Veterinarian of the Year

Dr. Ellen Leonhardt, DVM Animal General of East Norwich | East Norwich, NY

Dr. Ellen Leonhardt earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and then her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ross University in 1993. She has been a veterinarian at Animal General for three decades and has been the medical director for over 20 years. Nine years ago, Dr. Leonhardt also became the Area Medical Director for all of the Long Island and Manhattan VCA hospitals, ensuring the highest level of medical and surgical care throughout the region, as well as mentoring new doctors.

Dr. Leonhardt has been the veterinarian of record for all of the dog shows held at Planting Feilds Arboretum on Long Island for the past 20 years.

Dr. Leonhardt has many special interests including general surgery and internal medicine, wildlife medicine and surgery, and small mammal (rabbit, guinea pig, ferret, etc.) medicine and surgery; even the occasional small pet pig can call Animal General their home away from home. Dr. Leonhardt is well versed in stem cell therapy and has successfully treated over one hundred pets with this unique process.

Dr. Leonhardt loves to and has traveled the world (31 countries and counting) in the hopes of photographing wildlife and to enjoy different cultures of the world, and thus she is proud to care for the Long Island wildlife community and currently serves on the advisory board for Wildlife Center of Long Island. For the past 10 years she has also volunteered her time to Canine Companions for Independence performing PENN Hip radiographs for all dogs in their program.

Given all her extracurricular activities, Dr. Leonhardt still finds time to nurture her hobbies and spends her free time building bird houses made out of recycled and found wood, gardening and obsessing over her goldfish pond. Many of the hundreds of birdhouses she has built have been sold during fundraisers for different non-profit organizations.

She currently lives with her two dogs (Finley and Rakka), one Cat (Darwin), two tortoises, many zebra finches, and a goldfish pond.

Dr. Jonathan Adcock, DVM Foothills Pet Healthcare Clinic | Mount Airy, NC

Dr. Jonathan Adcock was born in East Tennessee and grew up outside of Asheville, NC. His love for veterinary medicine ignited at age eight during his very first day of volunteering at a local clinic — a spark that has guided every chapter of his life since. He attended Montreat College, where he competed in collegiate soccer, before transferring to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to complete his undergraduate studies and earn his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine.

Following graduation, Dr. Adcock honed his skills at a high-volume clinic in Patrick County, Virginia, where a remarkably diverse caseload had him repairing fractured bones one hour and tranquilizing an American Bison via dart gun the next. That “why not” spirit has defined his approach ever since. He joined Foothills Pet Healthcare Clinic in Mount Airy, NC, where he quickly pursued specialized training in orthopedic fracture repair, cruciate disease, and regenerative medicine, including laser therapy, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and stem cell treatments. He has completed the Certified Companion Animal Rehabilitation Therapist (CCAT) program and, upon completion, created his own company offering rehabilitation services ranging from surgical recovery and weight management to show conditioning programs.

Dr. Adcock is widely known throughout the region for his willingness to treat any animal that comes through his door — from English Bulldogs and show-quality canines to American Bison, Gila monsters, pot-bellied pigs, and everything in between. He serves as veterinarian to the Mount Airy Police Department’s K9 unit and has cared for champion show dogs, farm animals, and beloved family pets with equal dedication. He actively supports his community through volunteer vaccine clinics and rescue organizations — including Mayberry 4 Paws, Surry Animal Rescue, Pawsome Solutions Rescue, and Clover Cat Rescue — as well as local animal welfare initiatives. He has also partnered with the Bissell Pet Foundation to provide spay and neuter services for feral cats alongside new veterinary graduates, giving those graduates critically needed hands-on surgical experience.

A committed mentor, Dr. Adcock opens his clinic to high school volunteers and college students, accepts extern students from Appalachian State University’s veterinary technician program and multiple Veterinary Clinical externs, and regularly visits veterinary schools to speak with students about career paths and developing clinical skill sets. The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine has even referred advanced orthopedic cases to him when their own schedule is full — a testament to the reputation he has built. He has shared his knowledge through professional presentations within his company and in public education settings, including community learning series and local high schools.

Outside the clinic, Dr. Adcock is an avid trail runner who has completed the Grindstone 100 Miler, the Hellbender 100 Miler, and races across the United States and Scotland. He has shared those trails with his rescued Border Collie, Jack, whose trail reviews — written from a dog’s perspective with Dr. Adcock’s veterinary input — have been featured in Blue Ridge Outdoors and the Virginia State Parks Blog. He lives on a farm with his wife, Rebecca, three Border Collies, five cats, goats, ducks, and a goose.

Dr. Adcock gives generously to his broader community by sponsoring local 5K events, music festivals, and local high school sports broadcasts — reflecting a belief that caring for a community means showing up well beyond the exam room.

Dr. Dana Bleifer, DVM Rose City Veterinary Hospital | Pasadena, CA

Dana Bleifer, DVM, is a veterinarian and owner of Rose City Veterinary Hospital in Pasadena, California. Her passion for animals inspired her to pursue veterinary medicine at UC Davis, where she earned both her undergraduate and veterinary degrees, followed by work at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden, and the University of Georgia.

At her thriving practice, Dana combines general veterinary care with a special interest in reproductive medicine, offering comprehensive world class services for her patients. She has served on the board of The Society for Theriogenology and lectured both nationally and internationally. 

