About Us

About Amherst Veterinary Hospital

Welcome to Amherst Veterinary Hospital:
A Legacy of Care Since 1982!

Founded in 1982, Amherst Veterinary Hospital has been a caring for pets in the Amherst community for over four decades. Originally established as a mixed animal practice, our dedication to excellence led us to transition to small animal exclusive services in 1991. As our reputation for exceptional care grew, so did our client base. In 2000, we expanded our facility with a building addition to accommodate the needs of our ever-growing community of pet owners.

In 2016, recognizing the unique needs of our feline patients, we took a step further in our commitment to their comfort and well-being by adding a cat-only exam room. This specialized space is designed to minimize stress and provide a soothing environment for our beloved cats during their veterinary visits.

Our commitment to delivering the highest standard of care led us to welcome Dr. Sowka as a full-time associate in 2018. With Dr. Sowka’s expertise and passion for animal welfare, we continue to uphold our tradition of excellence and innovation in veterinary medicine.
We’re honored to be a trusted partner in your pet’s health journey. From our founding in 1982 to our current facility, our mission remains the same: to provide compassionate care and support for every furry member of your family. Join us in writing the next chapter of your pet’s story with Amherst Veterinary Hospital.

Our Team

The Amherst Veterinary Hospital Team

Dr. Sandra Walter

DVM, Veterinary Doctor

Dr. Walter has been serving Amherst Veterinary Hospital for over 40 years. She has guided the clinic from its original mixed animal service to the thriving small animal clinic it is today. She believes strongly in the importance of community and small business and is proud to serve the Tomorrow River Valley as an independent veterinarian. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University.

Dr. Shannon Sowka

DVM, Veterinary Doctor

Dr. Sowka is from Milwaukee, WI and has been with Amherst Veterinary Hospital for 12 years. She graduated from UWSP in 2013 and got her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from UW Madison in 2018.

Dr. Sowka lives in Plover with her husband Dan and their two young kids. They have an enthusiastic lab mix, Norrie, and a goofy rescue cat named BeeBee. The kids and work keep the Sowka’s pretty busy, but in their free time they visit the state and National Parks; play board games of all kinds; and visit our local breweries. Shannon loves to bake and sew when she gets the chance.

Chandra

Certified Veterinary Technician

I am from Amherst, WI, and I have been an assistant since 2003, and a CVT since 2009.

I have 2 dogs, Mater and Marlin. 2 cats, Itty and Tootie. 2 horses, Inness and Sparky along with 10 chickens. 1 tiny human Lyle, not a pet, but he’s definitely worth mentioning.

My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is I love that it’s different almost every day. I also like being able to watch the critters grow. After 20 years of being here, I’ve fallen for so many and have also been with them through their whole lives. I love every minute of it.

Sarah

Veterinary Assistant

I have been working at Amherst Veterinary Hospital for 10 years.

I have 4 cats and 2 dogs. Cats are Har Pig (17); Monsta (7); Nuka Rue (3); and Nyx (3). My dogs are Goose (3) and Dutch (2). I also have a wonderful husband and 3 children.

I would say my favorite thing about working in this career field would be helping the animals and meeting new people every day.

Sharon

Office Manager

Sharon has been with Amherst Veterinary Hospital for over 25 years, keeping everything running behind the scenes and up front at reception. She has 4 cats at home: George, Jingles, Plinko and Poofles. When she’s not at the clinic, she keeps busy volunteering with our local 4H Club, leading barn quilt painting classes, and enjoying competing in 90 FM’s World’s Largest Trivia Contest. She loves to travel whenever and wherever she can.

Jenny

Receptionist

Jenny has been with Amherst Veterinary Hospital for 19 years. She loves life on the farm raising beef cattle with her boyfriend Jeremiah and son Carter. In her free time she enjoys trail running and spending time with family and friends. She has two cats named Moo and Grem.

Amanda

Certified Veterinary Technician

Born and raised in Stevens Point, WI. Graduated from MATC in 2010 from the Certified Veterinary Technician Program. Worked for 6 years at a clinic on the West side of Madison.

I started working at Amherst Veterinary Hospital in May of 2014.

I have an assortment of pets at home, plus a little hobby farm/petting zoo.

