North Mecklenburg Animal Hospital - Family

Before founding NMAH, he worked for six years at Pender Veterinary Clinic in Virginia, and an additional five years at another practice in North Carolina.

Dr. Schaaf was born into a large, military family and since birth has been a pet lover. His parents always maintained a menagerie of horses, ponies, chickens, dogs, cats and pet birds. He has fond memories of his family being guarded by a series of German Shepherd Dogs while his father served for three extensive tours of duty in the Viet Nam War.

Dr. Schaaf’s exposure to Veterinary Medicine dates back to his very earliest childhood memories. To this day he has a passion for sharing his expertise and love of animals with children of all ages. His first formal job was working for a group of veterinarians in Virginia starting at age fourteen, and he has worked in Veterinary Medicine continually through to the present (some 34 years at present!).

Dr. Schaaf has been married to his teenage sweetheart, Amy, for over 25 years. They met as teenagers working for a veterinarian, and enjoying each others love of animals. In addition to their 4 children, they love their 3 cats, 5 horses, 1 pony, 2 llamas, 12 chickens, 1 donkey and 6 dogs.

Professionally, Dr. Schaaf considers himself a generalist with special interest in surgery, internal medicine, cardiology and oncology.

In his spare time Dr. Schaaf enjoys hanging out with his family including riding and training his rescued horse, Skeeter. He jokes that “when he grows up” he would like to be a farmer. Currently Dr. Schaaf is extensively involved with the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources in Forestry Management, reforestation, and wildlife habitat management projects in Iredell and Alexander County.

His hobbies include equestrian activities, motorcycling and farming.

Dr James was born and lived in South Africa till the age of 24. He grew up in a mixed animal veterinary practice and his father is still a practicing veterinarian in South Africa today. Much of his childhood was spent on the farms near his home town where his father traveled to treat sick animals. It was during these formative years that he developed a love of the outdoors and for animals both domestic and wild. He has a passion for African wildlife and has been able to share this world with his wife and two daughters during their annual trips to catch up with their family and the African bushveld. Encounters with lion, elephant, hyena, zebra and giraffe are always possible.
Dr James completed his Bachelor of Veterinary Science at the University of Onderstepoort in Pretoria, South Africa in 1992. He then moved to the UK where his first job was in Scotland caring for cattle, sheep, horses, dogs and cats. His love of small animals then caused him to move to London and concentrate only on dogs and cats. During this time he met his future wife, who is American by birth, and they traveled extensively in Europe.

They moved to Charlotte in 1998 and found North Mecklenburg Animal Hospital (and John Schaaf the senior partner) which has been a great place to grow as veterinarian.

Dr James and his family live in Huntersville and share their home with a dog Tally and two black and white cats, Mafuta and Zoza ( Zulu names meaning “Fat Boy” and “ She struts about”). In his spare time he likes to fly fish, play golf, mountain bike, kayak and go hiking and camping with his family.

Dr James enjoys challenging medical cases as well as general surgery ( soft tissue, oral and orthopedic). Advanced Imaging and minimally invasive surgeries are also strong and developing interests of his. (ultrasonography, laparoscopy, arthroscopy & cystoscopy)

Dr. Paul Kritzinger was born in Namibia in Southern Africa and spent his youth growing up in Africa wilderness. A family of outdoor & wildlife enthusiasts, they spent every opportunity they had exploring the continent and visiting game reserves and wildlife refuges. This resulted in an initial desire to follow a career in wildlife veterinary services which was shortly curtailed after too many close encounters with wild animals. He was once seen sprinting across the veldt wearing only his shoes, with an enraged bull elephant hot on his heels!!!

He attended high school at the prestigious Diocesan College in Cape Town, South Africa. Afterwards, Dr. Kritzinger attended the University of Pretoria in South Africa, where he received his Veterinary Degree in 1993. On completion of his studies, he traveled to England and began practicing in the quaint town of Ashford, in the English countryside. Dr. Kritzinger spent six years in England, honing his surgical and medical skills. While living in London, he was privileged at times, to treat some of the Queen’s horses and the musician Sting’s dogs. He has traveled extensively in Europe as well as the Himalayas, and on returning from one of his adventures, he met Sandy, whom he later married in South Africa. After meeting Dr. Schaaf through his long time friend Dr. James, they emigrated to North Carolina in 1999 and Dr. Kritzinger began working at NMAH.

Dr. Kritzinger and Sandy now live in Cornelius, on Lake Norman, with their son Felix and daughter Jordan. Their rescued pets are a Golden Retriever Maya, and two unusual cats Ribeye & Utah. Their passion for outdoor activities takes up their recreational time and they can often be found camping in the North Carolina mountains (in the rain) or fly fishing in various parts of the country. Former competitive triathletes, they also enjoy a lot of trail running, although they haven’t figured out mountain biking with an infant yet!!

