Temple Terrace

Dr. Lassett is a native of Tampa. He attended the University of Florida receiving a bachelors degree in microbiology in 1978 and a doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1982.

After completing a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey, Dr. Lassett returned to the Tampa Bay area. Dr. Lassett is Board Certified in Canine and Feline Practice and his areas of special interest include soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, oncology, diagnostic ultrasound, endoscopy, dermatology and cardiology.

Dr. Lassett has held board positions with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough County Veterinary Medical Society. He enjoys fishing, boating, and spending time with his dog, Cheyenne, and cat, Dakota.

Dr. Welborn was the valedictorian of his 1976 graduating class from King High School here in Tampa and as a President’s Scholar, he earned an undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida. Dr. Welborn graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. He is Board Certified in Canine and Feline Practice and is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist and Certified PennHIP Veterinarian.

He is past president of the prestigious American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and served as Chairman of the AAHA Standards Enhancement Task Force that developed the most recent revisions and enhancements to the AAHA Standards of Accreditation for primary care small animal practices. He also served as Chairman of the Accredited Referral Practice Task Force that developed AAHA Standards of Accreditation for small animal specialty practices. He currently serves in several national veterinary leadership roles including being the Chairman of the AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines Task Force and serving as a member of the AAHA-AVMA Preventative Healthcare Guidelines Task Force.

Dr. Welborn has received the following honors:

• • 2022 AVMA Award
• • Prestigious AVMA President’s Award
• • American Animal Hospital Association Practitioner of the Year Award
• • University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Achievement Award
• • Florida Veterinary Medical Association Veterinarian of the Year Award
• • Hillsborough County Veterinary Medical Society Outstanding Service Award

Underwater photography and attending Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Florida Gator football games are among his favorite activities. Dr. Welborn’s family includes: wife, Laura, daughter, Kaitlin, son, Christopher, furry friends, Jenner and Emma Rose, two birds, Harper and Connie, and a marine aquarium full of aquatic companions.

Dr. DeNitto is originally from Syracuse, NY. She graduated with honors from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2004 with a degree in Biology. Dr. DeNitto attended the University of Florida and earned her veterinary degree in 2008. Following veterinary school, she completed an internship at Florida Veterinary Specialists, in Tampa. After completion of her internship, she moved to Michigan for a few years while her husband finished school.

When not at work, Dr. DeNitto is home raising her two wonderful children. She has two pets including Rosie, a Golden Retriever, and a cat named Bubba. Her favorite past-times include enjoying the outdoors, going to the beach, hiking, swimming and reading.

Dr. Bajc is one of our wonderful Associate Veterinarians here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She is originally from Marietta, Georgia. She joined our team because she immediately felt at home and fell in love with our team. Dr. Bajc attended the University of Georgia, where she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine.

When Dr. Bajc isn’t practicing medicine, you can find her gardening, cooking, traveling, scuba diving, or practicing yoga. She shares her home with her husband Hayden and their two tabby cats – Gator and Emmie.

Her goal is to become a long-term member of the community. She is especially interested in soft tissue surgery, exotic pets, and feline medicine.

Dr. Weiner is one of our wonderful Associate Veterinarians here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She is originally from Boca Raton, Florida. She joined our practice because she loves the atmosphere of the practice, and our dedication to compassionate, high-quality care.

Dr. Weiner attended the University of Florida for both her undergrad (where she received her Bachelor degree in Zoology) and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She is especially interested in Ultrasonography, Clinical Pathology, and Feline Medicine.

When Dr. Weiner is not caring for your pets, you can find her hiking, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. She especially enjoys her annual family trip to their cabin in Montana.

She shares her house with her one dog Ellie (Pictured), and her two cats (George and Snoop). George welcomes her home every day with a stretch and hug.

Dr. Guillen joined our team in August of 2022. She earned her B.S. in Animal Science with minors in Equine Science and Spanish. She earned her DVM at Louisiana State University.