Dana got her first Chesapeake Bay Retriever in the early 1980s while an undergrad at UC Davis and joined the American Chesapeake Club shortly thereafter. Since then, she has owned and bred more than 200 CBRs who have excelled and titled in all aspects of dog sports. She has owned, handled, and bred BIS, BISS, Westminster, AKC National Championship and ACC Supported Entry Best of Breeds, many hunt and field titled dogs, as well as obedience, agility, and just about every other canine sport .  She is a breed mentor for the American Chesapeake Club, where she earned a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Beyond her clinic, in her free time, In addition to dog breeding and showing, Dana is devoted to breeding, raising, and showing both jumping and reining horses. Through her dedication to veterinary excellence, animal welfare, and mentorship, Dana continues to make a lasting impact on the veterinary profession and the animals she serves.

Sara K. Lyle, DVM, MS, PhD, DACT, is an accomplished theriogenologist, Associate Professor at Louisiana State University’s (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine, published author, and passionate animal advocate. Following 10 years in private practice, Dr. Lyle joined LSU as a Clinical Instructor in 2002, transitioning into academia to inspire and train the next generation of veterinary professionals. With a dedicated focus on advancing reproductive health in animals, her work explores innovative reproductive management strategies, assisted reproductive technologies, and the immunological aspects of reproductive disorders. At LSU, her vision includes fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among veterinarians, clients, and patients to achieve shared goals of improving reproductive health outcomes. Currently, Dr. Lyle is President of the Theriogenology Foundation, the non-profit sister organization of the Society for Theriogenology and the American College of Theriogenologists.

Dr. Lyle’s impact extends beyond the classroom and clinic. She has served as a member of the Louisiana State Animal Response Team, helping to rescue and care for animals following hurricanes impacting south Louisiana. In addition, Dr. Lyle is an active member of professional societies, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Society for Theriogenology, the American College of Theriogenologists, and Phi Zeta, the veterinary honor society.

Dr. Treyton (Jai’) Diggs is a native of Boutte, Louisiana, but was reared in Miami and Miramar, Florida. He attended Hahnville High School while in Boutte and Miramar High School while in Miramar. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana in 2000. After receiving his B.S. from Nicholls, he pursued his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the historic Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama and was selected and voted by his peers to be the class president.

During his time as a student, he received the AKC CAR Scholarship twice and was awarded the Fort Dodge Best All Around Student Award during graduation. While in veterinary school, Dr. Diggs worked in the anatomy lab and the large animal clinic. After completing veterinary school in 2007, Dr. Diggs was chosen to participate in an internship for small animal medicine and surgery at California Animal Hospital Veterinary Specialty Group (Dr. Steve Ettinger and Associates) in Los Angeles, California. While interning, Dr. Diggs was extensively trained by top Board-Certified Veterinary Specialists in Small Animal Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Emergency and Critical Care, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Surgery, Dentistry, and Radiology. After completing his internship, Dr. Diggs returned home to Louisiana to the VCA Causeway Animal Hospital family. After working at VCA Causeway Animal Hospital for 4.5 years, he founded Allstar Animal Clinic in 2013, a clinic that has an interest in soft tissue and orthopedic surgery and canine reproduction since its inception.

In addition to dedicating his life to servicing and saving animals, Dr. Treyton Jai Diggs considers himself to be a “child of the village,” as he dedicates and volunteers numerous hours to “paying it forward” for a community that is “near and dear to his heart” and that was influential in shaping and molding his head, hand, and heart. Dr. Diggs was also instrumental in helping establish protocols for The Inner Pup of New Orleans, a low-cost Heartworm Initiative founded to educate pet owners and make heartworm prevention affordable to low-income families. Additionally, he volunteered veterinary services to the Pen Pals Program, the only prison based no kill animal shelter, where inmates care for and train dogs that are to be adopted at Jackson Correctional Institute in Jackson, Louisiana.

As a product of poverty and a single parent home, Dr. Diggs prides himself in mentoring the youth and cultivating young minds. Hence, he has consciously and subconsciously dedicated his time, effort, energy, passion, and compassion to changing the trajectory and landscape for students from all walks of life. To that end, Dr. Diggs has educated inner city youth about the profession of veterinary medicine, animal behavior and animal health care. This commitment and community outreach has inspired more than 30 students to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. His humanitarian thumbprint is also evident in his local community and hometown, as Dr. Diggs and his relatives spearheaded measures to ensure that the community was provided hot meals, cleaning supplies, and debris removal services during the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.

Equally important to share, Dr. Diggs is a Dog Fancier and Field Trial Judge. He has judged the AKC SPO National Championship, AKC Gundog Brace Championship, and the AKC SPO Two Couple Pack Championship. He has won the AKC SPO National Championship in 2015 13” Male Class (McDaniel’s Running Like Forest), trained and conditioned 12 Field Champions that he owned, and judged over 130 AKC licensed trials. Dr. Diggs has also served in various Dog Fancier and Field Trial leadership roles that are inclusive of, but not limited to, AKC SPO Championship President, AKC SPO Championship Treasurer, Southern States Beagle Gundog Association Field Trial Secretary, Deep South Gundog President, and President of Westbank Beagle Club.

Dr. Diggs has three lovely children, Treyton Diggs II, Milan Diggs, and Italia Diggs. When time permits, he coaches his children in sports, fishes, trains his beagles to compete in AKC sanctioned field trials, or simply rides into the sunset on his favorite horse, Joe.