Dr. Thomas Collins was born in Washington, DC, and raised in Northern Virginia. He graduated from Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. He completed an internship in small animal internal medicine, surgery, and emergency medicine at South Paws Veterinary Referral Center in Fairfax, Virginia, in 2000. Dr. Collins has been practicing veterinary medicine in Northern Virginia since 1999 and at Ballston Animal Hospital since 2003. He purchased the hospital from the previous owner in 2006. Dr. Collins currently lives in Arlington with his wife, two daughters, and a cat named Pip who is a local rescue [citation].