Dr. Dave Sandefer

Dr. Dave Sandefer grew up on a dairy farm in upstate New York. Even as a boy he knew his calling, he wanted to be a veterinarian.

Throughout high school, he worked with a variety of dogs, cats, and farm animals, first as a caregiver and eventually as a technician. He worked in a veterinary hospital while pursuing a degree in animal science from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Science, and later at Cornell’s large animal hospital as he followed up his studies at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

After graduating in 1983 with awards for excellence, he returned to his roots in upstate New York to work as an associate in a busy mixed animal hospital. Then, in 1987, he and his wife Cindy took a trip that changed their lives. On a visit to the northwest corner of Connecticut, they met Dr. Larry Washington, who had four years earlier, started a small animal clinic in Falls Village. They bought the practice on a wing and a prayer and, over the years, molded it into the full service facility it is today.