Staff Role: Veterinarian - ER

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

Dr. David Vafek is an Emergency Veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary who graduated from the College of the Holy Cross. and obtained his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his internships at the VCA Veterinary Referral and Emergency Centers in Norwalk and Shelton, CT.

Dr. Vafek is a member of the VECCS and the AVMA, and in addition to veterinary medicine, also has a degree in biology.

Special Interests:

• Emergency care