My pets include 2 cats in the house named Chevy and Josh, and the community farm cat Squirrel. Chevy is a huge gray cat with the attitude of a tiger that I adopted from the clinic, and Josh is the all-in-your-face love bug. I have 3 dogs: Cali, my Shih Tzu/Chihuahua mix, who runs the house; Diesel, my German Shorthaired Pointer, who surprises me every day with how invincible he is; and Axel, our Rottweiler, who may look big and scary but is the biggest baby. My daughter also has a bunny named Buddy who acts just like the dogs.

As for the hobby farm, our critters include a number of layer chickens and a few feral barn cats. My daughter also has her own pony, Jolene, which she rides when the weather is nice. They are two peas in a pod, and Jolene is always by her side. We also have 2 horses: Rhino, our mustang cross, who is quite the lady’s man and gets pretty rowdy when the girls are out riding without him; and Montana, our quarter horse, who came with Rhino but has come a long way with facing her fears and being able to ride alone. We also have Honey, our mother goat, who had twins on New Year’s Eve of 2024: a little girl named Strawberry and a boy named Cotton. Both the babies are quite a sight to see when they get rowdy during playtime.

The best thing about working in veterinary medicine is knowing that I am someone who can understand a species that can’t speak their minds. I can see in pets’ eyes, along with the clients’ eyes, that there is nothing as important as the trust, love, and bond that clients have with their animals. I love waking up each morning and knowing that I will always be needed, to help care and say goodbye to long-time friends that speak no words.

Allysia

Veterinary Assistant

I am from Wautoma, WI, and I have been working at Amherst Veterinary Hospital for 3 years. I graduated from Northcentral Technical College in 2019 with my Veterinary Science degree.

I have three cats (Melo, Luna, and Raven) as well as a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix named Attila but Tilly for short. Melo was my first cat and he is the sweetest most patient boy especially when it comes to dealing with the two girls. Luna is known to be the diva of the house-she always has something to say and craves attention 24/7 like the princess she is. Raven is my wild child. I like to think she keeps everyone in the house young. She is very sweet and loves to play with all of her cat toys. Tilly is the old man of the house, he is 10. I rescued him a few years ago. He is very much a momma’s boy and loves to sun bathe outside. He does everything with me and holds a special place in my heart.

I would say my favorite thing about working in this career field would be building trust with animals and seeing them recover and thrive, it’s incredibly fulfilling. I also do enjoy the process of diagnosing and treating a challenging case and then getting a successful outcome. Every day brings new challenges and opportunities for learning, and the fun never stops.

Ashley

Receptionist

I live right here in beautiful Amherst, and I have been working with Amherst Veterinary Hospital since 2021.

I have 4 cats (Felix, Milo, Apollo, and Tillie Pie Adventure Cat) as well as a dog, all of which are rescues. My cats each definitely have their own distinct personalities, and my dog (Olive) absolutely wishes she were a part of their tribe.

My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is I love being able to regularly learn new information, and I enjoy helping, connecting, and building trust with clients, who are also fellow pet owners. The clinic cats are definitely an added perk!

Hannah

Certified Veterinary Technician

I have been working with Amherst Veterinary Hospital for 10 years.

I have two dogs: Bonnie and Chip, 3 cats: Liberty, Bell and Tali, 2 horses: Miss Kitty and Bling. Bonnie enjoys herding anything she can and barking at deer. Chip loves a good ear rub and watching TV. All 3 of the cats love lounging on the couch and pestering the dogs. Miss Kitty enjoys frolicking in the pasture and will do just about anything for a treat. Bling enjoys being brushed and chasing steers.

My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is that each day brings something new and creating trusting relationships with the clients and their pets.

Kenzie

Veterinary Assistant

I am from Amherst, WI, and I have been with Amherst Veterinary Hospital for 2 years. I graduated from NorthCentral Technical College in May of 2023 with my Veterinary Science degree.

I have a 1-year-old German Shepherd named Moe, and a rescue named Max who’s a German Shepherd/ husky mix, and a Siamese cat named Luna. All of which have their very own personality! I also adopted a duck named Pierre, as well as many cows and pigs on the family farm.

My favorite thing about working in vet med is being able to care for patients on the good and bad days while also growing a trusting relationship with the clients at the same time!