Staff

Dr. Tish Starr was born in Texas and raised in rural Nebraska and Nevada. She learned early to appreciate the land and animals in those farming communities. When she was a kid her parents decided to breed and raise golden retriever field dogs. This was just one of her life’s events that inspired her to work with animals when she grew up. She has been an equestrian since she was about 10 years old and is still an avid rider. After graduating from Carson High School she completed her BA in biology at San Francisco State University while supporting herself by working as a veterinary technician. She then went on to study veterinary medicine and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis graduating in the same class of 1988 with Dr Rod Gilger.

Dr. Amanda Pierce was raised on the central coast with the blessing of many pets surrounding her. Whether playing tag with the neighborhood kids and her dog Katie or going for long rides with her friends and horses, animals were always the center of her activities.

Determined to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, Dr. Pierce moved to Davis, California and earned a B.S. in Animal Biology before completing her DVM at UC Davis as well. Whether it be a small or large animal, Dr. Pierce is excited to see them all.

Dr. Joe Gachowski is a 1989 graduate of UC Davis. Dr Joe was raised on a farm in a rural upstate New York community. This is where he developed his love for animals and desire to help them. He was often asked to look at family and neighbors small animals that needed help as the veterinarians there were often just used to look at livestock. After graduating from Clarkson University with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Dr Joe enjoyed a brief successful career in that field. He then decided it was now or never to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian.