Honored Mentor

R. Avery Bennett

DVM, MS, DACVS

Teaching is in my blood. Becoming a teacher of zoo & wildlife medicine and surgery has allowed me to enjoy my two professional passions, teaching and veterinary medicine. When I have no one to teach, I am just doing another surgery. Sharing what I have learned during my career is extremely important to me. It gives me so much joy to see those who I have helped train succeed.
- R. Avery Bennett, DVM, MS, DACVS

Avery has been the most influential mentor to me throughout my training and post-residency career. Not only has he given me the skills and knowledge to become the surgeon I am today, his relentless pursuit of perfection has held me to a higher ethical and clinical standard. I am grateful for everything that Avery has done for myself and the profession.
- Nathaniel Lam, DVM, DACVS (Small Animal)

Dr. Avery has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education — math and Spanish. He taught Junior and Senior High School before going into the Peace Corps where he decided to pursue his true life goal of becoming a veterinarian. He enjoys combining being a teacher with being a veterinarian. He has always been fascinated with the diversity of species. It is his joy to bring the highest level of science in veterinary surgery to the world of exotic animal medicine and surgery.