RELIEF VETERINARIANS
Our amazing relief veterinarians travel from across Florida and the United States to share their skills, knowledge, and experience with our clinic, providing top-notch care to our patients. In doing so, they allow our team to learn from them and allow our full-time veterinarians to take a well-deserved and much-needed day off. We could not be more appreciative of all they do for us.
Casandra Budd, DVM
Dr. Casandra Budd is a graduate from The University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She has been in practice for nearly 14 years and has owned her own practice for 10 of those years.
Dr. Budd is a mom to two human children, Amelia and Henry, as well as her 6 chihuahuas, Great Dane, Goldendoodle, two cats, two goats, chickens, and multiple reptiles. When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling, movies, live music, the beach, and fine dining. She may also have a small shopping addiction and has a huge crush on the musician Adele. She’s even been to London to see her perform!
While Dr. Budd was born and raised in central Florida, she has roots in Key West and her love for the island started at a young age. Her mother and grandparents hailed from Key West and were always very proud of their “conch” status. Having spent many vacation days of her youth in Key West, Dr. Budd has always felt a connection with the islands and an affinity for the variety of cultures, people, and activities they provide. She is happy to use her years of experience to help provide care for the patients of Keys Animal Care Center.
Ali Millington, DVM
Dr. Millington grew up in Florida and earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Florida. She went on to complete her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 2017 through St. George’s University in collaboration with the University of Georgia. After graduation, Dr. Millington remained in Grenada, where she taught veterinary students in a clinical setting at St. George’s University.
She later relocated to San Diego, California, where she worked in general practice for five years before returning to her home state of Florida. With over 20 years of experience in the veterinary field, Dr. Millington has worked in a wide range of roles and gained valuable international experience, including time spent in the Caribbean, South America, and Asia.
Dr. Millington deeply values the special bond between pets and their owners and enjoys partnering with clients to help maintain and improve their pets’ health. Outside of work, she loves spending time outdoors, observing wildlife, and traveling. She also enjoys time with her husband, their two dogs, and her friends and family.
Dr. Debbie Marks has been practicing veterinary medicine in Florida since 2004 and moved to the Keys in 2018. She graduated first in her class (Magna Cum Laude) and received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of the Philippines. She loves working at Keys Animal Care Center with such a great team of doctors and technicians.
Dr. Marks and her husband enjoy the Keys lifestyle. They are avid scuba divers, sailors, and kayakers. They share their home with a 31-year-old sulfur crested cockatoo named Keu. They are currently looking to add another rescue French bulldog to their home.
Debbie Marks, DVM
Shelli Skeels, DVM
Dr. Shelli Skeels graduated from Kansas State University in 1985, did an internship in Santa Cruz, California, then settled in the northwest corner of New Jersey on beautiful Lake Hopatcong, an hour west of New York City.
After a few years practicing with a board certified internist, she opened her own full-service small animal hospital , Montville Animal Hospital, that she loved for 28 years.
While practicing, Dr Skeels also served on many veterinary boards, including as President of the New Jersey Metropolitan Veterinary Association.
She is now enjoying working at Keys Animal Care Center several days a month.
While not busy caring for your beloved pets, Dr Skeels enjoys many hobbies.
She enjoys singing, and playing flute, both with the choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and as a member of the Keys Choral Arts, previously serving on their board.
Dr Skeels is an avid scuba diver with a Master Diver Certificate logging over 1000 dives. She enjoys underwater photography and also above water! This passion has taken her all over the world, traveling to 65 countries, all 50 states and all 7 continents. She has dove in 4/5 oceans, lacking only the Arctic.
At one time she also took to the skies as a pilot, single-engine, land with instrument rating and several multi-engine hours. When 9/11 grounded her for nearly a year, she settled back to earth.
She also enjoys gardening and is a member of both the Key West Garden Club and the Orchid Society. Her house was one featured on the annual garden tours.
Other areas in which Dr Skeels volunteers are as a member of the Key West Women’s Club, she is a docent with the Old Island Restoration Foundation, helps Reef Relief in both land and water clean-ups, and Key West Wildlife Center.
When sitting down to relax, she enjoys the company of her two beautiful cats, Sophie and April. They are her joy!
Dr. Skeels looks forward to continuing to care for your pet family.