Robert Burns DVM is the Medical Director and owner of Darlington Veterinary Hospital. Since assuming leadership of Darlington Veterinary Hospital in 1989, Dr. Burns has consistently strived to advance the quality and scope of the services the hospital is able to offer. He is committed to providing state-of-the-art, compassionate, and individualized care to every patient, and to ensuring that all pet owners have the personal attention they need to be able to make informed, educated decisions regarding their pets’ health.

Because of his compassion for the profession, he dedicates a large amount of time studying and attending continuing education courses to improve his ever-expanding knowledge of the medical and surgical care of dogs and cats. He has a particular interest in abdominal ultrasound, echocardiography, emergency medicine and surgery, as well as ophthalmology, cardiology, dentistry and orthopedic surgery.

After over 25 years of offering veterinary service in Woodbridge, he is actively looking forward to the future and has completely renovated the facilities and has acquired absolute state-of-the-art medical and surgical equipment to continue to offer the latest in excellent service.

Dr Burns is also very proud of the excellent team of associates and staff that have been chosen because of their utmost commitment to furthering the health and welfare of dogs and cats. It is easily recognizable that his staff look upon their role at Darlington as a vocation and are happy to be part of this great clinic.

Dr. Burns is married to Rhonda with whom he has 6 children who share his love for animals. They have five cats, Lynx, Sunny, Misty, Kik and Tiggy as well as five dogs, Wolf, Coyote, Gaia, Kenshin and Okie.

Educational Background

University of Toronto 1981-1984

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College 1984-1989

Dr. Bahlmann obtained her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2015. She has previously worked in both general and emergency practice. After several years in Ontario, she moved to Vancouver to work at Canada West Veterinary Specialists and Critical Care Hospital, Canada’s only certified animal emergency trauma centre.

Dr. Bahlmann then travelled to Michigan and joined an exclusively feline practice to work alongside a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (DABVP), in the hopes of obtaining her board certification as a Feline Specialist in the future. Her special interests include complicated internal medicine cases and surgery.

Dr. Bahlmann is an active member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM). She is also an Associate Editor for the Feline Internal Medicine Board on the Veterinary Information Network (VIN).

She currently shares her home with her three cats, Chloe, Haku, and Tuna. In her free time, Dr. Bahlmann enjoys outdoor rock climbing and camping.

Education:

Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Guelph, 2008-2011
Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Ontario Veterinary College, 2011-2015

Dr.Arya Badiei has huge experience in academic and practice . He graduated as doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) in Iran in Urmia university in 1990 then he continued his education in large animal internal medicine and He was board certified in large animal internal medicine 1n 1996 obtained the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) in 1998.

• His Academic life began to teach veterinary student as assistant professor in Mashhad university. then he moved to Karaj I.A university since 2003 and in the same time he was teaching post graduate student in I.A. university science and research branch.
•  He has published more than 20 international papers and in echocardiography, reproduction and ultrasonography.
• he was chosen as the best large animal veterinarian in Iran in 2012 by Iranian veterinary association.  He was head Scientific Board of Iranian Congress between 2008 – 2015 and Vice President of Scientific Association of Iranian Large Animal Internal Medicine, 2012 – 2014

• He was chosen as Head of Large Animal Committee of Iranian Veterinary Association between 2009 – 2014

• He also was invited speaker in many international conferences

With more than 2-decade experience in large and small animal health profession, Dr. Arya was interested to immigrate to Canada in 2015 with his family.

He passed his Canadian exams, he was in top 20% in North America veterinary license exam and become a member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and a licensed member in good standing with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO).

Since he is in Canada, he worked at several Animal Hospitals in Kingstone ON and downtown Toronto   before he joined our team. Besides his superior surgical experience and internal medicine, he loves to learn and he has precipitated many courses in Toronto Academy of veterinary medicine, Wisconsin university training courses   and advance ultrasound courses . His special interests are internal medicine, surgery, dentistry, ophthalmology, dermatology and ultrasonography.

Dr. Arya is a wonderful experienced doctor with great compassion for our patients and clients.  he enjoys spending time with his family and his pets, he loves biking, traveling, basketball and swimming.

Dr. Mike joined our team at Darlington Veterinary Hospital in 2022. He received his veterinary degree from IAU in 2005. After graduation, he completed 2 years of research in immunology and vaccine at the Pasteur Institute. After finishing his research project he started his own small and large animal veterinary service for 8 years. He came to Canada in 2015 and after passing all accreditation exams and the national board exam, he got his license and started to practice in Markham and Richmond Hill area. He lives in Willowdale with his one-year-old son Ethan, and his wife. In his off hours, he enjoys spending time with his son, reading, skiing and boating. His special interest is in soft tissue surgery and internal medicine.

