Dr. Catherine Cruz received her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. She later received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, in 2010. At UWO, she worked in research examining animal behavior in rodents and non-human primates. She continued her love for discovery at OVC, where she was involved in hoof biomechanics research in racehorses at Woodbine Racetrack. Research and discovery were always interesting to Dr. Cruz, but she found that working with people and helping pets was a more rewarding path. Dr. Cruz later moved back to London to become Medical Director at a corporate-owned clinical practice, but eventually moved back to her hometown of Stratford, Ontario, where she practiced at a private clinic for many years. Dr. Cruz and her family now live in Ridgefield, which mimics her small Canadian hometown. She is excited to be a part of the Ridgefield Veterinary Center team and prides herself in practicing practical yet effective medicine with a high standard of care. Dr. Cruz’s veterinary interests include dentistry and ultrasound. She also has a passion for preventative medicine and, overall, just loves to interact with pets and chat with their people. Dr. Cruz has a 3-legged cat named Peggy, a Labradoodle named Kona, and a horse named Dreik. Her hobbies include horseback riding, baking/decorating cakes, and reading, and she has recently started training in kempo karate.