Staff

Ken grew up in the Galena area on a small dairy farm and ever since he could remember, he wanted to be a veterinarian. He graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois in 1983. Dr. Fiedler mostly works with dogs and cats, but also sees other species which may include rabbits, guinea pigs, and some birds. He enjoys small animal medicine and surgery, especially soft tissue surgery. Ken is married to Diane and together they have four children - Dorthea, Will, Grant, and Ava. They also have two dogs (Bella & Cooper), and two cats (Socks and Slugger). His hobbies include keeping up with the kids' activities and sports, gardening, working around his home, and traveling.

Dr. Pat Heitzman and his wife Sharon Heitzman, opened their small animal practice in Freeport on July 1, 1984 after spending 14 years at Dundee Animal Hospital. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS degree in microbiology in 1966, and then received his DVM degree in 1970. In his spare time, Dr. Heitzman enjoys gardening and visiting botanical gardens and parks.

Dan grew up in the small township of Glen Haven, Wisconsin, in the southwest corner of the state. His families' farm still raises beef and hogs, as well as row crops. Dan graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2013 and received his DVM from Iowa State University in 2017. Dan enjoys all aspects of small animal practice, especially surgery and medicine. His primary interests outside the clinic are hunting, fishing, and closely following Wisconsin sports teams.

Kim has been a veterinary assistant at Tender Loving Care Animal Hospital since 1998. One of her favorite things about her job is meeting our client's pets as puppies or kittens and seeing them through to adulthood. Hobbies include many outdoor activities with her husband, and she especially loves hiking with her dog.

Lena is a veterinary assistant and has been at the clinic since 2014. She has a fondness for chihuahuas and dalmatians. Her hobbies include reading, volunteering at the humane society, watching movies, and spending time with her family. Her time at the clinic is spent living her dream of caring for animals and helping your fur-babies enjoy their time at the clinic. She has been caring for animals since she was very young and looks forward to providing your pets with tending loving care!

Linda grew up in the Forreston area and graduated from Forreston High School and Highland Community College with a degree in business administration. She joined the Tender Loving Care team in 1998 as one of the afternoon receptionists. She and her husband have a dog named Tucker. Linda enjoys walking, reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Tasha started at Tender Loving Care in August of 1998 as the receptionist. She grew up in the Pearl City area, and now lives in Orangeville with her family. In her spare time, Tasha enjoys spending time with her two children
and going to beef shows.

Jessanna Darin, CVT, started at Tender Loving Care in June 2018. She graduated from Rockford Career College in 2017. Jessanna is originally from Rockton, but now lives in Durand with her husband Nathan. Like many of our staff members, Jessanna has several roles at the clinic including assisting with small animal appointments and surgery, large animal chute work, and working in our milk quality lab. Jessanna was previously a CBRN Sargent in the Army National Guard for 6 years. She and Nathan have many pets including 2 dogs (Stella and Rosie), 1 cat (Whisker Biscuit), 1 goose (Uncle Waldo), and several chickens. Her hobbies include art, carving, and spending time with her many animals.