Teresa Bradley Bays, DVM
Dr. Bradley Bays is the owner of Belton Animal Clinic & Exotic Care Center. She began working at the clinic in 1993, then became a part owner for 5 years before purchasing the practice in 2002. She lived in Peculiar for 4 years and has lived in Belton since 1997. She is an international author and lecturer on exotic pet species. Dr. Bradley Bays is past president of the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practitioners, an association for veterinarians who obtain more than 40 credit hours of continuing education per year. Dr. Bradley Bays usually receives 80 to 120 continuing education hours per year, mostly on topics pertaining to exotic animal medicine and surgery. She is also past president and seven-year board member of the National Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians. She is currently senior editor and co-author of the book Exotic Pet Behavior, Birds, Reptiles & Small Mammals, which was published in May of 2006. She graduated from Kansas State University in 1990 and did preceptorships at Sea World of Florida and the Saint Louis Zoo. She spent one year as a veterinary intern at the Riverbanks Zoological Park in Columbia, SC. She loves camping, reading, writing and spending time with her family and their four pets.
Melissa Freeman, DVM
Dr. Freeman grew up in Lee’s Summit and has lived in the Kansas City area her whole life. In 2002, she graduated from Avila University with a Bachelors of Science in Biology. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 2006. She joined the practice in June 2006 and enjoys the challenges and successes that come with each day of practicing medicine. She also enjoys the wide range of species seen at Belton Animal Clinic & Exotic Care Center and learning the unique characteristics and needs of exotics. Outside of work she enjoys cooking, baking, reading, swimming and spending time outdoors.
Rachel Dragos, DVM - Dr. Dragos was born and raised in Nutley, NJ a suburb of New York City. She graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, and spent the 2 years following graduation doing gene therapy research at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Dragos earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 and came straight to Belton Animal Clinic & Exotic Care Center! Everyone at the clinic has made her feel right at home. Her favorite part about being a veterinarian is getting to know the individual personalities of all her furry patients. In her free time, she loves playing frisbee with her dog, Mila; listening to NPR, working out at the gym; horseback riding,experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen ( with her husband as the guinea pig!); and trying out all the great restaurants Kansas City has to offer!
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