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Our Veterinarians

Meet the folks who make it all happen. We see big potential in every moment, and care deeply about what we do every day.

Dr. Ralph Pratt

Dr. Ralph Pratt

Veterinarian, Practice Owner

Dr. Ralph Pratt grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was always interested in animals, the outdoors and music. After high school, Dr. Ralph earned a degree in biology from the University of Massachusetts and went on to get his master’s at the University of Rhode Island where he met Dr. Amy. They both went on to get their veterinary degrees at Tufts University School for Veterinary Medicine.

While in college, Dr. Ralph worked summers in the construction trade, which may explain why he likes surgery because it allows him to use his hands to solve problems and see immediate results.

When not at work, Drs. Ralph and Amy can be found at home working on their never-ending list of projects, or walking their two Golden Retrievers, Haley and Tommy.

Dr. Amy Pratt

Dr. Amy Pratt

Veterinarian, Practice Owner

Dr. Amy Pratt spent her childhood summers in Greene, Rhode Island, on her grandmother’s farm. It was there that her love of animals blossomed—she bottle-fed stray kittens, rode ponies, cared for orphaned baby birds, and spent time with all manner of pets. During this time, Dr. Amy also discovered that she really enjoyed figuring out problems. Now she gets to do that every day as a veterinarian and the co-owner of West Greenwich Animal Hospital!

Dr. Amy lives with her husband and business partner, Dr. Ralph Pratt, who consistently amazes her with his ability to focus and retain complex details. Together they started the West Greenwich Animal Hospital in January of 1995 with the goal of establishing a team of passionate team veterinary professionals who love working together. The Pratts are also committed to mentoring folks who are new to the field.

A graduate of the University of Rhode Island and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr Amy enjoys educating pet owners so they can understand anatomy, physiology, health and sickness in an approachable way. The concept of “one medicine” in the veterinary profession refers to the similarities in human and animal health, promoting collaboration to understand and treat diseases, and it’s an idea that Dr. Amy takes a step further: “In my mind, this extends to the one world we share and the health of the natural systems. People need to understand more about the natural world.”

An advocate for education, Dr. Amy also founded The Greene School, a statewide public charter high school with a rigorous pre-college curriculum located in West Greenwich, The Greene School explores the interdependence of human and natural systems. Through a rigorous pre-college curriculum, they develop citizens and leaders engaged in finding peaceful and sustainable solutions to local and global challenges.

Dr. Amy is proud of the school’s broad, diverse reach, with a student body spanning over 26 school districts.. “The world needs environmentally literate citizens and leaders from all backgrounds,” says Dr. Amy. “When I hear of our graduates going on to complete college, I know what a difference The Greene School has made.” 

Dr. Betsy Richmond

Dr. Betsy Richmond

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Betsy Richmond remembers exactly where she was when she decided to become a veterinarian—sitting on the dirt runway of a tiny airport in Borneo, having just left a tropical rainforest study of orangutans. She realized she didn’t want to become a tropical rainforest ecologist and instead preferred the carpeting and bathroom tile of civilization!

Dr. Richmond was born in Newton, Massachusetts. She attended the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine to receive her DVM, working on the weekends at a zoo, a racetrack, and an animal hospital. She’s worked as a veterinary professional for over 11 years and now serves your pets daily as a Veterinarian at West Greenwich Animal Hospital. Ask her to tell the story of the Bengal tiger cub she once treated at 3 o’clock in the morning!

As a veterinarian, Betsy particularly enjoys working with large canines, internal medicine, cardiology, endocrinology, and geriatric medicine. She likes providing clients with both medicinal and emotional support for hospice care.

At home, Dr. Richmond lives with her husband, two daughters, Peri (who is off to college!) and Bailey, and their Italian Spinone, Walden. Dr. Richmond’s goals for the future include raising happy, healthy, productive children, doing her best as a veterinarian and mother, and keeping her home clean. When time permits, Betsy likes young adult literature and natural science non-fiction.

Dr. Laura Brannigan

Dr. Laura Brannigan

Associate Veterinarian

After graduating college with a business degree and working in the sales field, Dr. Laura Brannigan realized she wasn’t completely fulfilled. She decided to go back to school to become a veterinarian, and her journey led her all the way to her current position as Associate Veterinarian at West Greenwich Animal Hospital!

Born in a small New Hampshire town, Dr. Laura moved to Colorado and attended Colorado State University to receive her DVM degree. She moved back East, starting her career in Maine and relocating to Rhode Island a few months later. Dr. Laura has worked as a veterinary professional in Rhode Island since 1997.

Dr. Laura’s favorite aspect of her job is the long-term relationships that she is fortunate enough to develop with the pets she sees, as well as their owners. She loves science but also enjoys the hugs and kisses she receives every day! 

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Laura lives with her husband, their son Thomas, and their three pets, including a dog and two cats. Thomas graduated from URI and is currently working as an engineer. Smitty and Ubu are both orange cats that found their way into Dr. Laura’s family. Judy is a Border Collie who likes hiking and agility training. In her spare time, Dr. Laura enjoys running and cross fit. She has competed in numerous fitness events including running races with Judy whenever possible.

Dr. Amy L. Hopper

Dr. Amy L. Hopper

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Hopper received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee. In total, she’s been practicing veterinary medicine for 32 rewarding years! She’s worked all over New England and was happy to return to her roots here in Rhode Island. She joined the WGAH team several years ago and hasn’t looked back since!

In her spare time, Dr. Hopper loves spending time by the ocean, sailing with her husband. She has three dogs—Cody the Yellow Labrador, a mixed-breed pup named Koala, and a rescue named Sam—as well as a senior orange tabby cat named Thor the Super Kitty.

