Laurel Park Animal Hospital is a full-service, small animal veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical and dental care.
Our Core Values:
From the first interview in the hiring process to our regular staff meetings, our Core Values are defined and reinforced. These values guide our interactions with patients, clients and each other.
I ntegrity
C ompassion
A ccountabilty
R espect
E ducation
- We promise to place your pet’s health and safety above all other considerations.
- We promise to engage in open communication to assess the individual needs of your pet.
- We promise to help protect your pet against the most common dangerous diseases, using the best available technology.
- We promise to be proactive in evaluating and managing pain in our patients.
- We promise to constantly evaluate the most current information regarding disease prevention and healthcare for your pet.
Although our focus is on preventive medicine, our hospital is equipped with a wide range of diagnostic and treatment capabilities. From in-house Heska blood chemistry analyzers to x-ray, we are ready to meet our patients’ needs. When necessary, we work closely with local and regional Boarded Veterinary Specialists. Our hospital also includes patient-sized and friendly exam rooms, a well-stocked pharmacy, laser surgery suite, dental services station, a central recovery/hospitalization area for close monitoring and indoor boarding kennels with outdoor walking areas.
Jonathan Pernell, DVM
Dr. Pernell is a native of Western North Carolina and is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and minored in Chemistry. He went on to obtain his Veterinary Medical Degree from Mississippi State University, where he graduated with honors. As well as being a treating veterinarian, Dr. Pernell also spent several years on the Henderson County animal advisory committee, making recommendations for the shelter and for county ordinances. He also served on the managing board of REACH (now known as MedVet) for several years before it became privately owned. Dr. Pernell is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. He has worked closely with Community Partnership for Pets, Blue Ridge Humane Society, and the Henderson County shelter to aid sick pets that need adoption. In 2007, Dr. Pernell joined with Dr. Zehr to purchase Laurel Park Animal Hospital; eventually he purchased his partner’s shares to become the sole owner of the hospital. He has special clinical interests in ophthalmology, cardiology and dermatology in dogs and cats. Dr. Pernell is married and he and his wife, Michelle, live in Hendersonville with their children, dog Joey, and one fish. Dr. Pernell also enjoys attempting to play golf, any type of fishing, and spending time at the beach with his family.
Lil Herron, DVM
Dr. Herron has a combined experience of 23 years. She was a certified veterinary technician and ultimately decided to earn her doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University in 2008. Dr. Herron lives in Hendersonville with her cat, Francis and a King Charlies Cavalier mix, Ramona. She volunteers regularly at the Blue Ridge Humane Society. Her specialties are emergency medicine, specialty care, palliative and hospice veterinary care.
Valerie - Office Manager
Valerie is a Florida transplant and moved here with her husband, John, and their German Shepherd, Cindy. They had been frequent visitors to the Hendersonville area for many years and heard the mountains calling! Although Valerie is new to the field of veterinary care, she brings with her a true love of animals and many years of clerical, customer service and managerial experience. She looks forward to this new and challenging chapter in her life and to helping the clients and patients of Laurel Park Animal Hospital!
Loretta - Client Relations
Loretta studied at Blue Ridge Community College and received an office-administration/medical office diploma. Loretta is a mother of two boys, Nicholas and Bentley and one daughter Elizabeth. She has two dogs, Duke and Sadie, and a cat named Chester. She enjoys spending her free time with her children and family.
Karen - Client Relations
Karen is native to Asheville, NC. She has been in the veterinary field since 2005. She has an Associate in Science degree from AB-Tech. Karen lives with 2 Pomeranians, Niko and Kylo, some cats and a few other furry and feathered friends. For fun, Karen loves going to the beach and spending time with family.
Meghan - Registered Veterinary Technician
Meghan graduated from AB-Tech in 2013 and spent four years working as a vet tech in Pennsylvania. It didn’t take her long to realize that she missed the mountains and friendly Appalachians too much and found her way back to NC a few months ago. Meghan loves helping people care for their pets. She has a passion for providing client education and sharing tips and tricks with pet owners. In her free time she enjoys, hiking, bowling and going to the movies with friends. She is also exploring the possibility of writing a book of short stories. We are very excited that Meghan has joined the LPAH family!
Joey Bear
Joey is a Labradoodle. He loves long car rides with the windows down, eating treats and getting belly rubs. Joey lives with Dr. Pernell and can be seen in the office daily. Most days at the hospital he can be seen greeting clients, welcoming the pets, and taking long naps. He also has an important role of being a blood donor dog when needed.