Dr. Guillen chose to become a veterinarian to advocate for her patients and provide their caregivers with the tools needed to keep them happy and healthy. Her goal is to ensure she can provide the best medical care possible for her patients, and help their caregivers feel informed and a part of their pet’s care. She always does the best that she can and strives to be the best.

Dr. Guillen shares her home with Philly, a golden retriever, and three cats, Grace, Peter and Kiara. Her pets are her sweet companions who always manage to give her a break from her day to day. She is eager to learn and more to her skill set every day, and is working towards advancing her surgical techniques, ultrasound, and endoscopy.

Dr. Guillen is fluent in Spanish.

Dr. Natalie Zatz is one of our wonderful veterinarians here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital.  She graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She earned my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University.

Dr. Zatz became a veterinarian to help both animals and humans. She is particularly interested in One Health which is the idea that humans, animals, and the planet are all inter-connected. From vaccines and preventatives to the human-animal bond, it’s a helpful mindset to apply to veterinary medicine.

She does not have a pet of her own at the moment, but she is hoping to change that very soon! All of the pets she has had in her life have been great companions. They’ve been there to share happy and sad moments, and they’ve taught her lessons in patience and compassion.

During patient visits, Dr. Zatz would like to provide high-quality medicine while helping to make everyone in the room comfortable. For the patient, she’d like to take a Fear-Free approach. She wants to be an advocate for the patient and work together as a team with their caregivers. She always tries to do my best in everything she can!

When Dr. Zatz is not caring for your pets, you can find her spending quality time with friends and family, getting outdoors as much as she can, trying new recipes, and exploring new places.

In veterinary medicine, she is particularly interested in ultrasonography and preventative medicine.

Dr. Zatz is originally from Vero Beach, FL. She is looking forward to exploring the west coast of Florida. She is excited to be working alongside the Temple Terrace team to provide exceptional care to our patients and growing her skill set along the way!

Dr. Colby Burns, a board-certified surgeon at North Tampa Veterinary Specialists, provides specialized orthopedic, soft tissue, neurologic and emergency surgical services to small animal veterinary practitioners. This service allows our veterinarians the ability to offer advanced surgical services in the comfort of our own hospital while maintaining direct contact with our clients and primary care for patients. Mobile surgical services are available six days a week (Monday through Saturday). Emergency surgical services are available seven days a week, including evenings and weekends.

Raised on a working horse ranch Cassy has always had a strong love for all animals and a desire to improve the human-animal bond. She began working in the veterinary field at the age of 15 as an assistant in a veterinary hospital in Plant City, FL, and from 1993 to 2000 worked as an emergency and day-time veterinary technician. Since 1995, she has served our six hospital group, as our Practice Administrator.

Cassy graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of South Florida in 1998.

Cassy has been a member of the VHMA since 2001 and served on their Board of Directors for 2 years. Cassy earned her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) designation in 2005 and her Certified Canine Rehabilitation Assistant (CCRA) designation in 2008. She was the co-chair of the Bay Area Managers Network Group in Tampa for 10 years and is a past adjunct professor for Webster Veterinary University.

Residing in Valrico, Florida, Cassy shares her home with her husband, her 2 children, her cat, Gordy and her dog, Dolly Brown. Her interests are client advocacy, team building, physical rehabilitation, communication, and compliance. Cassy’s hobbies include reading, outdoor activities and her family.

Melissa is our Practice Manager here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She began her career with us in 2012 where she worked as a Veterinary Technician at our sister hospital, North Bay Animal Hospital. In 2018 she transferred to another sister hospital of ours. At All Creatures Animal Hospital, she worked as an Assistant Practice Manager for two years. Melissa graduated from Michigan State University with her Bachelors in Veterinary Technology. Her professional goal was to become a Practice Manager.

Melissa shares her home with a Basset Hound named Clayton and a cat named Douglas Puss. When Melissa is not at work, you can find her wandering around plant nurseries on the weekends, or visiting wineries on her family vacations in Northern Michigan. Melissa is also a big Avengers fan and has always been ‘Team Captain America’.

