Meet the Bracken Ridge Veterinary Hospital Team

Providing Compassionate Care for All Animals Large and Small

At Bracken Ridge Veterinary Hospital, we are proud to provide medical care for the pets in our community. Our vision is to treat each patient with the first-rate medical care they need – and the dignity they deserve. Our staff is trained to provide exceptional care to your beloved pet. Here, we treat you and your pet like family. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call us at: 814-623-1888.

A Stress-Free Veterinary Practice

We understand that due to previous experiences, sometimes a visit to the veterinarian can be a time of uncertainty for pet and caregiver alike; however, our compassionate medical professionals are dedicated to making the entire process as pleasant, stress-free, and productive as possible. We strive to provide a comfortable office atmosphere for you and your pet. In addition, we believe that even if you live in a remote area, your pet deserves quality care. Whether you come in to see us at our facility in Bedford, PA, or require ambulatory services, rest assured that we provide the same level of care that we would expect for our own pets.

Dr. Edwin Bracken
Veterinarian

Edwin Bracken, Jr. VMD is the owner and lead veterinarian of Bracken Ridge Veterinary Hospital in Bedford, PA. For more than 21 years, he has successfully led his veterinary medical team to promote the optimal health and wellness of his patients. Dr. Bracken is an avid animal lover who is passionate about providing quality care. He has dedicated his life to advancing an extensive veterinary medicine skill set including surgery, dentistry, preventive and internal medicine. Read more.

Vickie Bardell
Practice Manager

Vickie Bardell is the Practice Manager of Bracken Ridge Animal Hospital. She has more than 25 years’ experience as an office manager. Vickie joined our team in 2014. She was born and raised in Everett, PA, and graduated from Everett Area High School in 1977.

Vickie has cared for pets throughout her entire life, including numerous cats, dogs, horses, and tropical fish. Vickie is also a skilled potter and ceramic visual artist who owned and operated Bardell’s Ceramics for 10 years. In addition, she taught classes and sold her beautiful finished artwork at the Bedford Fall Foliage Festival for 12 years. In her time away from the office, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, vacationing in Florida, and taking spontaneous road trips.

Alyssa Ward
Veterinary Assistant

Alyssa Ward joined Bracken Ridge Animal Hospital in September 2019. She earned her certification as a Veterinary Assistant at Allegany College of Maryland. Alyssa pursued a career as a veterinary assistant because she loves working with animals and learning about their anatomy. She currently lives in Clearville with her dog, 4 cats, and 2 cows. Alyssa enjoys hunting, fishing, photography, and other outdoor activities in her spare time.

Shery Dodson
Office Administrative Receptionist

Shery Dodson joined the team at Bracken Ridge Animal Hospital as our Office Administrative Receptionist in August of 2017. She is often the first friendly voice you hear when you call our office. Shery schedules appointments, checks clients in and out, files records, and completes many other tasks that help the office run smoothly. Her favorite part of the job is interacting with and helping our clients and animal patients.

At home, Shery enjoys caring for her seven horses, as well as several cats and dogs. When away from the office, she enjoys trail riding, camping, and spending time with her family and pets.

Terri N. Turner
Veterinary Technician

Terri started working at Bracken Ridge in November of 2020. She graduated from Chestnut Ridge high school in 2018, then immediately enrolled in Penn Foster to pursue her degree as a Veterinary Technician. Throughout high school, she was part of FFA and earned her Keystone State Degree.
For the last 3 years, Terri has raised Nigerian/Pygmy goats. At home, she has indoor dogs and a cat. At the farm, she has a barn cat and a livestock guarding dog. As a side hobby she also helps with a Registered Boer Herd. As a child, she grew up around horses, dairy cattle, and goats. This is why she always wanted to become a veterinarian but chose the tech field instead.

Bree Dewitt
Veterinary Technician

Bree graduated High School from 21st Century Cyber in 2020. She joined Bracken Ridge in April 2021. She is attending Animal Behavior College in the Fall of 2021. She pursued this career because she has a huge passion for all kinds of animals.
Bree has five dogs ranging from different breeds and size, from her huge Great Dane Mastiff to her small Pitbull Lab Mix. She also has 2 cats and 2 exotic fish, and it doesn’t stop there, she also has some unique and exotic pets such as guinea pigs, an iguana, and a chinchilla.
In her free time, Bree enjoys riding four wheelers, working at her other job, and just being outside.

Ellie Calhoun
Veterinary Technician

Ellie started on May 3rd, 2021. She graduated from Potomac State College of WVU in 2020 with an Equine Production & Management Associates degree. She has had cats most of her life and currently has a kitten named River.
She has trained foals, donkeys, miniature ponies, and trained horses to drive. She’s been in the equine world for 10+ years.
Ellie’s hobbies include digital art, writing, fishing, and spending time in the barn.
Ever since Ellie meet Dr. Bracken in 2016 and experienced the Bracken Ridge environment, she knew one of her goals would be to become a Vet Technician. With her love of animals and determination, this job has met her every expectation.