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About us

Veterinary medicine, the way we wished it was.

DNA Vetcare opened in 2019 with a small team and a big rule: every appointment is long enough to actually listen. That rule still runs the place. We treat dogs, cats, and exotic pets with the calm, unhurried care we'd want for our own animals — and most of us have brought our own animals here too.

DNA Vetcare lobby

Our facility

Two cat-only exam rooms with pheromone diffusers, a quiet "fearful pet" room with a separate entrance, four general-practice rooms, a digital dental suite, and a surgical theater designed by Dr. Rivera with multimodal pain management built into the workflow. Plenty of light. Reasonable music.

Our team

The people behind the care.

Dr. Amelia Chen, DVM, Lead Veterinarian

Dr. Amelia Chen

DVM, Lead Veterinarian

Amelia founded DNA Vetcare in 2019 after a decade of small-animal practice across Portland and Seattle. Her clinical interest is dental and dermatology, and she shares her home with two cats (Mochi and Pepper) and a slow-blinking goldfish named Steve.

  • DVM, Oregon State 2009
  • AVDC Dental Fellow
Dr. Marcus Rivera, DVM, Surgical Lead

Dr. Marcus Rivera

DVM, Surgical Lead

Marcus came to DNA from a busy referral surgical practice. He performs the majority of our soft-tissue surgeries and runs our pain-management protocols. Outside the clinic he trail-runs with his rescue, a wiry mutt named Pickle.

  • DVM, UC Davis 2014
  • Member, ACVS
Dr. Priya Shah, DVM, Wellness & Preventive Care

Dr. Priya Shah

DVM, Wellness & Preventive Care

Priya leads our wellness program and exotics consults. Her exam-room style is unhurried and unflappable, which is to say she's the vet you want when your cat decides today is the day to be Difficult. Bunnies (her own and yours) hold a special place in her heart.

  • DVM, Cornell 2017
Dr. Ben Okafor, Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Ben Okafor

Associate Veterinarian

Ben joined the team in 2024 after a year of internship at a teaching hospital. He has a soft spot for senior dogs and a knack for explaining complex diagnoses in language pet parents actually use. He bakes sourdough on his days off and brings the failures to the staff room.

  • DVM, Washington State 2023

Our promise

Every patient gets the time they need. Every owner gets a plain-language explanation. Every estimate is honest, and every plan is yours to approve before we do it.

Ready to meet our team?

Book a wellness exam, dental visit, or just a hello.

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