Our Team

Dr. Jose Guerrero Cota

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology

Dr. Guerrero Cota was born and raised in Long Beach California. He graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2018 and completed a rotating internship at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Guerrero Cota then returned to UC Davis and completed a residency program in Diagnostic Imaging, achieving board certification in 2022. The year following board certification Dr. Guerrero Cota stayed on at UC Davis, participating in resident training and providing care as a radiologist, as well as working as a teleradiologist and providing mobile ultrasound services in the Bay Area. Dr. Guerrero Cota is excited to expand his practice as an in-house radiologist for PETS.

Dr. Guerrero Cota enjoys museums, gardening, expanding his knowledge of indigenous art/culture, neurophysiology, and psychology, and spending time with his wife (GG Comet), two cats (Ellie, and Hobbs), and dog (Jake).

Dr. Amy Allen

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Dr. Amy Allen is the owner of Animal Internal Medicine, Mobile Endoscopy, which provides mobile endoscopy for cats and dogs.

Dr. Allen received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from UC Davis. She completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Allen performs in-house endoscopic procedures, which include foreign body retrieval and biopsies or sampling from upper and lower GI, rhinoscopy, nasopharyngoscopy, laryngoscopy, bronchoscopy, vaginoscopy, and cystoscopy. As a board-certified internist, she is also available to consult on a number of different types of cases. Dr. Allen can be found spending time with her family in the North Bay and loves to play soccer and travel.

Dr. Molly Gleeson

Diplomate, American College of Zoological Medicine

Dr. Molly Gleeson is a board-certified specialist in Zoological Companion Animal Medicine. She graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. From there, she completed a small animal rotating internship in Mesa, Arizona, and then an exotics specialty internship at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, Texas. She completed her Zoological Companion Animal Medicine & Surgery Residency at UC Davis and became board-certified with the American College of Zoological Medicine in 2019. After practicing for the last 4 years in Southern California, she has moved back to the bay to expand the available care for exotic pet patients and collaborate with veterinarians in the area. When not at work, Dr. Gleeson is often at home with her two cats and two guinea pigs.

We aim to provide high-level medicine and patient care for your furry, feathered and scaled family members. We see primary cases and will also work with your primary veterinarian to provide comprehensive care. This includes referrals for advanced diagnostics, dental procedures, surgery, and ongoing hospitalization.

As this service is new to PETS, we are still working to bring in all our equipment, so please bear with us as there are certain cases/procedures we are not yet able to accommodate.

Currently, we accept appointments for all small mammals, parrots, backyard poultry, and most reptiles and amphibians. This includes:

• Rabbits
• Guinea pigs
• Chinchillas
• Small rodents (hamsters, rats, mice, gerbils, degus)
• Hedgehogs
• Ferrets
• Sugar gliders
• All sizes of parrots
• Songbirds
• Chickens
• Ducks, geese, swans
• Pigeons, doves
• Snakes
• Turtles/tortoises
• Lizards/geckos
• Frogs

If your pet is not listed, please call to determine if we can accommodate you. Our ability to see aquatic species (fish, axolotls) will increase soon!

If you feel your pet is having an emergency, please call the emergency department to determine if and when your pet can be seen prior to filling out an online request. The emergency department can accommodate mammal patients when Dr. Gleeson is not onsite but can only see reptiles/birds on a limited basis.