Dr. Sierra Vigna joined Darlington Veterinary Hospital in 2022. She graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine located in St. Kitts and spent her senior year clinical training at Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University. Throughout vet school, Sierra was heavily involved with the island’s TNR (trap/neuter/release) program to help control the stray population of cats and manage their health and wellness. She also acted as president of the college’s Student Chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and volunteered much of her time on a research project focused on the reproductive health of Caribbean donkeys. Sierra also competed in the AVMA Animal Welfare Assessment contest and placed highly for her knowledge and expertise in the health and welfare of several different species. Sierra was born and raised in Woodbridge and received her BSc in Animal Biology from the University of Guelph. She has a 4-year-old rescue pup from St. Kitts named Mouse and two rescue cats at home named Whiskey & Jack. Dr. Vigna’s professional interests include reproduction and neonatology as well as internal medicine. She is looking forward to meeting you all and caring for your beloved fur babies.

Kristen always knew her life would be working with animals. She began volunteering at Darlington at the age of 15 and from then on, knew she needed to be a part of the Darlington team. She then became an official part of the team in July 2012. She quickly then went on to receive her Registered Veterinary Technician licence. Kristen has an extensive background in rescue and shelter work, where she rescued one of her beloved pets, Parker, a Husky/Shepherd cross. Her experience in rescue led her down the path of animal behaviour and becoming a certified dog trainer. In Darlington, her goal is to make sure each patient has a positive experience. She works with new puppies, and adults with basic and advance training as well as working with any dogs needing behavioural modification. On her spare time, Kristen enjoys riding her horses (Dusty and Sebastian), walking her dogs (Parker, Caygeon, Negassi and Mina) or spending time at home with her cats (Noisette, Caly, and Leelerz).

Educational Background

Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Guelph

Registered Veterinary Technological Program (RVT) at Thompson Rivers University

Carley has had a passion for animals her whole life. She grew up knowing she wanted to purse a career working with animals. In university she completed a bachelor of science with a major in biology and minors in chemistry and psychology. From there, she worked with rescue dogs from all over the world for 6 years as well as a variety of farm animals, including pigs, cows and horses. During those years she learned how to help animals with all sorts of behavioural and medical issues. As part of the Darlington team, she strives to bring quality care and compassion to each pets visit.

Victoria has been a part of the Darlington Veterinary Hospital team since 2002, when she started as a young co-op student. Victoria always knew she wanted to build a career working with animals and her many experiences during her co-op year solidified that dream. Over the years, she has enjoyed caring for our patients from puppyhood /kittenhood and watching them grow into their senior years. Victoria has a passion for dental health and excels in dental cleanings. Victoria currently has 3 dogs: Abby, a Shih poo, Scooby Doo and Chase, Apple-head Chihuahuas. Outside of the clinic, Victoria spends her time with her sons Francesco Jr. & Gabriel and husband Frank.

Educational Background

Graduated from the Animal Care Program from Sheridan College in 2004 and received a certificate as an Animal Care Technician.

Currently enrolled at Mohawk College taking a Veterinary Office Management course.

Tracy’s love for animals truly began when she was introduced to the world of rescue organizations and the fostering of orphaned kittens and puppies. Ever since working at Darlington, she has put that passion on the forefront and spends her days researching ways to contribute to animal care. As a student at the University of Waterloo and self-proclaimed cat lady, Tracy is incredibly inspired by small animal medicine, and is always looking for opportunities to learn from the brightest brains at the clinic. Apart from this, she has also found an interest in client care and clinic management. Most importantly, she prides herself in the interpersonal relationships she builds with each and every person that walks through the Darlington doors. Outside of the clinic, you can find Tracy discussing sports (mainly hockey) with friends (and Dr. Burns!), reading a book, dancing to Taylor Swift, and cuddling with her two rescue kittens, Olive and Bean.

Lily always knew she belonged in a veterinary clinic – Darlington to be exact.

Her love for animals started at a young age when she started her co-op. It was at this time that she immediately fell in love with the fast pace work environment and the kisses from our patients daily. Lily started at Darlington Veterinary Hospital in 2021 and knew that this was the clinic and the team in which she belonged. Lily is actively perusing her passion in the veterinary field and continues to learn and grow daily. As a past time, Lily enjoys cooking and taking her cat, Sargento, out for walks.

Gita joined our team at Darlington Animal hospital in Feb 2022. She received her veterinary degree from Tehran University in 2002 and her PhD degree in Animal Physiology from Tehran University in 2007.

She used to work with large chicken farms for 2 years, later she worked as a Large Animal Range Research & Technical Sales Manager at Ceva Co.( Iranian branch) in the years 2004 – 2014. She moved to Canada in 2014 and because of her pasion towards pets in need she started working in animal hospitals. She volunteered at Front Street Animal Hospital and Summerlyn Pet Hospital and she got a special interest in Dentistry.

She lives in Richmond Hill with her seven-year old son Dena and her husband Arya. After daily work is over, she usually enjoys spending time with her son, reading, cooking, baking and dancing. She is energetic and has a strong sence of humour, she is also a great team player.

