REGISTERED VETERINARY TECHNOLOGISTS
SARAH ORBANSKI, RVT
HALEY BANCESCU, RVT
WYATT FRENETTE, RVT
Sarah Orbanski is a 2021 honours graduate of the RRC Polytech Veterinary Technology program. Upon completion of a workplace practicum at Grant Park Animal Hospital, our staff was so blown away by Sarah’s skills they basically demanded that we hire her. They had a point- so proficient was Sarah during her schooling that she was recognized with an award for technical excellency.
Sarah is passionate about being a tech. She appreciates how her job allows her to dabble in a little of everything, from microscopy to anesthesia, and internal medicine to exotics (rats hold a special place in her heart). For Sarah, the most rewarding part of her job is using her skills to help sick patients get better.
Sarah enjoys research, diving deep into a topic to learn all that she can, then applying new insights to her work. Many of our patients- Leppy the leopard gecko being one notable example- have benefitted greatly from Sarah’s love of learning.
What stands out most about Sarah is her fervent commitment to animal welfare. As a proud vegan, Sarah is as considerate of what’s best for animals when she sits down to dinner as when she’s working in the clinic. She believes all animals deserve compassion, regardless of species. We think her unrelenting courage to speak up for the voiceless among us is incredibly admirable.
The addition of Sarah to our group has been an absolute win-win. As a newer vet tech, she’s been afforded the opportunity to be mentored by peers invested in her growth and rooting for her success. At the same time, we’ve all gained so much from the unique and fresh perspective Sarah has brought to Grant Park Animal Hospital.
Sarah is a great asset to our team and we can hardly imagine how we’d ever get by without her!
Haley Bancescu is an honours graduate of RRC Polytech’s Veterinary Technology program and has been working in small animal medicine for close to a decade.
Haley is a multi-talented veterinary technologist but her skills with exotic animal patients make her an especially valuable member of our team. When a geriatric gecko needs blood collected, look no further than Haley. When a cranky cockatoo needs to be anesthetized, Haley's your gal. When an out-of-sorts hedgehog arrives for a checkup, Haley is usually able to provide a list of differential diagnoses with their corresponding treatment plans before the vet has even gotten the patient unfurled.
It is no exaggeration to describe Haley as a walking encyclopedia. Her giant brain holds an endless database of essential facts, like the concentration of our sublingual buprenorphine, or which flavour of Baytril rabbits prefer, or the resting heart rate of a capybara. You like useful veterinary information? Haley’s brain sucks it up and stores it like a ShamWow rag.
Haley is a great problem solver and has contributed many great ideas that have helped streamline things around the clinic. She always keeps up with our hospital’s hectic pace, never missing a beat, helping us all to stay on track. She’s usually five steps ahead, remains calm through the chaos, and never shies away from a challenge. What more could we ask for in a vet tech?
Haley has an impressive work ethic and truly goes above and beyond for her patients. Her quiet demeanor belies a zesty, wise-cracking personality that doesn’t take long to reveal itself.
Haley makes Grant Park Animal Hospital better in countless ways and we hope she never, ever leaves us!
The addition of Wyatt Frenette to the GPAH vet tech roster was kind of a no-brainer; from a pure nursing perspective, there is no one more conscientious.
That’s because Wyatt believes first and foremost in patient care. They’re the kind of tech who makes sure that every animal’s kennel is clean, bed is warm, and blanket is cozy. Wyatt never forgets to offer a dog a timely pee break and a bit of fresh air. They understand that meeting a patient’s needs is paramount, now more than ever.
Wyatt is a graduate of RRC Polytech’s Veterinary Technology Program. Their unwavering empathy toward animals and people earned them the Compassionate Care Award from peers in their graduating class.
Wyatt takes special pride in the work we do in Canada’s north. Though the prospect of treating a puppy for parvovirus in a dilapidated shed might seem daunting, Wyatt welcomes such challenges as an opportunity to grow as a tech. They’ve come to appreciate the extraordinary things one can accomplish with a solid foundation and a lot of grit.
The thing we love most about Wyatt is their sense of humour. Levity goes a long way in a workplace where stresses never cease. Wyatt’s naturally positive outlook serves as a tonic for even the most compassion-fatigued among us. Wyatt brings good vibes to our hospital every time they walk through the door.
Finally, Wyatt is as good a person as they are a tech. They consistently advocate for the animals in our care. They’re never afraid to speak up for what they believe in. In many ways, Wyatt is the moral compass of Grant Park Animal Hospital. They lift us all up, making us better not only at what we do, but also at who we are.
BRITTANY SEMENIUK, RVT
KRISTEN KORALEWYCZ, RVT
SELENA JOHANNSON, RVT
Brittany Semeniuk has been a veterinary technologist and dyed-in-the-wool animal advocate for more than a decade. Throughout her impressive career she’s worked with pets, farm animals, exotic species, and wildlife. There are, in fact, very few creatures that Brittany hasn’t cuddled, or wrangled, at some point in her life.
Brittany’s work has taken her all over the world, from spaying street dogs in the barrios of Mexico, to rehabbing moon bears in the Vietnamese countryside; from remote communities in Canada’s north, to the dense rainforests of rural Madagascar. Wherever she’s been, Brittany has worked tirelessly to make a difference for both animals and people alike.
Brittany is a well-regarded speaker, having presented nationally for Humane Canada, Animal Justice, and other organizations. She’s been a guest on numerous podcasts and has written on animal welfare for various publications. Brittany was one of the founders of Winnipeg VegFest, an annual festival celebrating animal protection, healthy living, and environmental stewardship.
For her dedication to her work and her commitment to animal welfare, Brittany was honoured with the Manitoba Veterinary Technologists Association’s Registered Veterinary Technologist of the Year Award in 2022.
In addition to her work at GPAH, Brittany singlehandedly runs the Animal Advocacy department of the Winnipeg Humane Society. If you’ve been pleased with the WHS’s work fighting against live horse export, indiscriminate animal trapping, inhumane farming practices, and a myriad of other important issues, you have Brittany and her colleagues to thank.
We’d be remiss to not mention Brittany’s talent with exotic animals. No one is more adept at collecting blood from a tortoise, restraining an Amazon parrot, or catheterizing a ferret- sometimes all in the same day. Brittany's got them mad skills, and we are very grateful for it!
Brittany has been with GPAH from the very beginning and we are so thankful for all she’s done to help our hospital flourish.