Staff Role: Veterinarian - ER

Allison Wallace, DVM

Dr. Allison Wallace is an associate veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary and part of our rotating small animal medicine and surgery intern class of 2024-2025. Originally from the Midwest, she grew up in Mundelein, Illinois, northwest of Chicago. She graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelors’ in Animal Science, and later graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Wallace was able to do externships at three different zoos during her schooling where she had the opportunity to work with a variety of animal species from elephants and big cats to armadillos. She has a special clinical interest in emergency and critical care medicine, and in exotic animal medicine.

Dr. Wallace has wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as she can remember, and her favorite parts of her job are not just helping animals but also being able to work with their families and help communicate with and educate them in their times of need. She lives with her dog River, a 6-year old Catahoula mix, and when not working she enjoys running, hiking, skiing, kayaking, and spending time outdoors.

Special Interests:

• Emergency & Critical Care medicine
• Exotic animal medicine

Danielle Money, DVM

Dr. Danielle Money is an associate veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary and part of our rotating small animal medicine and surgery intern class of 2024-2025. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, she attended the University of Kentucky where she graduated with a B. S. in Biology and later obtained her degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Illinois. Before attending veterinary school she lived in the Florida Keys for a year where she worked with bottlenose dolphins at an animal assisted therapy facility, and today she has a clinical interest in zoological and aquatic animal medicine.

Dr. Money has loved working with animals for as long as she can remember, but was especially motivated to pursue a career with zoo and aquatic animals after her time spent working with dolphins.  She appreciates how unique every individual animal is, regardless of species, and enjoys being able to learn about each pet’s individual character and history while treating her patients. She lives with her two dogs (Stevie and Harley), three cats (Boogie, Chance, and Chester), two guinea pigs (Beans and Toast), and a fish (Queso).

Special Interests:

• Aquatic animal medicine
• Exotic animal medicine

Stephanie Boisvert, DVM

Dr. Stephanie Boisvert is an emergency veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary in Middletown. Originally from South Windsor, CT, she graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Tufts University and obtained her veterinary degree from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. In addition to veterinary medicine, she also studied and is certified in Fear Free handling and  RECOVER CPR Basic and Advanced Life support, and is a member of Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Society. She has a clinical interest in emergency medicine and diagnostic imaging, and completed a one-year rotating internship at Pieper Veterinary from 2023-2024.

Dr. Boisvert lives with her cattle dog mix, Freo, and when not working she enjoys baking bread, hiking with her dog, gardening, and doing a jigsaw puzzle with a cup of tea. She finds motivation for her work in veterinary medicine every day by witnessing the strong bonds formed between people and their pets, and her favorite aspect of her job is being able to help support the wellbeing of her patients, their families, and her colleagues.

Special Interests:

• Diagnostic Imaging
• Emergency medicine

Christopher Blanch, DVM

Dr. Christopher Blanch is an emergency veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary. His interests include emergency surgery, oncology, and low-cost spay/neuter surgery. As a long-time resident of Connecticut, Dr. Blanch left the state to obtain his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Rhode Island. He went on to complete his doctorate degree at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2004 followed by a rotating internship at Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in RI.

As a former medical director at a high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter clinic, Dr. Blanch has a special interest in animal population control and shelter medicine. The most important part of veterinary medicine for him is being able to give a voice to those that don’t have one.

Dr. Blanch resides in southeastern CT with his dogs, Navah and Stewie, and cats, Vinny, Chewy, and Bing Clawsby. In his spare time he loves anything to do with being on the ocean, including kayaking and kayak fishing.

Special Interests:

• Surgery
• Oncology

Melissa McDaniel, DVM, MPH

Dr. Melissa McDaniel is an emergency veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary, and works primarily out of our Middletown emergency and specialty hospital. Originally from New York, she graduated from Dartmouth College, and later received her doctorate from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Dr. McDaniel has special interests in stabilizing critical patients, diabetic ketoacidosis, and wound repair.

Dr. McDaniel has wanted to become a veterinarian for as long as she can remember. She is married, has two children, and lives with her dog, Grizwald, and her cats, Ellen and Potter. In addition to practicing medicine, she also enjoys singing, baking, and traveling.

Special Interests:

• Stabilizing critical patients
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Wound repair

Dr. Dan Niemczyk has been an Emergency Veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary since 2013 and has special interests in both emergency and transfusion medicine. He is a Connecticut native from Enfield, and attended Becker College for undergrad, followed by the University of Tennessee, where he received his DVM. Dr. Niemcyzk is a member of the AVMA, CVMA, and VECCS.

At home, Dr. Niemczyk spends time with a house full of critters, including two cats, Logan and Storm, a dog, Dahlia, and two red-eared sliders, which are turtles, named Godzilla and Tim Tim Timilton; a big name for a little animal. He enjoys cooking and hiking, and feels the most rewarding part of his job is to see happy owners take home a pet knowing they are feeling better and on the road to recovery.

Special Interests:

• Emergency care
• Transfusion medicine

Jessi Taylor, DVM

Dr. Jessi Taylor is an emergency veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary, and has been with the company since 2022. Born in a small farming town in Kentucky, she attended the University of Louisville and graduated from the Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine where she was recognized and awarded for her proficiency in emergency medicine, critical care, anesthesia, and analgesia. Dr. Taylor completed a rotating internship at Pieper before beginning her career in emergency medicine. She is a member of the AVMA and VECCS and is certified in RECOVER CPR basic and advanced life support.

Dr. Taylor is Fear Free certified and previously used to train service dogs for a non-profit organization in Louisville. She has a clinical interest in animal behavior, in addition to emergency medicine, anesthesia, and analgesia. In addition to veterinary medicine, she also studied Japanese, German, and Veterinary Disaster Medicine, and is FEMA certified in disaster preparedness for veterinary medicine.

Dr. Taylor was inspired to pursue a career in veterinary medicine after caring for a very sick puppy as a young child, so that she can be able to help pets and their families who find themselves in tough situations. She lives with her partner, her two dogs, Rocket the German shepherd and Honeybee the Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and two fancy rats named Giuseppe and Lorenzo. When not working, Dr. Taylor enjoys cold process soap making, watercolor painting, photography, and hand embroidery.

Special Interests:

• Anesthesia and analgesia
• Emergency medicine
• Behavior

Jessica Urbonas, DVM

Department Head – Emergency

Originally from Connecticut, Dr. Jessica Urbonas competed in track and field at the University of Delaware before receiving her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University in 2008. She is the head of emergency medicine and intern director at Pieper.

Dr. Urbonas has special interests in education and mentorship as well as trauma and endocrine emergencies.  She enjoys working in emergency medicine because she is able to be there for animals and their people when they truly need help.

She lives with her husband and son, their dogs, Dwight, and Beasley, and their cat, Halen.  When not working, she loves traveling, cooking, and hiking.​

Special Interests:

• Trauma
• Endocrine emergencies