Dr. Mitzi Zarfoss

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology

Dr. Mitzi Zarfoss grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from Dartmouth College cum laude in 2000. She developed an interest in ophthalmology while studying for her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Cornell University (2000-2004). She proceeded to the University of Missouri to complete a small animal internship. Dr. Zarfoss was invited to spend the next year studying the pathology of animal eyes (autopsies of the eye) at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in order to understand animal eye disease more fully. She then completed a clinical ophthalmology internship at the Angell Animal Medical Center in Massachusetts. Dr. Zarfoss was subsequently accepted into a three-year residency in Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and completed a concurrent Master’s Degree. She became board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists in 2010. Dr. Zarfoss enjoys teaching, lecturing, and collaborating with other ophthalmologists to contribute to ongoing research and stay current in her knowledge. Dr. Zarfoss strives to develop quality relationships and communicate effectively with clients and veterinarians in order to provide the best possible care to patients. Dr. Zarfoss is happily married with a son born in May 2014. Dr. Zarfoss has an Australian/German Shepherd (Sally) who herds her son and a beloved cat (Hattie) adopted in 2020. Hattie was brought to Dr. Zarfoss to evaluate if her very diseased eyes could be saved. They could not, but Hattie’s resilience and tolerance inspire the whole family every day. Dr. Zarfoss enjoys cooking for her friends and family, birdwatching, hiking and biking with her family, and lounging under her cat.

Dr. LaTisha Knight

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology

Dr. Knight completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, and then earned her doctorate in veterinary medicine at Purdue University in 2011. She completed a small animal rotating internship at Iowa State University and then returned to Purdue to complete her residency in Comparative Ophthalmology in July 2015. Concurrent with her residency, Dr. Knight completed a Master’s of Science degree exploring the use of high-frequency ultrasound for the detection of uveal cysts in dogs. Since graduating Dr. Knight has worked in private practice and academic settings, most recently at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She served as a clinical assistant professor in the department of ophthalmology which has resulted in a newfound interest in veterinary medical education. During her spare time, Dr. Knight enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and trying new foods.

Dr. Caroline Murray

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Oncology

Dr. Caroline Murray grew up on the East Coast where she earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Maryland (go Terps!). She moved to California in 2014 for veterinary school at UC Davis and fell in love with the West Coast for the next four years. After graduating, she trekked cross country for her rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania. Then, she happily returned to UC Davis where she completed her residency in Medical Oncology. During her residency, she published her research on canine pulmonary histiocytic sarcoma – she continues to have a passion for round-cell tumors and research. Dr. Murray became board-certified in 2022 and she is excited to continue helping patients and owners at PETS.

When she is not in the office, Dr. Murray enjoys spending time with her husband (Matt) and two dogs (Duke and Cassi) – you can usually find her at Lake Tahoe or in one of the local national parks on her days off. She enjoys hiking, camping, and breathing fresh mountain air!

Dr. Kim Shaffer

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Oncology

Dr. Kim Shaffer grew up in Davis, California, and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from UC San Diego. She attended veterinary school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, achieving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2013. She became particularly interested in oncology during veterinary school, working as a technician for the oncology service at the UW-Madison Veterinary Hospital. She then completed a 1-year small animal rotating internship at VCA Veterinary Care in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Â She returned to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for a residency in oncology and became board-certified in medical oncology by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2017.

Dr. Shaffer shares her life with her husband, Mike, their rescue dog, Mango, and two-spirited (ie. naughty) black and white cats, Sprout and Coconut. She has taken advantage of the outdoor activities she missed in the midwest, swimming most mornings with US Masters Swimming, hiking, and walking the dog, and has recently picked up cycling (preferably the more flat areas of the bay!) with her husband.

Dr. Cecile Siedlecki

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Oncology

Dr. Cecile Siedlecki received her B.S. in Chemistry and worked as a chemist in the aerospace industry before returning to school to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian. This combined her love of science and the human-animal bond.

She graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine receiving numerous academic rewards. After 5 years in general practice, she returned to UC Davis to complete a residency in Medical Oncology.

Dr. Siedlecki understands the worry and concerns that her clients have. Because of this, she spends the time needed to explain their pet’s disease and treatment options, all while taking great joy in being able to provide her patients with a high quality of life.

She finds Oncology extremely rewarding because of the rapport that develops between her clients and herself throughout treatment and is especially passionate about treating lymphoma due to its responsiveness to chemotherapy.

Dr. Siedlecki and her wife Dr. Marie-Anne Woolley, share their home with their dogs Cricket and Tortue.