Hello, my name is Emily! I am a veterinary technician and have been working for the Tampa Bay Veterinary group since 2013. I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and I am very thankful that I am able to pursue my love for animals by providing them with great health care. There is nothing I would rather be doing. My family includes my amazing husband, three beautiful cats, two energetic rabbits, and a handsome English Springer Spaniel. I love all my pets but rabbits are my FAVORITE animal! In my free time I enjoy cooking, Disney and comic-book conventions. I also love tea!

Holly is the Office Coordinator as well as a member of our Client Care team here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. Holly cultivated her love of the ocean from a very young age, and has attended the University of South Florida and University of Guam as an undergraduate student in biology and marine science. After working as a student scientist for the National Park Service in Guam, a research assistant both in the Turks & Caicos and Palau, and as a field technician at Rutgers University, she decided to expand the scope of her degree, and now has a B.Sc. in Environmental Science. Having traveled and worked in so many different regions, Holly has decided to settle in Florida near her family and continue a career in the animal care field. In her spare time, Holly enjoys outdoor activities, reading, movies, and any creative endeavors. She is supervised by 2 cats named Jack and Sally, and a spunky little dog named Apollo.

Erin is our wonderful Client Care Supervisor here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She is originally from New York. She received her Associates in Business Management from Hillsborough Community College. She joined our practice because she loves helping animals and their humans navigate pet- parenthood.  In her spare time, she enjoys playing video games, sewing, and kayaking. Erin shares her home with two pit bull mixes (Hobbs and Oliver), 2 guinea pigs (Alfonse and Theodore), and one grumpy old lady cat named Iris.

Kristina is one of our wonderful Veterinary Technicians and Patient Care Coordinator here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She has always wanted to help animals and their pet parents. She could not imagine doing anything else. She has worked with animals for over 10 years.

She attended Saint Pete College, where she earned her A.S. in Veterinary Technology.

When Kristina isn’t working, you can find her at Disney, enjoying a concert, fishing, or practicing photography.

She shares her home with Khaleesi Marie (her 3 year old Whippet Mix), Jameson Bond (her 2 year old Aussie Chihuahua mix), and Haley (her 5 year old cat).

Jo-Mar is one of our wonderful Pet Resort specialists here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She is from Tampa, Florida. She started her career in the animal field as a volunteer with the hopes to have a career in her future. She is currently enrolled in the University of Florida. She is a certified Veterinary Assistant. She enjoys taking photographs, outdoor activities, and spending time with her friends and family. Jo-Mar collects little pins and LOVES Boba tea. She is an only child and loves her pet Layla and her fish. Her Goal is to graduate college and continue her career in Veterinary Medicine.

Caitlin is one of our amazing Veterinary Technicians. She was raised in Tampa then moved to Gainesville for school. After obtaining her degree she found her passion in animal care working with stray and feral cats at Operation Catnip. After moving back to Tampa, Caitlin joined our team! She shares her home with her adorable corgi Arya and sweet and spicy kitty Rey.

Brooke is one of the Pet Resort Specialists here at the hospital. She completed her Bachelor’s in English: Creative Writing at USF and will be working towards her Masters of Fine Arts. She enjoys working here at the hospital because she loves animals and loves learning all their different personalities which helps influence her writing. She also has her own band of misfits! Currently she has 6 cats sharing her home. All but one of the cats in her home came from the neighborhood she lives in and she’s raised most of them since they were kittens.

In her free time, Brooke will take long drives with her cat with thumbs named Crusty and going on hikes with him since he enjoys tagging along for adventures. She also frequents Starbucks for her iced black tea, so don’t be surprised if you happen to see him with her in the drive-thru!

Kiana is part of our client-care team at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She is originally from Tampa. She joined our practice because of her passion for animals and always having wanted to work with them.

Kiana attended the University of South Florida and earned her degree in Integrative Animal Biology. Her hobbies include reading, skating, and going to the beach. She has 2 guinea pigs.  Her goal is to become a veterinarian.

