Meet Our Staff

Dr. Wehrli, or “Dr. Nate”, has worked as a private practice veterinarian since 2001. He grew up in New England, and obtained his veterinary degree from Tufts University. He moved to Silver Spring, Maryland in 2005, and is blessed with his wife, 2 young children, and a small rabble of pets.

Dr. Wehrli enjoys working with the variety of people and animals he sees every day. Before becoming a father and practice owner, he had time for hobbies which included hiking, kayaking, reading, cooking, brewing, gardening, and home improvement projects.

Born in Guatemala City, Karla moved to the United States in 2005.  She started working as a veterinary assistant in 2007, and soon realized she wanted to make a career of working with animals.  She has learned to be a skilled veterinary technician, and is now our practice's Office Manager.

Karla has a tremendous love and compassion for animals, and brings this attitude to work every day!  She is also the proud wife of an army husband, and the mother of a beautiful 10 year old girl.

Carlos is originally from El Salvador, where he earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and worked as a veterinarian for 10 years before moving to Silver Spring. He has been able to continue working in the veterinary field in the U.S. while growing his family (newest member is a son, Enzo, now 4). He is always happy to see and meet new neighbors, human and furry alike, and to support animal health through compassionate care and communication. In his free time, he likes to play soccer with his 10 year old daughter, Zaira, and ride his Kawasaki 650EZR motorcycle.

A senior at the University of Maryland, College Park, Lauren is studying animal science to become a veterinarian. She also works in a lab taking care of ferrets used for study. Lauren has always had a love for animals. After she got her pet Shih Tzu, Happy, her passion for animal care bloomed. Since then, she has desired to pursue a career with animals and educate her community about animal welfare and husbandry. In pursuit of this goal, she has joined Family Pet Veterinary Practice as a veterinary technician to gain more experience and knowledge of animals.

Outside work, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family and finding new places to eat! She also enjoys relaxing at home, watching shows, or reading a good book!

Sophie grew up in Maine with animals: lots of cats, dogs, even horses.  In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, hiking, and spending time with her friends.

Ryan graduated from UMD, College Park with a Bachelor’s in Animal Science. He previously worked at the UMD Campus Farm, where he assisted in the welfare of various livestock. His interest in the veterinary field started with his first and second dogs. After losing his first dog (German Shepherd) to old age and his second (Maltese/Poodle mix) to health issues, he decided to pursue a career in the veterinary field. Currently, he lives with a Standard Poodle named Kairo. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, exercising, and hanging out with friends.

A Montgomery College student majoring in biology, Clara hopes to one day become a veterinarian. She began working with animals soon after graduating high school in 2023. She is very passionate about meeting and caring for all the pets that come into the clinic. Animals have always played a big part in Clara’s life, but after getting her two German Shepherds, Roxy and Ruby, her interest in caring for animals reached an all-time high. In her free time, she loves going on long walks with her dogs, listening to music, and crocheting.

After recently moving to the area from California, Ysabelle has resumed her studies and is looking to complete her ADN at Montgomery College. She has been working with animals since high school and has always had a passion for veterinary medicine. Ysabelle has a dog and a rabbit back home in California and a hamster who lives here. During her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and swimming. She also loves arts and crafts and draws a lot to decompress and relax.

Daylene is currently a student at Montgomery College, studying behavioral studies. She has a great love for animals. At home, she has a Husky named Uzi, a cat named Yumi, and 2 gerbils named Drake and Josh. Daylene was drawn to working with animals due to her own experience and care for them. In her free time, she enjoys being around her friends and family doing all sorts of activities. She hopes to keep learning new skills during her time here at Family Pet!

Adopted by Dr. Nate in 1996, Cameron greeted visitors to our reception area from our opening day in 2015 through May of 2023. She peacefully passed away at the very old age of 31. She will be missed. 

Obie, our new waiting room mascot, is a Ball Python (also known as a Royal Python). Native to central and western Africa, these small snakes are fairly tame and handleable. She is usually curled up inside one of the shelters in her habitat, but comes out from time to time to stretch and explore.