Dr. John Moser

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. John Moser grew up in Huntsville, AL, and received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University in 2010. He completed a small animal rotating internship the following year in Waltham, MA. In addition, Dr. Moser completed specialized internships in surgery both in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Columbia, South Carolina.

​His passion for surgery and continued commitment to outstanding animal care led him to pursue a surgical residency in a private specialty practice in Melbourne, Florida. Dr. Moser completed his surgical training in July 2016 and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2018. He contributed to the advancement of the veterinary medical field through scientific journal publications and presentations at the Brevard County Veterinary Medical Association and Veterinary Orthopedic Society Conference. Furthermore, Dr. Moser is pleased to share his knowledge and support the local

veterinary community. Dr. Moser is experienced in a broad range of orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries including TPLO, fracture repair, luxating patella repair, emergency surgeries, and cancer surgery. Dr. Moser has special experience in ureteral, urethral, and tracheal stent placement; flexible endoscopy; laparoscopy; thoracoscopy; and arthroscopy.

​Dr. John Moser enjoys spending time with his family: his wonderful wife Natasha and loyal canine companion Clara. His hobbies include surfing, reading, and cooking.

Dr. Lauren Meltzer

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

I grew up in Los Gatos, California, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Washington University in St. Louis. I attended veterinary school at Purdue University and earned my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. I went on to complete a small animal rotating internship at Iowa State University. Following my internship, I spent three years in a small animal general practice in Northern Indiana. It was during that time that I developed a passion for surgery. I went on to complete multiple small animal surgery internships in Texas, Maryland, Colorado, and Maryland. I completed my small animal surgery residency at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Southfield, Michigan.

I am extremely happy to be back in the Bay Area after so many years away. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, cooking, reading, and spending time with my husband and our two cats.

Meagan Hines, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

Meagan grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, and moved to Colorado in 1998. She received her B.A. in Sociology from CU Boulder. She earned her Master’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University. She also became certified in veterinary medical acupuncture while at CSU. After vet school, Meagan completed a specialty internship in emergency and critical care in Milwaukee, WI, and then moved to the Bay Area. She has a special interest in pain management, critical care stabilization, and managing ongoing care for patients in the ICU. Meagan has lived in the Galapagos Islands working with giant tortoises and has traveled throughout Southeast Asia working with gibbons and elephants. She enjoys being active outdoors (especially near the ocean), traveling, and socializing and has a soft spot for flat-faced animals.

Jessica Jennings, DVM

Medical Director

Dr. Jessica Jennings is a California native who grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She went to UC Davis majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. She graduated from Western University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010. Afterward, she continued her training in a rotating small animal internship in Walnut Creek, CA. Due to a love of learning, she completed two years of an Emergency and Critical Care Residency (ACVECC) before deciding to follow her true passion of Emergency Medicine. She joined the PETS team in 2013, initially as a relief, then full-time in 2015. Four years later, she stepped into the role of Medical Director.

When not at the hospital, she enjoys reading, running, hot yoga, sailing, and camping. Her busy family includes one husband, two children, two dogs, six chickens, and one tarantula.

Mike Barlia, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Mike Barlia is the Hospital Director for the PETS Referral Center. Mike completed both his undergraduate degree in physiology (‘97) and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree (‘01) at UC Davis. Following graduation, he completed an internship specifically in emergency medicine and critical care under the guidance of a critical care specialist at the Pet Emergency Specialty Center of La Mesa (San Diego), where he stayed on board for an additional 2 years prior to moving back to Northern California in 2004 to join the PETS team as a partner. Mike has always had a strong interest in emergency medicine and critical care and has practiced exclusively since graduation. Outside of the ER, Mike has a special interest in veterinary informatics, specifically the use of computer technology for the advancement of education, research, and communication between specialists, clients, and referring veterinarians. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, hiking, travel, and photography. He lives in Oakland with his wife Kara (also a veterinarian) and their two dogs, Zinnia and Annie, along with their small herd of cats.

