Shannon Smith

Shannon was born in Arkansas and raised in Mississippi. Since childhood, she has always had an affection for, and morbid curiosity about, animals; in fact, her mom used to fuss at her for bringing home injured animals so she could fix them. Shannon started working at a local vet clinic her senior year of high school, and was hooked after that. She went to Vet Tech School in 2001 at Hinds Community College and Mississippi State University and graduated in 2003 as a Licensed Veterinary Technician. Her husband’s military career brought them to Virginia Beach, where she first discovered emergency medicine at Tidewater Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2004.

Shannon and her husband spent some time in Charlottesville, where she was a clinic supervisor for 4 years prior to returning to the Hampton Roads area. Upon her return, Shannon began working for Dr. Stallings, and during that time found her love for anesthesia and surgery. She helped get the surgery service up and running when The COVE opened in 2012.

Shannon currently resides in Virginia Beach with her husband and 2 children, along with Schmelly Cat, a tortoiseshell calico, Angus the red bone coon hound, Han So Low, a mini-Dachshund, and various freshwater fish. Shannon’s current hobbies include watching and carting her children to various sporting events, cooking, road biking, aquascaping freshwater aquariums, grooming, music, and finding homes for less fortunate pets.