Hello! My name is Arseia (R-see-ah) and I am currently a veterinary technician here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. I just moved to Tampa in January after buying a house with my spouse in August 2021. I am originally from Orlando, where I have spent most of my life. I briefly moved to Gainesville for 5 years to pursue my Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. After, I have spent the last 3 years working at a variety of wildlife refuges and animal hospitals as a technician. I am currently going to school at St. Petersburg College to pursue my CVT. I have 2 cats; Pumpkin and Habanero (he’s the handsome grey cat in my picture). My hobbies are gaming, cooking, trying new restaurants, and going to the zoo and aquarium. I have a passion for animal patient care so if you ever see me around, feel free to ask me any questions!

Gabby is one of our wonderful Pet Resort Specialists and technician assistants here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. She was born and raised here in Tampa. Gabby joined our practice because she loves animals and wants to make a positive impact on their lives. She is currently enrolled in the Veterinary Technology program at St. Pete College. She aspires to become a Certified Veterinary Technician who shares her knowledge and love of animals with the community through our practice. Gabby can be found on her days off at the beach, strolling the aisles at local bookstores, and caring for her pet rats.

I am from New Jersey and moved to Florida after graduating high school. I love to spend time with my family, and some activities I like to do are puzzles and archery. I have always wanted to work with animals (sea or land). I have 7 animals. 4 dogs, 2 ferrets and a bird. I have my AA degree and my goal is to become a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) and work with exotic animals.

I am one of the newest additions to Temple Terrace! I have always loved animals, and when I was younger, I  actually wanted to be a Veterinarian. Although I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s in Journalism, I knew deep down I wanted to work with animals.

I love working at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital because I love being able to help all pet parents give their babies the best care they can. Last year I became a dog mom to a pitty lab mix, Sloan (pictured with me) so I am new to the dog mom life. I have learned so much about Pet Health Care that I can apply to my life, and I can also share that knowledge with pet parents every day.

When I’m not taking photos of my dog, I’m either traveling or going to concerts.

Li is currently working in client care and has an AA degree. She plans to return to school to pursue her CVT. Her lifelong passion for animals and their well-being drives her to become a technician, with the possibility of specializing in exotic pets. At home, she shares her life with four cats and a collection of exotics in their own dedicated space. In her free time, she often takes on additional work or spends time with friends to unwind. Li also has a deep love for Halloween and all things spooky.

My name is Noadya and I currently work in Client Care at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. I love helping animals and my long term goal is to be a veterinarian. I share my home with my Chow Chow (Zoa), my rabbit (Peaches) and my three cats (Luna, Estella and Aurora).

When I’m not spending time with my fur children I’m either baking, trying new coffee shops or making my own coffee at home.

My name is Alexis and I am a veterinary assistant here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. I am currently attending the University of South Florida. I am working towards my bachelors with a major in Biology and a minor in deaf studies. I plan to attend veterinary school once I graduate. I am from a small town called Sebastian on the East Coast of Florida. Back home I have a French Bulldog named Odin and a standard Schnauzer named Samson. At my dad’s I also have my cats, Smokey and Lil bow. When I am not working or in class I enjoy running, sleeping, and hanging out with my friends.

Hello, I’m Nikki, one of the Veterinary Assistants here at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. I like to say my hobby is simply loving animals — and with three dogs, three cats, six chickens, and a duck at home, it’s a pretty natural passion! I’ve earned my associate degree from HCC and am currently pursuing a bachelor’s in biology with a minor in criminology at USF, all while preparing to apply for veterinary school.

Hello, my name is Hunter, and I’m a veterinary assistant at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital. I was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and raised in Plant City, Florida.

Working with animals has been a lifelong passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I’m currently pursuing my associate degree, with plans to transfer to the University of South Florida and eventually attend veterinary school.

Outside of work, I enjoy taking long walks with my German Shepherd and spending time working on my cars.