Born and raised in a farming and agricultural family and community in the Central Valley of California, Dr. Cathy Schmall has had a lifelong love of animals. After graduating from Humboldt State University, she worked several years as a wildlife technician for the US Forest Service before being admitted to the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

She graduated in 1995, and apparently not tired of the snow and bugs, she completed a rotating internship at a specialty center in Rochester, NY. Armed with education and some experience, she was excited to move back to California and begin practicing veterinary medicine.

In 2011, she moved back to the Humboldt area and worked at a local vet hospital until 2015 when she jumped at the chance to purchase McKinleyville Animal Care Center. For her, this was full circle as she had worked here for several years prior to leaving for vet school and since returning has enjoyed reuniting with several former coworkers and of course many, many loyal clients.

When not at work she loves to travel internationally and learn about other cultures or kayak and hike with her dogs and her wife in our beautiful local surroundings.

Rachel was born and raised in Humboldt County. After graduating from Eureka High School, she received her bachelor’s degree in animal science from UC Davis. She was then accepted to UC Davis Veterinary School and graduated in 2009 and worked at McKinleyville Animal Care Center since then.

During her downtime, she, her husband, and their three children can be found hiking around our beautiful county with their dog at Mad River Beach while enjoying all of Humboldt.

Jeff grew up in Upland California where his thoughts of being a veterinarian began at an early age. He moved to Humboldt in 2002 to study Zoology. While studying, he was working at MACC as a kennel attendant in 2009, and then as a vet tech until he graduated with honors from HSU.

He then went to Minnesota State University College of Veterinary Medicine and studied 4 years of veterinary medicine. Jeff graduated from Minnesota State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 at the top 5% of his class.

Jeff and his girlfriend Sarah relocated back to Humboldt with their dog Jiggles, cat Burma, turtle Roy, and two snakes.

Originally from Hesperia, California, Heidi moved to Humboldt County after high school and started her career with animals as a pet groomer. In 2005, Heidi got her first position in veterinary medicine as a receptionist at Sunny Brae Animal Clinic.

After 5 years, Heidi was presented with the opportunity to manage McKinleyville Animal Care Center. There, she contributed to rebuilding and growing the practice for nearly 5 years. In 2015, Heidi partnered with Dr. Cathy Schmall and purchased McKinleyville Animal Care Center. Today, she is a proud owner and manager with over 20 employees, including 4 doctors.

Heidi is happily married. She now has a 11-year-old son, Cruz and, a quickly growing 6-year-old, Andres, and a 14-month-old, Rico. Heidi enjoys raising her family here in McKinleyville, CA.

Julia was one of our amazing long-term receptionists and went on to be cross trained as a technician, learning new skills and perspectives. Last year, she was promoted to assistant manager where she oversees our daily operations. Julia was made to manage and motivate staff. Her skills and knowledge are growing every day.

She grew up in Ruth Lake where she was able to enjoy hunting and fishing. Julia is the owner of 2 dogs and a cat. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and starting new adventures.

is a registered veterinary technician who is working for us for almost 30 years now. She is very partial to the small and fluffy! Lori helps in every part of the hospital. She spends her free time with her wonderful family seeking out all the great spots in Humboldt to enjoy.

is a registered veterinary technician who has been with us close to 4 years. She traveled from LA for a new take on life. She is an excellent multitasker and loves her patients. Maureen also does all our in-clinic ordering. When she isn’t working her 40+ weekly hours, she enjoys raising her beautiful son in Trinidad.

is a registered veterinary technician, who joined our team in 2021. She is an extremely hard worker. You will never find her not doing something. She also takes care of you when we are on call for county emergencies. Whether that is 3pm on a Sunday or 3am on a Saturday night, she is always ready to work hard to care of your furry family members. Maria spends her days off with her husband and pups in Trinidad.