Noahs animal hospital & 24 hr emergency center

AAHA-Accredited Hospitals: Champions for Excellent Care

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Did you know that accreditation for animal hospitals is voluntary?  Surprising, isn’t it? Nearly 60 percent of pet owners believe that their pet’s veterinary hospital is accredited when it is not. In actuality, only 12-15% of animal hospitals have gone through the accreditation evaluation process by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).  We are proud to call ourselves an AAHA-accredited hospital.

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In the United States, all human hospitals that serve people with Medicare must be accredited through an accrediting body; they undergo regular reviews and quality checks to ensure they meet 

standards of quality for every aspect of medical care. However, not all

animal hospitals choose to pursue the AAHA-accreditation process

since it is not required by law.  When it comes to pet health care,

accreditation is voluntary.

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The accreditation process is rigorous and time-consuming, and not every

veterinary hospital wants to go through the lengthy process.  Accreditation

by AAHA means that an animal hospital has been evaluated on 

approximately 900 standards of veterinary excellence. To maintain their

accreditation, hospitals undergo a rigorous review by veterinary experts

every three years. State and provincial regulations can vary widely – in

fact, some states don’t routinely inspect hospitals, only going in for an

inspection when a complaint is filed by a pet owner. AAHA accreditation

is considered the standard for veterinary excellence, and does not vary

between states or provinces (AAHA accredits hospitals in both the U.S.

and Canada).

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We are an AAHA-accredited veterinary hospital. That means we hold

ourselves to a higher standard. Pets are our passion. And keeping them

healthy is our #1 priority. Here, we strive to deliver excellent care for pets.

Because your pets deserve nothing less.

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Learn more about AAHA accreditation and why our accreditation is important to you and your pet. Visit aaha.org/petowner.

Welcome to Noah's Ark Animal Hospital

Noah's Ark Animal Hospital is a full-service animal hospital and welcomes both emergency treatment cases as well as pet patients in need of routine medical, surgical, and dental care. Dr. Sharon Hunter has years of experience treating serious conditions and offering regular pet wellness care. Beyond first-rate pet care, we make our clinic comfortable, kid-friendly, and calm, so your pet can relax in the waiting room and look forward to meeting our Valrico veterinarian.

Helpful Links

Request your appointment today!

Meet Our Skilled Team

• 

  Dr. Sharon R. Hunter DVM

  Dr. Hunter is a graduate of University of  Florida and has been practicing Veterinary Medicine in the Tampa/Hillsborough community for over 30 years. Her compassion for pets and their owners has made her a much loved pet practitioner. Dr. Hunter is married and has 5 grown children and 7 grandchildren.  Her interests outside of the clinic include enjoying the outdoors and horseback riding.

• 

  Tina Stephanz

  Manager

  Became a practice manager,  when opportunity found her 21 years ago, and it turned out to be the best career opportunity. “Having a background as an Educator (specifically Music Education) would seem an odd transition, however, every day I’m privileged to provide positive and reliable education to our clients, and develop ongoing ways to continued goal of excellence with our team.”

  Her goal with every client visit is to provide a welcoming, stress-free and friendly experience. Building and developing lasting relationships and traveling life’s journeys with our clients and their pets is truly her greatest privilege.

  Personal Mantra: “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.” 

• 

  Ginny Lindberg

  Groomer

  “ I became a groomer as I have always had a job focused on the care and welfare of animals. I wanted to continue with a job that could be doing this in a different manner and decided to go to grooming school.”

  Her goal with every patient visit is to educate the owners on the proper care and the importance of keeping their pet groomed. Making each pet look and feel their best.

  Personal Mantra: “You can do anything but not everything.”

• 

  Stephanie Rickman

  Veterinary Technician

  Became a veterinary technician as she grew up with animals and loved being involved in their vet care. “Going with my mom to the vet was one of the things I always looked forward to and I knew I wanted to help animals from a young age.”

  Her goal with every patient visit is to show love, compassion, and to help educate pet owners on how to provide the best possible care for their babies. 