Dr. Kritzinger is a keen surgeon and has a passion for excellence in client care. For all of your troubles big or small – you just talk with Dr. Paul !!

Nicole Peterson received her Bachelor of Science degree from John Carroll University, a private Jesuit university in the Cleveland, Ohio area. She studied biology and animal behavior while playing NCAA volleyball and running marathons. In 2004, she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from The Ohio State University, where she focused her studies on small animal medicine, surgery, and behavior.

Dr. Peterson fell in love with Charlotte while here for her veterinary school externship. She decided to stay in the Lake Norman area after meeting the other veterinarians and staff members at North Mecklenburg Animal Hospital. She has special training in ultrasound and a particular interest in animal behavior.

Her days out of the office are spent running, hiking, or mountainbiking with her dog, Tucker, who is sure to stay in front despite reconstruction of both of his knees. She also enjoys yoga, painting, and watching movies with her sweetest cat, Peanut, on her lap. The newest additions to her pet family include Kaya, a kitten who was hit by a car and required surgical removal of a third of her jaw, and Layla, a mixed breed puppy who was found wondering outside and is recovering from a broken front arm.

Dr. Uehlein aspired to be a veterinarian since she was twelve years old and her Aunt Lynda brought home her first dog, a buff cocker spaniel named Alex. She began working as a kennel attendant during high school and continued in the field as a veterinary assistant throughout her undergraduate work at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Uehlein received her Bachelor of Science degree in 2001 and was accepted into the College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2005, she graduated with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University. GO BUCKS!

She grew up in Lorain, Ohio, a suburb on the west side of Cleveland. Her family vacations were spent driving to Hilton Head, SC every summer with her parents and two sisters. Dr. Uehlein grew fond of the Carolinas during these trips and is excited to call Charlotte home.

Dr. Uehlein enjoys going for walks and hiking with her dog Tyler, catching up with old friends from school, and reading (that is, when her cat Morrison is not napping on her books). She also looks forward to football season so she can cheer on The Buckeyes and The Browns.

Dr. Welch received her undergraduate degree from Auburn University in Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture. She was an NCAA athlete where she was a member of the first ever Women’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship Team. She received her DVM from Auburn University in May, 2007 where she focused on Emergency Medicine and Surgery.

She grew up on a farm with lots of horses and other animals that happened to find their way into the yard. Dr. Welch began working with veterinarians in high school and continued through undergraduate and vet school. She says she owes her love for veterinary medicine to Dr. Dave, her neighbor while growing up who is an alumnus of Auburn.

Her husband Jay and she are from Northeast Tennessee. They chose North Carolina for the water and the mountains. They enjoy going out on the lake, outdoor activities such as barbecuing with friends, Jimmy Buffett concerts, and, of course, Auburn Football games. War Eagle!! She is pictured here with her dog Carolina.

Dr. Vichot first became interested in veterinary medicine during his seven years of volunteering at the Audubon Zoo in his hometown of New Orleans, LA. While visiting with his older brother, then attending Davidson College, he became fond of North Carolina and decided to pursue his undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. There Dr. Vichot made some very close friends, (many of whom are still in the area) and in 2003, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Chasing his passion brought him back to Louisiana to attend LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge, where he graduated in May of 2007. He is excited to be living and working back in the Carolinas.

Dr. Vichot loves seafood and is currently trying to perfect his Jambalaya, Gumbo, and Etoufee recipes since they will no longer be so readily available. He likes to participate in sports-golf, soccer, tennis, football, racquetball, etc.- and if not, he is just as happy to watch them on television, especially the WFU Demon Deacons, LSU Tigers and New Orleans Saints.

Dr. Vichot lives in Davidson where he can often be found walking his 110-pound, Rhodesian Ridgeback rescue names Bumble.

Dr. Ebony Joyce grew up on Columbia, MD, a community not far from Washington, D.C. As a child, she would care for injured wildlife, as well as her family’s assortment of household pets including dogs, birds, guinea pigs, frogs, fish and an iguana. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from James Madison University where she majored in biology, minored in studio art and also fell in love with her future husband, Delvin. She often jokes that when she wasn’t in the library studying, she could be found sitting in front of a pottery wheel making ceramic bowls. She then went on to Cornell University where she earned her DVM degree in 2004. Upon graduating, Dr. Joyce relocated to Charlotte for its warm weather and even warmer hospitality of it’s residents. She has been an associate veterinarian at North Mecklenburg Animal Hospital for the past 3 years.

In the Fall of 2006, Dr. Joyce and her husband welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Emery. The couple also has two dogs, Duncan and Murphy, whom they rescued from the shelter several years ago. Dr. Joyce is very pleased that her “boys” have welcomed their new little sister with open paws!!! In between changing diapers, Dr. Joyce enjoys digital photography, outdoor activities, traveling, and visiting family.