Our Doctors & Administrators

Dr. Dean attended undergraduate and graduate school at Auburn University (Bachelor in Biological Science in Zoology) and Veterinary School at Auburn University (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine '76).  Dr. Dean is the fifth from his family tree to graduate from Auburn University in Veterinary Medicine.

After graduating from veterinary school, Dr. Dean moved back home to Anaheim Ca, where he practiced with his father, until relocating to the Santa Ynez Valley in 1978.  Soon after, he built and opened the Santa Ynez Pet Hospital in 1983.  Dr. Dean is married to Joanne Dean, the practice's manager.  They reside in the small town of Los Olivos. Dr. Dean's other interests include scuba diving, photography, and traveling.

Dr. Edwards grew up in Orange County and attended Cal Poly Pomona.  Soon after graduating, Dr. Edwards moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, where she entered the school of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University.  

Prior to moving to the Santa Ynez Valley, she practiced in Arizona and Virginia. She has three children; Caleb (16), Lita (13), and Stone (10).  

Dr. Edwards enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her family.  

Dr. Amy Parker was raised in the Santa Ynez Valley, attended Santa Ynez Elementary and High School, and eventually graduated from Dunn School in 1984. She then attended UC Davis for both undergraduate and graduate degrees, graduating from UC Davis Veterinary School in 1993.Since then she has enjoyed practicing small animal medicine and surgery in the Davis and Sacramento areas, until moving back home to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2013.

Dr. Amy Values all aspects of medicine and surgery, but her primary interest is in preventative healthcare and wellness. In addition to practicing quality medicine, she has also been a prominent member of the Veterinary community, holding several board member positions for over 20 year with the Sacramento Valley Veterinary Medical Association.

When she is not caring for our patients, she adores playing with her mixed-breed rescue dog, Paco, and her Abyssinian Mix cat, Idgie. She is an avid oil painter and watercolorist, with pet portraits being one of her favorite subjects.

Dr. Amy and her partner, Joy, bought a cute fixer home in Solvang in 2013 and can be seen gardening in their front yard. In her spare time, she loves cycling, mountain biking, hiking, and camping.

Joanne Dean is the practice's manager and bookkeeper. For many years she worked up front with the receptionists, but the increasing demands of her duties has relegated her to more behind the scenes.  'I miss the day-to-day sharing of the clients' lives and their pets.  Fortunately, we have a remarkable staff that I can leave 'up front' in capable hands.  I'm truly thankful for our entire team.  The pets' antics, personalities, struggles, and companionship, as well as the wonderful family atmosphere we have created with these great employees, are the greatest rewards of this job.'

Marie is a technician and our assistant manager, who has been with us since we opened our doors in 1983. She manages our inventory and keeps the hospital on track when Dr. Dean & Joanne are out of town. We also call her the “Cat Whisperer.” At home she has dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, and goats. “I love animals” is why she with us and we are fortunate to have her.