  Personal Mantra: “Life is better when you cry a little, laugh a lot and are thankful for everything you’ve got”

• 

  Natalia Cano

  Veterinary Technician

  Became a veterinary technician to learn how to keep animals healthy & happy, and be able to pass on the knowledge to others.

  Her goal with every patient visit is to make sure all pets get the same quality of care and to make sure that their owners know how to best care for their furry family members

  Personal Mantra: Live simply & trust in the Lord

• 

  Sara Adams

  Veterinary Technician

  Became a veterinary technician because she’s always had a love for animals and wanted to work with them since she was a child. 

  Her goal with every patient visit is to educate owners and care for every pet to the best of her ability.

  Personal Mantra: Hakuna Matata

• 

  Rosa Vazquez

  Certified Veterinary Assistant

  Became a Certified Veterinary Assistant because of her childhood. “When I was a kid, I remember my dad always bringing home some kind of animal: owls, snakes, dogs, cats, lizards, etc. that he would find injured and nurse back to health. I always loved it….I guess you can say I got the love for animals from him. Giving these animals a voice, a fighting chance, and the love you receive from both animal and owners, and the thank yous! There is no feeling like it!” 

  Her goal with every patient visit is to educate the client.

  Personal Mantra: Truth is simple-I believe in simplicity. Whenever something is complicated and chaotic, it's our ego trying to take control of the mind.

• 

  Maria Cansin

  Certified Veterinary Assistant

  Became a veterinary assistant as she has always had a love for animals, big or small. 'I knew since I was a child that I wanted to work with animals and help owners keep their babies living a happy and healthy life!'

  Her goal with every patient visit is to help care for every patient and educate owners on proper care for their babies.

  Personal Mantra: Less worrying, more living.
  

• 

  Zen Akins

  Groomer

  Has been grooming for almost 10 years. She learned her craft in Miami, Fl and has continued to expand her knowledge by working in various salon settings, a vet's office, mobile and home environments. She truely loves her job.

  Her goal for her clients is a quality cut and comfortable environment for your pet.

  Personal Mantra: Live Simply

Testimonials

• Friendly and professional staff. I recently took my dog to this location and both the veterinarian and her staff were patient and knowledgeable. Even during the drop off procedures I felt welcome and informed about my dog's visit.

• They got me in very quickly as a new client and the staff and Dr Hunter were great. Took their time, no rush, met with the Dr face to face. Very good experience!

• Love the staff here. I feel safe bringing my beloved family members. I know they are going to be loved and nurtured. Thank you all so much!

• Good experience. Compassionate, soft with the babies (my dog is my baby) very fair cost for everything. They will be taking care of My Habibi from now on. Thank you everyone at Noah's Ark Animal Hospital.

• My dog’s vet passed away, and since then I could not find a good place to take my 15 year old pup. A friend recommended Noah’s Ark and I am so happy she did. Happy with the Doctor, the staff, the environment and their prices. They care and I appreciate that. I would highly recommend them for your fur babies, whatever they may be!

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• We are so happy to have found this vet. They saved our 12 year old dog and now have her on just the right medications to keep her happy and active. They are always super responsive, caring and professional. We are grateful to have made the move to Noah's Ark Animal Hospital! Thank you!!

• My family has been taking our pets to Noah's Ark since we moved here 20 years ago, and I still bring my dogs there today. Dr. Hunter and her staff are exceptionally compassionate and understanding. Even though they might not see my dogs for months at a time, or even an entire year, they always remember everything about them; their little quirks, or minor medical issues from years ago. Whether it's just a routine checkup and vaccinations, or something more serious, I won't bring my dogs anywhere else.

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Hours of Operation

Monday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm

2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Tuesday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm

2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Wednesday

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Thursday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm

2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Friday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm

2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Saturday

By Appointment Only

Monday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Tuesday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Wednesday

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Thursday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Friday

8:00 am - 1:00 pm 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Saturday

By Appointment Only

Our Location

--mi

Noah's Ark Animal Hospital

Address

4338 Bell Shoals Road
Valrico, FL 33596