Meet Our Team
Vision Statement
To improve the relationship people have with their pets through anxiety-free veterinary care.

Charlotte Lucas, DVM
Owning and operating her own practice meant that Dr. Lucas could put into motion some of the values that she believed were essential to workplace happiness and balance. She also knew that this meant that she could facilitate a low stress approach to visits for both clients and their furry family members. Building a fantastic team has been a huge part of CVC’s success. She says, “Our team is the best- everyone believes in treating all of our patients as they would want their pets to be treated. I laugh every day, even on the hardest days- there is always a pet or a person that will lift my spirits.” As a team, we are focused on slowing down and listening to our clients, and taking the time to really observe our patients.
Compassionate Veterinary Care strives to find connections with clients and their pets. Dr. Lucas is most fulfilled when she’s able to help senior and geriatric pets so they are able to live more comfortably during the last phase of their life. At CVC we appreciate the trust people have in us when working with their pets at all stages of life. When we are meeting new puppies and kittens we try to establish healthy habits as early as possible to help prevent future problems.
Dr. Lucas’ favorite CVC Core Value is: Compassion, naturally. “I’m afraid of how people seem to lack empathy with others. We lack Compassion as a society. I believe I can help by actively listening so I can understand how to best help a nervous pet parent, in addition to being a doctor for the animal. At home, we try to teach our children that what makes people (and animals) different is what makes us beautiful and great- and that the better we understand, the more of a positive impact we can make.”
Dr. Lucas loves living in Michigan and taking advantage of all it has to offer! You will often find her and her husband Josh, on the Banks of the Red Cedar proudly wearing Green and White during football season, enjoying the sun and sand on a lakeshore somewhere, or bundled up playing in the snow. Their three daughters, Marlee, Lila and Annie keep them on their toes and are a daily reminder that life moves too fast not to enjoy every moment. Their fur family members include their Christmas puppy Jack and their cat Gus, who is king of everything.
Josh Lucas, Practice Manager
Josh is the husband of Dr. Lucas and has been involved with the overall vision and creation of Compassionate Veterinary Care since the beginning. This past summer, Josh left his career teaching middle school to become CVC’s Practice Manager. Josh is enjoying the new career and the challenges that come with it. Being part of a workplace that makes decisions for both clients as well as our own team based on Core Values provides such an important part of wellbeing and workplace gratification. He believes that the culture of CVC is what makes CVC a great place to both work and bring furry family members. He loves helping the team at CVC work through challenges, developing systems that make the clinic’s work more efficient, and being a positive part of people’s lives in a new, exciting way.
In his free time, Josh loves sports and cheering on his favorite teams whether local high school kids, MSU Spartans or even the Denver Broncos. Golf and fishing are his favorite summer activities. Being the Dad of three little girls provides multiple adventures year round. Josh was born in West Branch, but has lived in quite a few other places including Colorado, Oklahoma, and even Hawaii. Being “back home” has always been a preference and he loves that he is able to help provide our local community the kind of care CVC offers and proudly provides.

Sarah Garrett, Licensed Veterinary Technician
Sarah says that her favorite parts about working at CVC are the atmosphere and the food! She believes that respect and kindness are values that help drive her work and personal life. Sarah has three dogs: A yellow lab named Blu, an English setter named Schrute, and a Pitbull mix named Bindi. Sarah provides great care for CVC patients, she is very motivated by helping our patients live happy, healthy lives.
Michaela Smith, Licensed Veterinary Technician
Michaela has a Goldendoodle named Colt who she loves spending time with. She also loves to try new restaurants and new foods while hanging out with friends. Michaela also enjoys spending time with her little nephews and new niece!

Sharon Minnich, Client Care Consultant
“During our first visit to the clinic as clients, Dr. Lucas and the rest of the staff made us feel very at ease and really took their time addressing all of our questions and concerns.”
Home is quite busy, as Sharon and her husband Marc are often foreign exchange student parents. They also have one dog, several cats, so there is never a dull moment. On the weekends that Sharon and her family are not cheering her daughter Emma on at the soccer fields, you might find them enjoying the perks of living in town. “Marc and I love taking the dogs for walks on the Riverwalk path and through the park. We feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful small town.”
Sharon has a passion for many of the best parts of CVC. She loves entering into a relationship with pet owners so that she can help provide great care, education, and being part of the difference that helps pets live their healthiest lives.
Sharon is now CVC’s Client Care Consultant. She is highly trained in pet nutrition as well as taking special care of clients as patients as they work through euthanasia decisions. Sharon is Fear Free certified and can wear just about any hat CVC asks of her at any time. Sharon can assist clients in developing a specialized diet tailored to their pet’s individual needs. She is fantastic at working through and overcoming challenges regarding pet diets and highly values the care that she is able to provide owners and patients through diet consultation. Sharon also helps develop specialized care that fits senior pets’ needs individually. She can work through a plan for care while here at CVC for visits, as well as changes and adaptations at home that will make the aging pet’s quality of life much improved.

Terry McDonald, Customer Service Representative
In her free time, Terry can be found volunteering with her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, camping throughout Michigan with her family and friends, crocheting, and spending time outside gardening. If Terry could solve one of the world’s problems it would be to “Save the Bees, plant wildflowers!”
Terry takes special interest in Fear Free handling. She is certified as Elite in Fear Free. Terry helps lead CVC Fear Free staff training and updates our staff on Fear Free best practices.
Ashley Smith, Customer Service Representative
She was born and raised in West Branch and enjoys spending time with her four children, and husband, Kit. The Smith family has two rescue dogs, Rihanna who is 8 years old, and Chip who is 7 years old. They both bring so much love and excitement into our life. They love pup cups from Dairy Queen, going for car rides, camping with us and wearing their bandanas from CVC! Ashley loves to spend time together with family camping in the summers, enjoying soccer in the fall and playing board games and doing puzzles together. She considers herself an attempted crafter and enjoys whipping things up in the kitchen. Ashley is also our in-house Britney Spears and taco expert.
Ashley recently graduated with a Health Information Management degree and is beginning to utilize her newly attained skill set and background here at CVC as well. Ashley holds the very important and prestigious title of CVC Creative Director. She enjoys planning fun and games, crafts, lunch potlucks, and theme days.
Erin Veitengruber, Technician Assistant
Erin started working at CVC in July, 2022. She most appreciates CVC’s core value of Compassion and would love the world to provide more access to service dogs for those in need, especially PTSD dogs for veterans. Daily, she loves getting to see the amazing bonds that pets and their owners show off while visiting CVC. In her time outside of work, Erin loves to take part in outdoor summer activities, spend time with the horses all while enjoying the family home she’s lived in since she was 1 year old. “ALL THE PASTA” is one of Erin’s favorite lines!