Dr. Merritt grew up in Howard Lake, MN and attended The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Tanya joined the team at Lester Prairie right out of school. Working primarily with bovine patients, her passion lies with reproduction and calf health. Dr. Merritt also takes care of the wonderful flower beds at the clinic. In her free time she enjoys running and spending time with her husband and daughters at their dairy farm in Hamburg, MN.

Dr. Hucker grew up in rural southern Iowa on a farm. He attended Iowa State School of Veterinary Medicine. He started with Lester Prairie Vet clinic in 2008 after moving to Minnesota. He enjoys seeing all types of production animals. Dr. Hucker’s passion is beef herd production management and routine equine health. Dr. Hucker plays a key role in the local scouting community and spends his free time camping and home cooking. He enjoys spending time with his wife and his son on a hobby farm in Lester Prairie, MN.

Dr. Danielle Hively is a small animal veterinarian at Lester Prairie Vet Clinic. Dr. Hively joined Lester Prairie Vet in 2015. She attended vet school at the University of Minnesota. While she loves all things related to veterinary medicine, she most enjoys the time she gets to spend with clients discussing the care of their pets. Dr. Hively lives in Cologne with her husband, two daughters, and her son. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her kids and is on a fishing league with her husband.

Dr. Erin Burke is a large animal veterinarian at Lester Prairie Vet Clinic. Dr. Burke joined Lester Prairie Vet in 2024. She attended vet school at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Burke’s favorite thing about her job is getting to meet and make relationships with all of the farmers. Dr. Burke lives in Waconia with her boyfriend, her dog Stitch and her cat Pepper. In her free time, she enjoys trying out new restaurants, cross country skiing and spending time with her friends and family.

Dr. Gander is a large animal veterinarian with the clinic. Originally from southern Wisconsin, he spent some time in Minnesota for undergraduate studies at the U of M and then graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. After vet school he spent a few years practicing dairy medicine in southern Wisconsin. After that he found his way back up to Minnesota to be closer to family, joining LPVC in 2021.Here at LPVC, he primarily focuses on bovine production medicine with a passion for reproduction and lameness prevention. Dr. Gander currently lives in Delano with his three daughters and wife, who is a small animal vet in the area.

Bio coming soon.

Amanda is a Certified Veterinary Technician and joined Lester Prairie Vet in 2020. She graduated with an AAS degree in Veterinary Technology from Ridgewater College in 2017. Amanda’s favorite thing about her job is getting to know all of our clients and being a part of their pets’ lives from beginning to end. Amanda lives in Glencoe with her husband and four fur babies; Indy, Kimber, Cardi and Knox. In her free time she enjoys working out, dancing, hunting, fishing, and spending time outdoors with her husband, pets and friends.

Nikki is a Veterinary Technician and joined Lester Prairie Vet in 2021. She graduated with an AAS degree in Veterinary Technology from Ridgewater College in 2021. Nikki’s favorite thing about her job is nursing sick patients back to health and getting to see them leave the clinic happy and healthy. Nikki is originally from Breckenridge, MN but now lives in Silver Lake, MN. In her free time she enjoys working at the animal shelter, going to concerts and helping out at her boyfriend’s farm.

Hattie is a Certified Veterinary Technician and joined Lester Prairie Vet in 2024. She graduated with an AAS degree in Veterinary Technology from Ridgewater College in 2017. Hattie’s favorite thing about her job is engaging with pets and their owners, dental cleanings and client education. Hattie lives in Hutchinson with her husband and four fur babies; Rosie, Moose, Finn, Rip and her chickens. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, fishing, biking and gardening.

Shauna is a Certified Veterinary Technician and joined Lester Prairie Vet Clinic in 2024. She graduated with an AAS degree in Veterinary Technology from Ridgewater College in 2019. Shauna’s favorite thing about her job is getting to help your pet from beginning to end during their stay to make sure they receive the best care while here. Shauna lives in Winsted with her fiance and her two dogs; Opal and Sadie. In her free time she enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with her family.

Dani is a Customer Service Representative and joined Lester Prairie Vet in 2018. Dani’s favorite thing about her job is getting to interact and assist with all of our clients. Dani lives in Lester Prairie with her husband, her son, and her pets; Izzy, Kali, Storm, Buddy, Boots, Dallas and Cinco. In her free time she enjoys training horses and spending time outdoors.

Bio coming soon.