson and Jace.  In 2011 she, along with Janelle became owners of the practice. Since then she has strived to bring more advanced veterinary care to our rural community such as TPLO’s and fracture repair.   

Dr. Janelle Gauthier, a Saskatchewan native from Birch Hills, graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon in 2006. She moved to Mayerthorpe shortly after and in 2011 became a practice owner along with Claire. She takes great pride in providing exemplary veterinary care to our rural community, whether it be personalized herd level care to our livestock producers, performing advanced orthopedic procedures on dogs and cats, and even integrating new therapies such as acupuncture. If she's not in the clinic, Janelle's probably out gardening or attempting to break the giant pumpkin record with her husband Cory, and two boys, Jack and Charlie. 

Dr. Sarah Wahlert graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013 at which time she moved to Canada to join our practice. In October 2023 Sarah became a partner in the practice. Born and raised in Idaho and Montana, Sarah feels right at home in a small community like Mayerthorpe. Her areas of special interest are soft tissue surgery, equine and small animal dentistry, small ruminant herd health, camelid medicine, and even the occasional reptile or pet bird. To recharge, Sarah enjoys camping, paddle boarding, and traveling to new places with her dog, Tucker. 

Carmen Astle is our head RVT and has been a vital part of our team since graduating from NAIT in 2010. Born and raised in Whitecourt, Carmen has a special place in her heart for our clients and their pets. Her knowledge and enthusiasm for patient care and client education elevates the client experience to new levels. It’s rare to find a gem like her. She dedicates herself fully to ensuring that all your questions and concerns are addressed, and that your pet receives the best care possible (even coming into the clinic late at night to ensure your pet is tucked in). When not at work, she is a proud and dedicated aunt to her nephews SeVIIen and Nathan; and mom to her critters Fenton, Jitters, and Muffin.  

Madison graduated from NAIT in 2019 and joined our team shortly after. She thrives in emergency situations and particularly loves working with birds and fractious cats. Her love of all living things (except spiders) is evident in her work as well as home life where she has chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats, and a bountiful garden. Maddy's ability to prepare a meal that is fully homegrown is to be envied. 

Jordyn lived in Mayerthorpe for 14 years before relocating to Whitecourt with her family in summer of 2022. She graduated from the Animal Health Technology program at NAIT in 2021 and became part of the Hilltop team in March of 2023. Jordyn loves being a RVT, especially assisting on small animal surgeries and dental procedures.  Outside of work, Jordyn works some more! She is a proud small business owner making unique hand-stamped pet ID tags. Her hobbies include camping, hiking, paddle boarding, spending time with her family and 4 rescue pets (dogs Ruka and Azura; cats Raja and Akaya), taking photos of her dogs, and exploring the mountains. 

Karen Disney has been part of the veterinary community for many years and joined our team as a receptionist in 2018.  Born and raised in Whitecourt, Karen is the one who seemingly has a connection with every client, even before they step through the doors!  Karen describes herself as someone who likes dry humour and dry wine, along with sunshine and good conversation. She is the proud mom of two kids, Myles and Daryn, and her dog Lynryd. 

Autumn was born in Wainwright, AB and moved to Whitecourt when she was four. She joined our team in January 2022 and quickly found her place amongst our quirky clinic family. Autumn, her dog Bentlee (aka her son) and her husband Tyler Brandt love spending time outdoors camping, fishing, hunting, spending time with family and friends. 

N.B. is from the streets of Whitecourt. Carmen brought her to the clinic to remain warm and fed until a suitable home could be found. Instead of being adopted, she stole our hearts and has made herself right at home. She particularly enjoys meeting and greeting our canine patients with fluffy tails, or keeping them company during recovery from surgery.