New veterinarian in Dayton puts stock in checkups

Dr. Laura Moncrief is glad times have changed to where more pet owners bring their animals in for more than just shots.

"I like when people take good care of their animals and come in on a regular basis," she said. "Especially older animals that need monitoring more closely."

The newest veterinarian at Dayton Valley Veterinary Hospital on Enterprise Way said folks who take care of their animals help cut the heartbreak her job sometimes brings.

"When you want to help an animal and you cannot, because it's too late, or there are financial concerns," she said, "that's the hardest."

Euthanizing animals is hard, but realizing you are ending their suffering makes it easier, she said.

She said people who have older animals will keep them longer if they watch the pet's weight.

"It keeps them healthier over time and younger," she said.

Moncrief, 31, who hails from Berlin, Germany, and attended Free University in the German capital, joined the hospital staff on Feb. 1.

She got the Dayton job after responding to an ad the hospital's owner, Dr. Mary Minor, placed at a veterinary conference in Reno.

Being fairly new to the field, she said, she has not settled on a specialty and treats dogs and cats at Dayton Veterinary Hospital.

She has worked in Gardnerville, and also in Maine, where she worked with her husband, Scott, who is also a vet.

Working closely with both animals and owners is what Moncrief finds most satisfying about her profession, as well as the fact that "every day there is something new," she said.

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.