Doctors

Dr. Pam Nichols earned her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Colorado State University in 1996. She opened Animal Care Center in West Bountiful, Utah, in 1999, and was awarded AAHA certification that year. The hospital won the Veterinary Economics Practice of Excellence in 2001. After earning her rehabilitation certification in 2004, Dr. Nichols opened the K-9 Rehab Center. She now divides her time between rehabilitation and general veterinary medicine. Dr. Nichols is a nationally recognized speaker on the importance of rehabilitation in veterinary medicine and was honored with the 2006 Spirit of the American Woman Business Owner of the Year award. She has a 13-year-old daughter, Elaine, and a multitude of dogs and horses.

Dr. Kara Tassone was born and raised in Ogden, Utah, where she attended Bonneville High School and Weber State University. She completed her DVM at St. George’s University in January 2007, and then spent her clinical year at the University of Illinois, where she developed a strong interest in dentistry, internal medicine, dermatology, and oncology.

During her education, Dr. Kara served on many councils and committees, including serving as the national president of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association. She currently serves on the UVMA state board and is president of the Northern Utah Veterinary Medical Association. Her motto has always been “lead to inspire,” because she believes that we should all take every opportunity to better the world around us—no matter what we are passionate about.

After completing her formal education, Dr. Kara spent a year in a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the Animal Referral and Emergency Center of Arizona. During this year, she was able to spend time with veterinary specialists in a variety of arenas, including radiology, surgery, emergency medicine, oncology, cardiology, and dermatology. She then worked as a relief emergency veterinarian in the Phoenix area before making her way back to Utah, where she fell in love with Animal Care Center and the greatest staff in the world.

Dr. Kara enjoys all of her canine and feline patients and she loves preventing problems as well as treating them. Along with dermatology, dentistry, hospice care, and internal medicine, she also has a very special spot in her heart for brachycephalic (short-faced) pets and all of their unique features and problems.

Kara is married to her veterinary classmate Dr. Michael Lemmon. They have a handsome, easy going Boston terrier puppy named Bosco, a sweet yet demonic pug named Ziva, a lovable problem child, boxer-bulldog mix named Gubaru, a senior citizen great dane, Dirk, and a sweet loving cat named Betty. Dr. Kara and her husband enjoy riding their motorcycles, hiking, camping, working in the yard, and doing anything that keeps them outside in the fresh air.

Dr. Kara is ecstatic to be a part of the Animal Care Center team, and is excited to work with you to take care of all of your pets’ health care needs.

Dr. Verona Scheurich graduated from Colorado State University in 2005, where she first developed a passion for acupuncture. This interest developed into a complex senior project that evaluated the clinical benefits of acupuncture in a patient with pulmonary cancer. She also worked with a variety of exotic animals and pets in every aspect of veterinary medicine, from internal medicine to anesthesiology, all of which she enjoyed.

Before moving to Utah, Dr. Verona worked in a very dynamic five-doctor practice in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, where she was able to focus a great deal of her time on acupuncture therapy. She also completed a Companion Animal Acupuncture Certification Program through Colorado State University that required more than 140 hours of formal training. As well as a love of this discipline, Verona also has a strong interest in feline medicine, internal medicine, and anesthesiology.

Verona lives in Sugarhouse with her beautiful and loving daughter, Frankie, whose smile is the light of her life. She also shares her life with a handsome little dog named Max that she acquired 17 years ago at the Belly Dance Festival in Liberty Park. She also has a cat named Boo, who was a stray kitty, originally found by one of Animal Care Center’s great clients. Boo then worked his way into Verona’s heart, life, and rocking chair.

Growing up in Sandy, Utah, with four siblings, Dr. Verona developed a love of being in the open air, which she maintains to this day. In her limited spare time, Verona enjoys spending time with her daughter, doing Yoga, hiking, biking, cross country skiing, and occasionally rock climbing.

Dr. Verona looks forward to meeting you and your pets on your next visit to the Animal Care Center.

Dr. Alissa Grover ("Dr. Ali") graduated Valedictorian of her class from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, where the chiropractic profession was founded. She completed an additional 220-hours of continuing education on animal chiropractic from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, Texas. She is a certified animal chiropractor by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA). Currently, Dr. Ali is one of only a handful of AVCA-certified doctors in the entire state of Utah, and is proud to be the only chiropractic physician to hold that title. Also a certified Reiki master, Dr. Ali enjoys using energy work and kinesiology testing in addition to chiropractic.

Dr. Ali did her internship at Noah’s Ark Chiropractic in Geneseo, Illinois, a unique human-and-animal chiropractic practice. There she trained with Dr. Shanie Cahill, one of the leading animal chiropractors in the field. Dr. Ali and her husband moved to Utah in the spring of 2013 and she has worked at the Animal Care Center ever since. Dr. Ali loves working with animals and being able to offer a holistic approach to healing. She feels right at home at the Animal Care Center, where traditional veterinary medicine and alternative therapies are used cooperatively based on the best needs of the patient.

Dr. Ali has an "alternate life" as a musician, and she has a Bachelor of Music from the University of Iowa in music performance and education. She taught public school band for one year before deciding to become an animal chiropractor. Highlights of her musical career include winning the Drum Corps International Championship with the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps in 2007 as a mellophone player, and playing her French horn with the Mannheim Steamroller Orchestra in 2011. Dr. Ali met her husband, Dr. Clint Grover (also a chiropractor and musician) while playing in the Quad City Community Symphony Orchestra together. They enjoy playing in a band with several of the other Animal Care Center employees, and can be heard at social events put on by the Animal Care Center and Utah Dog Park.

Although she misses her hometown of Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Ali loves the Mountain West and all of the outdoor activities that go along with it. Her and her husband enjoy going on hikes with their miniature schnauzers, Lily & Wiley.

Dr. Ali is living her dream by working with the wonderful veterinarians, staff, and patients at the Animal Care Center. She looks forward to meeting you and your pet the next time you come in to the clinic.

Dr. Lindsay was born and raised in a small town in Indiana. She attended Purdue University for both undergraduate and veterinary school. Following graduation from veterinary school in 2012, she was commissioned as a Captain in the United States Army and served for 4 years as a veterinarian. She traveled the world while serving her country, having been stationed in Texas, Tennessee and South Korea, also deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2013.

After her time in Korea, Dr. Lindsay and her spouse made a life changing move across the country to Salt Lake City Utah. They were drawn to the area after falling in love with the beautiful scenery and outdoor activities during previous vacations. Dr. Lindsay joined our practice in November 2015 and she is absolutely thrilled to be here.

Dr. Lindsay has a special interest in canine and feline preventative medicine, internal medicine, ophthalmology, and soft tissue surgery. She believes that every pet should be provided the highest quality of care in a compassionate and fear free environment. She is certified as a Fear Free veterinarian and would love to tell you more about it during your pet’s appointment!

Outside of work, Dr. Lindsay enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible whether she is running, hiking, skiing or camping with her husband and their 7 year old Shepherd Mix, Gibson. She has also been known to enjoy a great book and working in her garden.

Dr. Lindsay treasures her relationships with clients and their furry family members and is looking forward to building very strong relationships with her clients at Animal Care Center. She is very excited to be a part of the Animal Care Center family!

STAFF