Twenty-six-year-old Dan VanderMay focused with Zen-like concentration as he finished spaying a cat. For a moment, he removed his surgical mask, revealing young features exuding small-town charm.
VanderMay, Jobs Peak Veterinary Hospital's new doctor, grew up in Winnemucca with animals of all sorts.
"I was exposed to a lot of this stuff growing up," said VanderMay.
In high school, VanderMay worked for different veterinarians in Winnemucca learning about animal care.
"It seemed like a challenging thing to do," he said.
He later earned a bachelor's in animal science from University of Nevada, Reno, then a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Oregon State University.
VanderMay and his wife, Erin VanderMay from Reno, moved to the Valley a few months ago for what VanderMay said was his first paying job.
"I have a lot of nice clients here," VanderMay said, later clarifying that he was talking about the owners of his patients not the animals themselves, although he did say he enjoys working with the wide variety of animals found in Carson Valley. "It's something new every day."