Dr. Tia Meneses

Dr. Tia Meneses

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Tia Meneses’ journey with animals began at age 15, when she got a job at the Potter League animal shelter. Today, as an Associate Vet at West Greenwich Animal Hospital, Dr. Tia loves helping clients through all stages of their pets’ lives, from puppy appointments to geriatric care. She has a particular soft spot for toy breed dogs and wants to help them live the pampered, healthy lives that they deserve!

Dr. Tia attended the University of Rhode Island where she earned her Bachelor’s in Animal Science. During that time, she worked on several local farms. She then worked as a veterinary technician for several years before applying to vet school and attending the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI, Canada.

In vet school, Dr. Tia treated a dachshund who herniated a disc and was paralyzed in his hind end. He needed surgery and had to be hospitalized for a week. They formed a very special bond during his stay and Dr. Tia was able to give his parents the reassurance that he was very well cared for. He eventually regained full function of his back legs!

Professionally, Dr. Tia enjoys dermatology because it is one of the only organs that you can actually see and appreciate clinical resolution. She also enjoys behavior because it is challenging and multi factorial, but makes such a big difference to clients and pets’ quality of life.

Dr. Tia shares her home with a dog named “Screwie Roo,” a very quirky Pomeranian/Chihuahua mix who loves music and singing along to John Legend songs. In her spare time, she enjoys art, music and science (of course!). She loves being outside in nature, spending time at the beach, vacationing and exploring. She also has a special affinity for anything European.

Dr. Katee LoMonaco

Dr. Katee LoMonaco, DVM, cVMA

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Katee LoMonaco grew up on Long Island, New York. When asked by her kindergarten teacher, “What do you want to be when you grow up?, she emphatically answered, “Veterinarian”. As a child, she frequently wheeled her cat in a stroller and wore a plastic stethoscope around the house. She has always had an intrinsic love for animals, nature, and figuring out how things work. As a veterinarian, she enjoys problem solving and finding new ways to strengthen the quality of life in her patients in a way that promotes the connection between people and their pets.

Dr. Katee attended Binghamton University of New York where she received a BS in Biological Sciences, completing both a concentration in Cell & Molecular Biology and a special certificate in Evolutionary Studies where she participated in research that investigated how our genes influence our daily decisions and risk taking behaviors. While in school she served as a Vice President of the Pre-Veterinary Society and as an advisor on the Pre- Health Advisory Committee where she helped fellow students reach their goals of attending veterinary school. In the summers, she worked at a municipal animal shelter, in a few different veterinary practices, and spent some time with equine veterinarians where she was exposed to veterinary acupuncture for the first time.

After graduation she left New York for the sunny Caribbean island of St. Kitts to attend Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine where she earned her DVM degree. Island living provided a unique experience that necessitated creativity, resourcefulness, and humility which Dr. Katee brings to her everyday practice of veterinary medicine. While there, she served as the Feline Foster & Intake Coordinator for a student run rescue organization, PAWS. She proudly helped many cats find temporary fosters and become adopted into forever homes, while also discovering a passion for raising bottle baby (orphaned) kittens. During this time her cat Mokey was having back pain and weakness. A professor provided acupuncture treatments for him that kept his pain manageable and solidified Dr. Katee’s plans to become certified in acupuncture. She completed her clinical training at Cornell University Hospital For Animals followed by a certification in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture from Colorado State University & One Health SIM program.

Dr. Katee moved to Rhode Island in 2014 and has been providing high quality patient-centered medicine and acupuncture as an associate  veterinarian ever since. She is excited to be part of the team at West Greenwich Animal Hospital! Professionally, she enjoys nurturing her patients through all of their life stages and providing guidance to their owners when battling complex medical decisions. She has a special place in her heart for spicy gray cats! In her spare time she can be found whipping up treats in the kitchen for people and pets alike, reading a good book, photographing nature, or just hanging around her house that she shares with her partner, 4 dogs, 3 cats, a hedgehog and too many fish tanks!

Dr. Samantha Sherman

Dr. Samantha Sherman, DVM

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Samantha Sherman was born and raised in Canterbury, CT, where she lived with her parents, older brother, and a variety of animals. At the age of 10, Dr. Sherman was gifted her first Cavalier King Spaniel, whom she named Lilly. Lilly was the one constant in Dr. Sherman’s life and helped get her through many difficult times. In fact, it was the love and special bond that Dr. Samantha shared with Lilly that ultimately inspired her to pursue her dream of becoming a vet.

Dr. Sherman earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Rhode Island. From there, she started her journey in veterinary medicine at Brooklyn Veterinary Hospital (BVH), where she worked as a full-time veterinary technician for two years before moving to Auburn, Alabama for veterinary school. After graduating with her DVM, Dr. Sherman moved to Rhode Island because it had always been one of her favorite places. That is how she found her way to West Greenwich Animal Hospital!

In practice, Dr. Sherman loves being an advocate for dental care for animals. Beyond fresh breath, clean teeth can help improve the overall health of a companion animal. She also has a special interest in cardiology and enjoys taking a systematic approach to diagnosing disease. Lastly, Dr. Sherman finds reproductive services both fun and rewarding.

At home, Dr. Sherman has two perfectly imperfect Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Stella and Archer. Stella is the prettiest little girl with the biggest personality. Her arch nemesis is the printer. Archer is the sweetest boy who had some health issues when he was first adopted but has since fully recovered and is now living his best life. Fun fact, Archer’s name is inspired by Taylor Swift. Stella and Archer are both big Swifties like their mom!

In addition to her passion for animals, Dr. Sherman also has a creative side and loves art. She has a scrub cap that she started painting during veterinary school with all her past and present dogs on it as a reminder of why she became a veterinarian in the first place. She also loves the beach and spending time with friends and family.