Dr. John Kaya
Dr. John Kaya is a graduate of Moanalua High School. He graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Education in 1989, then graduated from University of Minnesota with his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. During Veterinary school, Dr. Kaya did an externship at the San Diego Zoo fostering his interest in exotic animal medicine. He currently treats dogs, cats, rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs, rats, mice, Jackson chameleons, turtles, and birds. On occasion, he has even seen goats, penguins, and flamingos.
Dr. Kaya is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, and the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians. He is also a former Chairperson of the Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for the state of Hawaii.
Besides working in the hospital, Dr. Kaya has been very active in the community. He has visited schools educating children on proper pet care, was a fixture on the KHON morning news pet segment, and wrote articles for our local MidWeek newspaper. In his free time, Dr. Kaya enjoys basketball, skin diving, and singing karaoke with his friends and family. He loves spending time with his wife Jan and two children, Jada and Jake. Dr. Kaya’s immediate family includes two Pomeranians, Eevee and Arya, and a turtle named Lil’ Dude.
Dr. Cheyenne Fry
Dr. Cheyenne Fry is a graduate of Pearl City High School. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Zoology with a Marine Options Program Certificate from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1999 and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University in 2003. After graduation, she returned home and had been in private practice in a 24 hour hybrid primary care and emergency hospital.
Dr. Fry believes that companion animals are a central part of the family and her mission is to strengthen the bond between pets and their people. As part of her commitment to this principle, Dr. Fry is a Fear Free Certified Veterinarian. She has developed a special interest in soft tissue surgery and feline medicine.
During her free time, Dr. Fry enjoys traveling, music, hiking, and going on adventures with her husband and three children, and playing with their three cats. She is an avid college basketball fan and follows her beloved Michigan State Spartans.
Dr. Erin Kwock
Dr. Erin Kwock grew up in Manoa and graduated from Mid Pacific Institute. She traveled to Colorado and attended Colorado State University, where her primary field of study at the undergraduate level was Natural Resource Management with a minor in Conservation Biology and Microeconomics. She continued on to receive a Master’s Degree in Zoology before completing her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 2005.
Dr. Kwock completed an internship at an Emergency Animal Hospital & Referral Center in San Diego, California. During her internship, she worked closely with specialists in internal medicine, cardiology, radiology, surgery, and dermatology. After her internship, she returned home to Oahu to be with family and has been practicing veterinary medicine ever since. Dr. Kwock is very interested in making sure each pet has the care they need specific to their breed, lifestyle and life stage.
When Dr. Kwock isn’t busy here at the hospital, you can find her spending time with her husband and their two children. She loves reading and hopes to do more traveling. On the weekends, she and her family like finding hole-in-wall restaurants and food trucks to try the best local food! She has one dog, one cat, and one chinchilla.
Dr. Eric Ako
Dr. Eric Ako was the previous owner at The Pet Doctor and treats a variety of animal species including dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Dr. Ako attended the University of Hawaii in Manoa where he received his bachelor’s degree in Animal Science before going on to vet school at Purdue University. Dr. Ako worked at several vet practices as an associate veterinarian before opening and founding The Pet Doctor where he remained for over 16 years.
Dr. Ako is very established in the veterinary community and has had many affiliations throughout his career with notable veterinary societies and foundations such as The Honolulu Zoological Society and The Honolulu Veterinary Society. He was also a founding father of the Windward Community College Veterinary Technician program, in which a number of our technicians have graduated from.
Dr. Nycole Vallarelli
Dr. Nycole Vallarelli grew up in a small town in Northeast Ohio, right next door to an alpaca farm. Her love for animals started early. She began volunteering at the local dog shelter as soon as she was old enough. Dr. Vallarelli went on to earn both her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Business Administration degrees from Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, Dr. Vallarelli spent a year driving across the mainland with her two co-pilots, her dog Rue and her cat Mouse. Their adventure eventually brought them to Oʻahu in 2023, where they have happily settled down.
Dr. Vallarelli’s favorite part of veterinary medicine is empowering clients to feel informed, involved, and confident in their pets’ care. She values the strength of the human–animal bond and loves building meaningful relationships with clients so she can personalize each patient’s treatment. Dr. Vallarelli’s professional interests include preventative medicine, dentistry, and animal behavior. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys exploring new restaurants, staying active at the gym or in yoga classes, soaking up the sunshine, and training with her dog.
Dr. Keala Stibbard
Dr. Kealaaumoe Stibbard was raised between California and Oʻahu, where her lifelong love of animals and science first inspired her to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. After graduating from Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu, she earned her bachelor’s degree in animal sciences from UH Manoa. Her passion for veterinary medicine led her to Ross University where she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree.
Throughout her training and career, Dr. Stibbard has developed a particular interest in feline medicine, dentistry, internal and preventative medicine, and spectrum-of-care approaches that help make quality veterinary care accessible to more families. She also has a special interest in exotic companion animals, including birds and pocket pets.
Having lived in California, Hawaiʻi, Ohio, and St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Stibbard has had the opportunity to experience a variety of communities and cultures. During her adventures in St. Kitts and Nevis, she “foster-failed” two beloved cats, Ipo and Dill Pickles (pictured).
Outside of being a veterinarian, Dr. Stibbard enjoys a myriad of ocean activities including surfing, kiteboarding, freediving, and open-water swimming while finding balance with hot yoga and CrossFit. What she loves most about being a veterinarian is the opportunity to bring together critical thinking, compassion, and lifelong learning to improve the lives of pets and their families.
Dr. Darian Brillon
Dr. Darian Brillon grew up in a small town in North Idaho just outside of Coeur d’Alene. After graduating high school in 2013, she attended the University of Great Falls in central Montana on a soccer and academic scholarship where she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biology and a minor in Chemistry in 2017. While being a full-time student, resident assistant, and college athlete, Dr. Brillon volunteered at two veterinary clinics servicing cats, dogs, and horses which further solidified her decision to apply to veterinary school. She completed her veterinary degree at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2022. While attending college, Darian worked in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital pharmacy and Emergency and Critical Care department. Shortly after graduation, Dr. Brillon and her dog, Kaia, made the big move to Oahu.
Dr. Brillon’s special interests include neurology, Addison’s disease, wound care, fear-free practice, chronic kidney disease and client education. When not at work, Dr. Brillon enjoys spending time fishing, photography, reading and lounging around with her boyfriend and seven dwarves (2 dogs and 5 cats) Kaia, Everest, Bean, Spike, Petrie, Waffles, and Tortilla.