Meet the Team
Our Equine Vets
Dr. Emma Webster
Emma Webster spent her veterinary externship with us in 2008, and so we knew we were very fortunate to have her join our team when she graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2009. In addition to an admirable level of general veterinary knowledge, she has taken a comprehensive course in ultrasound and dentistry and has a special interest in Ophthalmology. Outside of the clinic, Emma enjoys horseback riding, painting, and spending time with her family on their hobby farm in Drayton. Emma shares the farm chores with her husband Rob, three children (Miles, Sidney, and Samantha), their dog Kajun, their cat Spencer and about 20 chickens.
Dr. Melanie Thompson
DVM
Melanie grew up in rural Flamborough near her grandparents’ dairy farm and began riding horses at a young age. Melanie completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph, and graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2018.
Melanie joined the large animal team at Heartland in 2019 for both food animal and equine practice. She enjoys ruminant medicine and surgery and working with producers. Melanie enjoys equine practice, with an interest in primary care, emergency care, and equine reproduction. Melanie is currently enrolled in a Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy course, with hopes of providing additional treatment modalities for pain management and lameness to her equine patients.
In her free time, Melanie enjoys running and riding horses. Melanie lives in Drayton with her husband Will, daughter Georgia, and their two cats.
Dr. Mary Walker
Mary Walker graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2011 and is happy to be splitting her time between Heartland Animal Hospital of Listowel and Drayton. Mary grew up in the city of Brampton and is enjoying the more rural lifestyle that Listowel offers. Mary has an interest in pain management in her surgical and medical cases. This past spring, she participated in a comprehensive course on abdominal ultrasound and just completed a similar course for horses. Mary loves to travel, read, and relax with friends and family at her family cottage in her free time. She lives in Listowel with her loveable but mischievous dog Wiley “The Coyote.” He is a rescue from a Northern Ontario native reserve and is a constant source of entertainment (and trouble) in his efforts to be an indoor dog!
Dr. Monica Fritz
Monica Fritz grew up in Walkerton and knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a veterinarian and specifically an Equine Veterinarian due to her love and passion for horses. She attended the University of Guelph for her undergraduate degree in Animal Biology and graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2024. Monica is excited to be joining the Heartland Team as an Equine Associate Veterinarian. Monica grew up with Standardbred horses along side her family. In her free time she enjoys nature, going to the horse races with her family and spending hours at the barn. Monica lives in Walkerton alongside her husband Matt and his amazing children Levi and Adah.