Business Spotlight: Lake Region Animal Hospital

Providing full scale and professional veterinary services since 1976, Lake Region Animal Hospital,
located at 554 Roosevelt Trail, is still going strong and growing with one celebratory change to announce. Dr. Doug Griffin, who has owned and operated the clinic for the past 43 years, has recently retired and handed the reins of ownership to Dr. Andrine Belliveau to continue the expert and compassionate care to our four-legged friends. Dr. Belliveau purchased the clinic on November 27, 2019.

Dr. Belliveau, who grew up in Bolton, MA knew from a very early age that working with animals was her calling. “I grew up on a farm and I loved being around and taking care of the animals,” Dr. Belliveau began. “As I got older, I was involved in 4H, working with our goats and sheep. At the age of 15, I started as a kennel assistant at a clinic in Lancaster, MA, eventually working as a veterinary technician until I was 25 during school breaks and summer months.”

Dr. Belliveau received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science at Cornell University within three years and went on to obtain a DVM degree from Tufts University in 2011. For one year after graduation, she worked at a small-animal clinic in upstate New York.

Wanting to be closer to her family, Dr. Belliveau moved to Maine and began working at Lake Region Animal Hospital in 2012.  A few years later, she transitioned to emergency medicine.  “I have seen almost every situation imaginable,” she explained. “The experience of working in an emergency vet clinic taught me many things that I wouldn’t have ordinarily seen if I had only worked in a general practice veterinary hospital. The experience exposed me to the depth and breadth of the many extraordinary situations that occur. This helped me expand my experiential knowledge I wouldn’t have otherwise gained. There are very few emergency situations I can’t handle now as a result.”

Although customers will no longer see the caring face of Dr. Griffin, they will continue to see all the other familiar, talented and friendly staff that have been a part of the Lake Region Animal Hospital Team for quite some time.

Dr. Andrine Belliveau with Chief Doggo, Bennett

In fact, many customers have expressed their loyalty and satisfaction. “I have been taking my animals to Lake Region Animal Hospital in Windham for over 15 years,” began Jinja Rosendahl. “I have been seeing Dr. Belliveau for my latest two dogs. While one of my dogs, would be happy with most people, my other dog is leery of most. He wears a muzzle into the office, both for his protection and for others. He has known Dr. Belliveau since I first adopted him at about three months of age. Dr. B has one of the techs take him out back and while they are treating him, they remove the muzzle and he is fine. For that seemingly simple act, I am forever grateful. I would highly recommend Dr. Belliveau for your pet’s needs [as well as] the entire staff at Lake Region Animal Hospital.”

Another customer, Julie Largay concurs. “My family has been taking our dogs to Lake Region Animal Hospital since at least the 1980's. The front desk staff is friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable.  We talk to Paula a lot and the techs are amazing and make you feel like your pet is their's.  I have known Leah for a number of years, and she is smart and dependable. A few years ago, we were paired with Dr. Seavey.  As our basset hound got older, we started seeing her more and more. She was always very honest with what his issues were, and she always gave us a few plans for care, in case one was too expensive. It was nice knowing that if we didn't want to pay a lot of money for a test, there was always another direction to take. Towards the end of our basset's life, she would email regularly to check in on him and even made a special trip to our house to drop off medication he needed. We have taken our pets to other vets now and then, but you cannot get the customer service, knowledge base or compassion that you get from the team at Lake Region Animal Hospital.”

You can expect the same great service by the same friendly faces. “Dr. Griffin owned this business for 43 years,” stated Dr. Belliveau. “He did a wonderful job and we are going to continue in this manner in his honor.”

For more information about Lake Region Animal Hospital, check out their website at www.lakeregionanimalhospital.com/ or call 207-892-7575.