A native of Rhinebeck, Dr. Van Demark attended Roger Williams University for his undergraduate work, graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Science, a B.S. in Biology, and a B.A. in Environmental Chemistry in 2009. He earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University in 2014. While in veterinary school, Dr. Van Demark sought out educational experiences with exotic animals, spending a month in Thailand working with elephants, large cats, and large exotic reptiles, and completing two externships at exotic animal practices during his clinical year.
'When I was a child I loved bugs, and this passion for small living creatures grew into a love for all animals. As I got older I really enjoyed helping animals and understanding how they work both inside and out,' says Dr. Van Demark. 'What I like most about veterinary medicine is the human-animal bond. I like to see that other people care about animals as I do.'
At home, Dr. Van Demark has a wide array of pets, including a mixed-breed dog named Lilo, a cat named Hermione, a painted turtle named Constantine, a hedgehog named Conrad, and a budgerigar named Euterpe. In his free time, he enjoys boating, hiking, herping (finding/studying reptiles & amphibians), fishing, gardening, and aquarium keeping.