About Us
Our Veterinarians
Dr. Dennis Leon earned his veterinary degree from Cornell University in 2001. He brings over 17 years of veterinary experience to Levittown, having worked in a variety of small animal practices since 1992. Following his veterinary education, Dr. Leon worked in a busy multi-doctor practice in Hayward, CA, where he also served as a veterinary consultant to the City of Hayward Animal Services Bureau, Hayward Animal Shelter, Alameda County Animal Control and San Leandro Animal Shelter. He moved back to his hometown of New York City in 2004 and worked part-time in a handful of small animal hospitals in Manhattan before settling down in Levittown in 2005.
Dr. Leon's professional interests include preventative medicine, anesthesiology, pain management, kidney disease and obesity treatment. He has served as director of the Southside Community Center Healthy Pet Clinic, which provides wellness care to pets of low-income families in Ithaca, NY. Dr. Leon has also served on the Board of Directors of For Animals in the Hospital (FAITH), an organization developed to defray the costs of medical care for homeless and abandoned animals. Additionally, Dr. Leon is a frequent guest lecturer for the Nassau County BOCES Veterinary Science course, and he works with the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network, a group of nearly 6,900 alumni volunteers who assist the Cornell admissions community in recruiting superior undergraduate applicants. He shares his home with Jodie (the cat who squeaks) and Krieger (a goofy Belgian Malinois).
Dr. Erika Friedrich is a native New Yorker who graduated from Union College in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science. She earned her veterinary degree in 2005 from The Royal Veterinary College, University of London. After spending her first year in general practice, she completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care in Westbury, New York, where she was honored as the "Intern of the Year" in 2007.
After a brief period in general practice, she returned to The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care, where she served as Head of the Emergency and Critical Care Department until October 2009. Dr. Friedrich's professional interests include soft tissue surgery and emergency medicine.
Dr. Nina Malik is our consulting veterinary acupuncturist. Dr. Malik completed her undergraduate studies at Brown University and then received her veterinary degree from Cornell University in 2005. She completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital. Upon completion of her internship, she worked as an emergency and critical care veterinarian in a specialty referral hospital. Dr. Malik was trained and certified in veterinary acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. She completed an internship focusing exclusively on veterinary acupuncture in a holistic hospital in Pennsylvania following her acupuncture studies.
She is an active member of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture. Dr. Malik's mission as a veterinarian is to provide quality and compassionate care for small animals through integrated veterinary medicine. She believes in both the best advanced Western therapies available and in the ancient healing art of acupuncture. Her goal is to bridge the connection between these two disciplines so that integrated veterinary medicine is recognized for the benefits it provides.
Our Front Office Staff
Doreen is our office manager, and she also has the distinction of giving birth to Dr. Leon in 1975. Raised in a family deeply involved in the food service and hospitality businesses, Doreen brings years of customer service and small business management experience to the hospital. She worked as a financial accountant through the 80s and 90s, and then began working at Levittown Animal Hospital in 2005. She shares her home with a Border Collie (Belly) two Shih-Tzu's (Panda & Ling Ling), and Dr. Leon's father, Michael, who can often be found fixing or re-wiring something in the hospital.
Nancy was a veterinary receptionist at the Bide-a-Wee animal hospital in Wantagh for 22 years before they closed their doors. Soon after, she was recruited to join the team at Levittown Animal Hospital. She has a special interest in wildlife rehabilitation and conservation. Nancy shares her home with her husband, two sons, five cats, two dogs, and a rabbit.
Stephanie joined the Levittown Animal Hospital team in 2005 as a receptionist. Before entering the veterinary profession, Stephanie worked in the [human] healthcare industry for over 25 years. She is a native Long Islander who currently lives on the South Shore with her husband, son and six pets of her own. Stephanie is especially fond of any and all Pugs.
Our Medical Staff
Jackie, our nursing supervisor, is a licensed veterinary technician with extensive experience in emergency and critical care medicine. Until recently she also worked in the Emergency department and Intensive Care Unit at a specialty referral hospital in Westbury. Jackie spends her free time with Dezal, a spoiled-rotten Miniature Pinscher.
Gabby has been working in the veterinary field for over four years and is on her way to becoming a licensed veterinary technician. Until recently, she also worked part-time in the Intensive Care Unit at a specialty referral hospital in Westbury. Gabby is a Long Island native and loves Pit Bulls, including her own named Luna.
Kristina, a Levittown Animal Hospital team member since January 2008, is currently attending Suffolk Community College and is studying to become a licensed veterinary technician. She is one of four children and enjoys being part of a large family. Kristina loves animals and had a variety of different pets growing up. Her dog, Bella, is a Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix, born in 2008.
Thomas is a graduate of the Animal Care Skills program at the Nassau BOCES Joseph M. Barry Career and Technical Educational Center. In addition to his love for animals, he is also a huge fan of horror movies and cinema. Thomas lives with two Toy Poodles, Lickerish and Shell-bee.
Tyler has been working in animal hospitals since he was 13 years old. He recently graduated from Division Avenue High School in Levittown and is now enrolled at Nassau Community College. Tyler lives with a Yellow Labrador named Chance and a cat named Luche.