Samantha’s love for animals started at a young age, growing up on a farm and taking care of many different kinds of animals. She decided to take that love for animals and turn it into a career. Samantha graduated from the Seneca College Veterinary Assistant program in 2016. She joined the Darlington team in 2018 as a Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist. From there she continued her education and graduated from the Sheridan College Veterinary Technician program in 2020. Samantha has a passion for continuing education and training in veterinary medicine. In her spare time she loves going on adventures with her dog’s Hailey (Potcake) and Mary (Black Lab) and spending time at the farm with her horses Whiskey and Romeo. When she gets home from work every day she also enjoys spending time with her rabbit Chevelle (Holland Lop) and her cats Ducky, Nymeria and Shoto.

On top of being a Registered Veterinary Technician Samantha is an Elite Fear Free Certified Professional, a Veterinary Infection Prevetionalist , and is certified in Basic/Advanced life saving through the recover initiative and has received a certification in nutrition case management.

Sasha joined the Darlington team in 2022. After spending most of her life in the saddle, Sasha knew she always wanted to help animals. She graduated from Seneca College’s Veterinary Technician program in 2018, but did not stop there, after becoming an RVT. She continued to further develop her skills and also graduated from the University of Guelph with an Equine Sciences Diploma in 2021. Sasha has a passion for teaching, learning, and shaping new technicians and has been a professor for the Veterinary Technician program at Seneca College since 2021. On top of these accomplishments, Sasha is Recover CPR ALS/BLS certified, Fear Free Elite certified in equine, avian, shelter, and companion animals, and has her IAABC Shelter Behaviour Consultant Certification. In her spare time she likes to spend time with her dogs Patches and Belfi, her hamster King Louis the 5th, and also partakes in fish keeping.

Whitney became a technician after years of loving animals. After attending both Sheridan College for the Veterinary Assistant program and St. Clair College for Veterinary Technician, Whitney passed her exams and became an RVT. With 11 years of experience in small animal and emergency medicine, she brings a wide range of experience that’s paired with a bright personality as well! Since joining Darlington 2021 she has found her passion in nursing care and dedicates her time to ensuring each set of paws gets the most top-notch care. When not in scrubs, you can find Whitney with a bag of popcorn catching up on the latest flicks.

Being an animal lover, it was a no brainer for Jenn to start a career in veterinary medicine. After graduating Georgian College in 2018, Jenn joined the Darlington team after completing co-op. You can often find her in our surgery suites monitoring anesthetic procedures and is our clinic’s own handyman! On her free time you can find Jenn biking around the neighborhood or with her dogs Darby, Chewy, Mindy, and Stoic.

Sarah Larkin is a veterinary student at the Ontario Veterinary College, Class of 2025. In 2018, she began volunteering and then working as a veterinary assistant and receptionist at Darlington. Her passion for animals began when she took up horseback riding at the age of nine. As an avid equestrian and love for the sciences, she has combined them to pursue a career as a veterinarian and provide quality care to animals. Sarah is curious and always interested in learning new things. Her love of learning is an asset to the Darlington Team. In her studies, Sarah loves internal medicine and cardiology and hopes to pursue this further under the guidance of Dr. Burns. She enjoys painting, travelling and hanging out with her family, friends and golden retriever, Winnie.

Meet Caitlin, one of many team members at Darlington. She recently graduated from Seneca College, studying Veterinary Assistant. Currently enrolled at Georgian College studying Veterinary Technology. She gained her experience with her numerous hour of volunteering here at Darlington. She has a strong passion for animals, with anything from a dog to sugar gliders. At home, currently, she has 3 Border Collies; River, Russell, and Hartley, 5 Domestic Short-Hair cats; Cheetos, Bear, Teddy, Gus, and Grizzly and Mini Rex Rabbit; George. In her spare time from work and school, you can see her teaching her puppy Russell new tricks.

Meet Caitlin, one of many team members at Darlington. She recently graduated from Seneca College, studying Veterinary Assistant. Currently enrolled at Georgian College studying Veterinary Technology. She gained her experience with her numerous hour of volunteering here at Darlington. She has a strong passion for animals, with anything from a dog to sugar gliders. At home, currently, she has 3 Border Collies; River, Russell, and Hartley, 5 Domestic Short-Hair cats; Cheetos, Bear, Teddy, Gus, and Grizzly and Mini Rex Rabbit; George. In her spare time from work and school, you can see her teaching her puppy Russell new tricks.

Melissa is a first year vet tech student who started working with pets as a groomer. She fell in love with working with animals and is on her way to becoming a registered veterinary technician. Melissa cares for her elderly wizard like dog at home and all the adorable pets at Darlington as well!

Kaylah has always had a love for animals. She has experience with dogs, cats, horses and farms animals. Kaylah is currently getting her Bachelor’s of Science in Zoology at the University of Guelph. And plans on going to vet school in the near future. Kaylah started at Darlington in May of 2022 and is enjoying being a part of the team and gaining experience.