Dr. Lind grew up in the Twin Cities. She graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN in 1996 and then attended the University of MN’s College of Veterinary Medicine in St. Paul, graduating in 2002. She completed her Internship at a busy, small animal referral hospital in Oradell, NJ. Then moved back to MN spending five years working as a small animal veterinarian in Forest Lake before moving to Duluth. Ann started working at NSVH in 2007.
Looking back at old school work, Ann found a book that she made in kindergarten complete with illustrations of cats and dogs saying that she wanted to grow up to be a veterinarian. In high school when she realized how much schooling was needed, the idea drifted from her thoughts. Dr. Lind still took mostly science classes in college, but graduated without a clear path for a future. She spent a season as a wildlife biologist in southern CA. She fit in a lot of outdoor camping adventures through YMCA camps and personal camping trips as well and thought she might work as an outdoor guide or teacher.
Dr. Lind was reunited with the idea of becoming a veterinarian when her beloved black lab, Duchess (whom she got when she was 10 years old after hard negotiation with her parents to only watch Chanel 2/public television for 3 years in order to get her!) got sick while her parents were away. Dr. Lind was then faced with the decisions for care for Duchess. She was impressed with the compassion that the veterinarian had for Duchess and for Dr. Lind herself. Her eyes were also opened to advanced surgeries and care for pets that she never thought could be done in animal medicine. That experience made her realize that four more years of school with tests and lectures might be worth it to have a career working with and caring for animals. Dr. Lind applied to vet school and her course was quickly paved.
She has never regretted her decision to go to vet school. She loves all of the challenges, humility, and triumphs this job brings. She enjoys the feeling after finishing a hard day of physically and emotionally exhausting work knowing that she made a difference for some little furry friend to make their life a little bit easier, healthier. And besides, who can resist a full body tail wag or a kitty head-butt and tail shake?
