My high school summers were dedicated to volunteering at the Pittsburgh Zoo, and working for our pets’ veterinarian. The doctor’s ability to simultaneously treat animals while also comforting their owners convinced me that veterinary medicine was the career path for me.

I received my Bachelors of Science from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, OH and then completed my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University. I began practicing in the Columbus area in 2009 and then decided to open Liberty Pet Hospital in Powell in 2015.

Professionally, I have special interest in dermatology, dentistry, behavioral health, and surgery.

When I visit my dentist or family physician, I value their caring bedside manner and honest interest in my life. Asking how my husband is doing, or queries regarding our latest travels show that they care about me as an individual and that I’m not just another patient on their schedule.

I like to create that same type of relationship with my clients and their pets. Specifically, I want to foster a mutual trust so that each conversation at Liberty Pet Hospital is specific to each family and each furry friend. I want every discussion I have with you about pet care to be grounded in honesty, and for us to reach every decision regarding treatment together.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our hospital website. I look forward to getting to know you and your beloved pets!

Dr. Melanie graduated from The Ohio State University in 2006 and recently moved back to Columbus (Go BUCKS!) from Knoxville Tennessee. She is excited to meet you and your furry family members! She enjoys the challenges of complicated internal medicine cases, geriatric medicine, dentistry and is certified in Medical Acupuncture.

Dr. Melanie is married to Colin who works for JP Morgan Chase in the Business Resiliency department, and they have three children. They also share their home with Penny, a rambunctious Shepard mix, and Oliver, a goofy yellow Labrador Retriever. When she is not at work, she enjoys physical fitness, camping, hiking, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Dr. Kelman was born in Moscow, Russia but spent her undergraduate years and most of her childhood in Maryland. She moved to California to attend UC Davis Veterinary School. Dr. Kelman then went on to complete a rotating internship at Encina Veterinary Medical Center where she worked side by side with specialists and saw a busy caseload of emergencies.

Following her internship, Dr. Kelman worked at Berkeley Dog and Cat Hospital for eight years. She started out in the emergency department and then transitioned to general practice. In her career, she has pursued additional training in ultrasound, dentistry, and surgery and strives to improve her skills daily.

In her free time, she enjoys skiing, rock climbing, yoga, dancing, hiking, chasing around her kids, and training her cat (Albie) in agility.

Dr. Decker’s professional interests include soft tissue surgery, emergency medicine/critical care, and oncology. She enjoys helping families navigate their pet’s various life stages and looks forward to building relationships with each of you!

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved animals and had my sights set on a career in veterinary Medicine. After graduating high school, I started my first job working at the front desk of a vet hospital. That’s when I realized I loved working with customers as much as their pets. I then graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science. I’ve worked in the vet industry for 14 years and have since moved up into management. I now strive to provide the best support for my team and clients.

My husband and I have an amazing 3-year-old daughter. We also have two fur babies—an 11-year-old Silver Lab named Benny and a 2-year-old kitty named Addies. In my free time, I love reading, crocheting/crafting, and going on adventures with my daughter!

Kirsten graduated from Bradford School in 2013 with an associate’s degree in Veterinary Technology and became a Registered Vet Tech right after college. She knew from a young age that she wanted to work with animals and loves being able to help out with all things fluffy!

She’s lived in Central Ohio for most of her life & has a daughter, Ava, and two dogs, Tawnie & Titan. When she’s not at work, she enjoys reading & listening to music.

My wife and I have 4 Golden Retrievers- Stitch (14), Samuel (3), Harper (3), and Gabbie (1). In my spare time, I enjoy physical fitness, spending time with my family and dogs, playing with our nieces and nephew, cooking, traveling, and spending time outdoors.

I am originally from Zanesville, Ohio, but I moved to Columbus a few years ago with my boyfriend for my college education. I have always been one to have a soft spot for animals of all kind! With that being said I do have a special place in my heart for pocket pets, specifically bunnies, and I adore cats. I have two bunnies of my own, Lemon and Lorax, and an orange tabby, Crash, who all keep me busy. When I am not chasing around the small zoo in my apartment, you will typically find me at my local coffee shop or library studying. I will be graduating this May ’23 from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of science in zoology with which I plan on advancing my academic career to vet school.

From a very young age, I have had a love for all animals. I don’t think there was ever a time when we did not have some sort of family pet, from my first Gerbil to our beloved Shih Tzu, Coco, who we adopted from our local humane society. Although, horses were my first love! My Grandpa was a Quarter horse trainer and I loved to hear his stories. I spent ages 6-15 growing up in Europe and West Africa where my parents worked for a hospital. In boarding school is where my love for horses really grew, learning to care for, ride, and jump horses. I even had a goat farm at my parent’s house where I would raise goats to provide food for those in need. My first year of college was spent at Ohio University because I thought I wanted to be an athletic trainer, but God had a different plan for me. My parents had always said I had a special bond with animals and so my dad showed me the veterinary technician program at Columbus State I was very interested in it so that is how I got into working with animals.

I do have two handsome poodle mixes! Howard has been a part of my family since I was a freshman in high school. Emmett, my other poodle mix, has been a part of my life for about one year.

In my free time, I love to work out/be active and hang out with friends! My sports are soccer and golf and sailing with my boyfriend and friends up on Lake Erie when the weather allows.