Three Trails Animal Hospital

Meet Our Team

From the front office team to veterinarians, our entire hospital team treats and cares for animals as if they were our own. We show true concern and compassion for our patients’ wellbeing, with no shortage of chin-scratches or belly-rubs. Our commitment to exceptional veterinary medicine and surgery, cutting-edge diagnostic science; and friendly customer service have set us apart in the Independence, MO area.

Rick Schrock

DVM & Co-Owner

Dr. Rick Schrock has been treating patients at Three Trails Animal Hospital since 1986. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Missouri in 1984, and he specializes in surgery and reptile medicine. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), ​the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), and the Kansas City Veterinary Medical Association (KCVMA). Growing up on a farm, Dr. Schrock always enjoyed when the local veterinarian came to visit the animals. Watching the vet interact and treat the animals inspired Dr. Schrock to pursue veterinary medicine.  
 
One of Dr. Schrock’s favorite parts about being a veterinarian is building relationships with clients and their pets. He enjoys finding solutions on difficult cases and loves witnessing the joy this brings to both pets and their owners.  
 
Dr. Schrock has lived and worked in Independence, MO for over 30 years. He enjoys spending time with his wife, two children, five grandchildren, and three dogs. In his spare time he plays softball, reads, hunts, and loves to work outside on his property. A fun fact about Dr. Schrock is that he plays piano for his church, and also teaches Sunday school.  

Emily Shearhart

Medical Director

Dr. Emily Shearhart is Medical Director at Three Trails Animal Hospital. She graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2016. Dr. Shearhart has worked at Three Trails Animal Hospital since 2008 and joined the team as a veterinarian in 2016. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA). 
 
Dr. Shearhart enjoys being a veterinarian because she loves learning all there is to know about veterinary medicine, science, and problem solving. Dr. Shearhart’s professional interests include wound management, ophthalmology, and internal medicine.  
 
She currently lives in Kansas City, MO, and enjoys spending time with her family and three bad dachshunds.  

Cheri Appling

DVM

Dr. Cheri Appling is an Associate Veterinarian at Three Trails Animal Hospital. She attended Truman State University for her undergraduate degree, and earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Missouri in 2003. Dr. Appling has been working at Three Trails since 2004 and her area of professional interest is internal medicine. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and​the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA).
 
Dr. Appling is originally from Kearney, MO. She currently lives with her husband, two boys, and Triscut, a Labrador Retriever, in Liberty, MO. She has a love for sweet barn cats and Labrador Retrievers. In her spare time, Dr. Appling loves hiking, reading, baking, and being outdoors. A fun fact about Dr. Appling is that she briefly went to culinary school and loves trying out new foods and restaurants. 

Liz Vander Vennet

DVM

Dr. Liz Vander Vennet is an Associate Veterinarian at Three Trails Animal Hospital. She is a 2015 graduate of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. After working in a variety of hospitals from Virginia to Illinois, she joined the Three Trails team in 2023. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA).

Dr. Vander Vennet loves forming relationships with clients and helping strengthen the bond between clients and their pets. Her professional interests include preventative care, dentistry, dermatology, and ophthalmology.

She currently resides in Blue Springs, MO with her family, including an Australian Shepherd mix and two cuddly cats. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and sipping a good cup of coffee.

Calla Reilly

Associate DVM

Dr. Calla Reilly is an Associate Veterinarian at Three Trails Animal Hospital. She is a 2022 graduate of Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and is a member of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) as well as the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV).

Dr. Reilly knew from a young age that veterinary medicine was her calling. She is committed to educating pet owners on responsible pet ownership, including proper nutrition, exercise, and preventative care. She firmly believes in the power of preventative medicine to help animals live long and healthy lives. Dr. Reilly's professional interests include exotic animal medicine, including small mammals, reptiles, and aquatics. She also has interests in surgery, dentistry, and dermatology.

Dr. Reilly shares her home with two cats, two snakes, one gecko, and many freshwater aquariums. In her free time, she enjoys board games, crafting, and tending to her indoor garden.

Katie

Practice Manager

Katie Gabbert is the new Practice Manager at Three Trails Animal Hospital! Katie holds her AAS in Veterinary Technology from Argosy University and her BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from the University of Minnesota. Katie began working in the veterinary field in 1997, driven by her desire to help animals and improve their quality of life. With over 20 years in the veterinary field, Katie loves getting to work with a diverse group of people who care about what they do and share Katie’s passion of animal care.

Originally from Golden Valley, Minnesota, Katie moved to Blue Springs, Missouri two years ago with her husband and three sons. Katie and her family have a 4-year-old terrier mix named Riley, a rescued cat named Jack, and a kitten named Baby Kitty! Katie is a Reiki Master and QHHT hypnosis practitioner and enjoys spending her free time with her family in nature. She loves to create art and is currently interested in painting and ceramics.