Kathy Lee, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Kathy Lee graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and completed an internship in small animal emergency medicine and surgery in San Diego. Although she currently practices mostly emergency medicine, she’s also received certifications in acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine herbology, and food medicine from Chi University. Dr. Lee shares her life and home with her partner, children, dog, and chickens. Outside work, she enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, yoga, snowboarding, and knitting.

Tiana Jarvis, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

Tiana Jarvis was born and raised in the California Bay Area. She attended the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and then completed a year-long rotating internship at East Bay Veterinary Specialists and Emergency, where she kindled a passion for emergency medicine.

Her interests include multi-modal pain management, trauma and wound care, and hospice care.

She is currently pursuing certification in veterinary acupuncture and, when not in the clinic, can usually be found reading, in the garden, or exploring the East Bay trails with her husband and dog (the cats prefer to stay indoors).

Thomas Michal, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Thomas Michal was born in central North Carolina and grew up around Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated from North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018 with a focus on pathology, but clinical practice was calling him. After graduation, he pursued an emergency and surgery-focused internship at Encina Veterinary Hospital in Walnut Creek. Since completing his internship, he has been working as an emergency clinician at PETS. In his spare time, Dr. Michal enjoys biking around the East Bay and spending time with his pit bull-mix Hank and cat Alan.

Amanda Mamo, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

Ever since I can remember, I have had a strong passion for working with animals. I pursued my interest by completing a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biology at the University of Windsor back home in Canada. During my degree, I worked as a research assistant in a conservation ecology laboratory. I loved contributing to wildlife preservation. However, I strongly loved medicine and wanted to pursue my Veterinary dream.

I decided to attend Veterinary school in Australia, where I would have the opportunity to work with exotic wildlife. Through my University of Melbourne connections, I found work in Napa in General Practice for several years before making the move to Emergency Medicine. I spend my days off hiking and camping throughout California!

Stephanie Burr, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Stephanie Burr grew up in the Bay Area, California. She attended the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she completed a year-long emergency and surgery-focused rotating internship at VCA Encina and East Bay Veterinary Emergency. When not working at the clinic, Dr. Burr spends her time doing yoga, spinning, traveling, and spending time with her cat Lily and chocolate lab Rusty.

Lillian Gilbert, DVM

Emergency and Critical Care

I grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. I attended Delaware Valley University and received a Bachelor’s in Science with a Pre-Veterinary Specialization. I then attended St. Georges University in Grenada, West Indies, for three years and completed my final year at Texas A&M. After graduating in 2022 I continued my education in a small animal rotating internship in Dublin, CA.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, traveling as much as possible, gardening, and constantly redecorating the house. At home, my partner and I have one dog (Ranger) and three cats (Ozzie, Arthur, and Valor), with more to come in the future!

Marcus Dela Cruz

Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Marcus Dela Cruz joined PETS Referral Center as an emergency veterinarian in 2022. He grew up in Sacramento, CA, and attended Sonoma State University, where he earned a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He then went on to graduate from Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018.

What Dr. Dela Cruz enjoys most about veterinary medicine is being a voice for the voiceless and working to improve the human-animal bond. At the start of 2021, he started a blog with the goal of being a resource for pet owners, providing helpful information and advice related to veterinary medicine. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and his goal is to be a transparent and reliable source of information for pet parents looking to do the best for their pets.

On his days off, he loves exploring the Bay Area with his wife, Allyson, and their Labrador Retriever, Charlie.

Dr. Nate Kane

Emergency and Critical Care

Dr. Kane was born and raised in Oakland, CA. He received his BS in Physiology from CU Boulder in 2008 and DVM with Honors from Colorado State University in 2013. Following graduation, he returned home to Oakland to serve the local community and has been here since. The majority of his career has taken place in emergency rooms, starting as a receptionist in 2008. During veterinary school, he pursued research in avian medicine, later spending the first several years in practice as an avian veterinarian. Since then, he has been focused on critical care and considers the ER a home away from home.

​Professional interests include medical ethics, communication, and optimizing the human-animal bond – all unique for each patient and family.

Outside work, he enjoys gardening, cooking, art, exercising, and live music.