By Lauri Lee
Northside Business Association

Erica Olsen, DVM, is the newest veterinarian at Northside Animal Hospital, 1002 N. Sherman Ave., since November 2019. For the past 11 years, Olsen specialized with small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and rats at an animal hospital in Fitchburg. 

“It’s a privilege to work with Dr. June Brooks and other staff at Northside Animal Hospital. I’m caring for the medical needs of cats and dogs, and get to know the medical history and establish a bond with the pet. By establishing an ongoing relationship with the pet’s owner when the pet is young, it means we can work as a team to help keep them as healthy as possible, for as long as possible,” said Olsen. “Due to the variety of breeds brought into the clinic, I treat something new and different each day.” 

When young, Olsen visited a pet store near where she lived, and it opened her eyes to what was possible for working with pets as a career. She attained her Bachelor of Science in Zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign.

Olsen has two pets at home. Max is a 15-year-old cat and Olsen recently got a 12-week-old puppy, Lucy, for her 4-and-a-half year old son, Ben. He also loves animals, so she looks forward to him job shadowing her to see what a pet career is all about.