Amby

RVT

Amby has been an employee at Three Trails since 1994 and a Registered Veterinary Technician since 1995. She is a graduate of MCC-Maple Woods and has her hands full with her brindle Mastiff, Otis, Terrier Mix, Keeper, and Mastiff Mix puppy, Ramsey.

Megan

RVT

Megan has been at Three Trails since 2005 and a Registered Veterinary Technician since 2007. She is a graduate of MCC-Maple Woods and has filled her home with rescue dogs! Frank is a Mastiff and Daisy is a scruffy Shih-Tzu mix.

Mariah

RVT

Mariah is one of the Registered Veterinary Technicians at TTAH. She grew up on a farm in St. Joseph, Mo where she spent most of her time horseback riding. She graduated from the Maple Woods Veterinary Technology program in the spring of 2020. She has three Australian Shepherds: Scout, Aya, and Kota. In her spare time she enjoys running with her dogs, painting, and being with friends and family.

Rei

RVT

Rei is a Registered Technician that graduated from Metropolitain Community College-Maple Woods in 2019. Rei is passionate about working with exotics and utilizing their knowledge to better patients' lives and educate clients.

Autumn

RVT

Autumn graduated from MCC-Maple Woods Veterinary Technology Program in 2021. Her love of animals began as a child, but grew stronger after working with marine and exotic animals while living in Florida for 8 years. She has a Great Dane named Ragnar who takes up most of her time and a sweet chunky cat named Squid.

Johanna

Receptionist/Veterinary Assistant

Johanna has been an employee at Three Trails since 2004. She likes to spend her time at home with her two and four-legged kids. She shares her home with two Lab mixes, Sophie and Cash, a Bulldog mix, Josie, and two furry cat friends, Remington and Munchie.

Lindsey

Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist

Lindsey has been an employee at Three Trails since 2012. She currently works in both our boarding area and exam rooms. She has a German Shepherd, Rhea, a Chow mix, Luna, and is the proud new owner of a horse!

Brittany

Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist

Brittany joined the Three Trails team in 2018 and shares her home with her young children, a German Shepherd, Leo, and a Lab mix, Cash. Outside of the hospital she enjoys rollerskating and outdoor activities.

Ann

Veterinary Assistant

Ann has been at Three Trails since 2009. She graduated with an online veterinary assistance degree from ABC and works in both our boarding area and in our exam rooms. She shares her home with two Labrador Retrievers, Mona and Missy, a Lab puppy, Chip, and a Mastiff mix, Takoda.

Kayla

Veterinary Assistant

Kayla has been at Three Trails since 2011. She works in our boarding area as well as our exam rooms. She has a furry family at home that includes a rescued Chihuahua, Howie, a Pitbull, Pig, a Lab mix, Chevy, and their feline sidekicks, Auto and Bubbles. She also enjoys owning horses.

Tristen

Veterinary Assistant

Tristen has been with us at Three Trails since 2017 and is currently working towards her college degree. She shares her home with a Chow Chow, Petra, and two grey cats, Smoke and Mr. Grumbles. She enjoys reading, drawing, and spending time with her friends.

Sam

Veterinary Assistant

Sam is a former employee who rejoined the Trails team in 2021 and works the exam rooms as a veterinary assistant. She has a German Shepherd names Cyrus and a Husky mix named Kody.

Christina

Veterinary Assistant/Receptionist

Christina is a graduate of Texas A&M's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She moved back to Kansas City to be closer to family and gain experience in the field of veterinary medicine. She has two puppies: Yeti and Knox. She plans to continue on to veterinary school within the next few years.

Ashley

Receptionist

Ashley joined the Three Trails team in 2021 as a receptionist. Currently she shares her home with a huge four-legged and 2-legged family; 2 Dalmatians- Domino and De-Vil, a Doberman names Kass, a Pitbull named Mia, and a kitty named Taco, along with her two boys and husband. you can catch her on her off time at the baseball field with the kiddos, Arrowhead Stadium (GO CHIEFS!), fishing, or taking care of her fur babies.

Melanie

Groomer

Melanie is a former groomer at Three Trails who rejoined the team in 2018. Her husband and stepdaughter (originally from Haiti) and her little girl keep her busy! Her dog, Cora, even made the return trip from Haiti with her as a puppy. 

Jennifer

Groomer

Jennifer joined the Three Trails team in 2019 and has over 20 years of grooming experience, including experience with show dogs. She currently resides in Independence with her daughter.

Join the Three Trails Animal Hospital Family Today!

Located on West 23rd St S between S Crysler Ave and S McCoy St. Just .4 miles from Crysler Stadium.

Phone: 816-252-5105

Send Us A Message!

  • Monday:
  • Tuesday:
  • Wednesday:
  • Thursday:
  • Friday:
  • Saturday:
  • Sunday: