Dr. Ashley Pooch’s life has always involved animals. She grew up in Wilmington and spent her childhood trying to befriend the stray kittens in her neighborhood and attempting to teach her family’s stubborn Heeler mix to jump over homemade obstacles with the hope that someday he would be an agility champion. It’s only natural she wanted to be a small animal veterinarian for as long as she can remember... Dr. Pooch got her bachelor’s degree in zoology with a pre-veterinary concentration from Auburn University (War Eagle!). While there, she gained experience with a wide variety of creatures by volunteering at the humane society, Southeastern Raptor Center, and the Auburn vet school’s Equine Reproduction Unit. During her undergraduate years, she spent a summer studying abroad at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland. From there, Dr. Pooch went on to obtain her doctorate of veterinary medicine from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. Her clinical year included externships at a cat-only clinic in Sacramento, a small animal general practice in Kailua, O’ahu, and the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus in San Rafael. Her clinical interests include feline medicine, behavior, and dermatology.... She also loves interacting with and building lasting relationships with her clients. Dr. Pooch lives in North Raleigh with her two extremely snuggly cats, Siegfried and Tristan. Her hobbies include swing dancing, writing, reading, cooking, baking, running, triking (like biking, but with one extra wheel!), exploring the Triangle, and traveling. She is very proud of her younger sister, who is a veterinary student at the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland