Veterinarians

The owner and hospital administrator of Rhinebeck Animal Hospital, Dr. Louis Tumolo, Jr. has cared for pets here as a general practitioner since 1970, when the hospital was a mixed farm and companion animal practice.

Interested in medicine at a young age, Dr. Tumolo first wanted to pursue a career in human medicine. However, as a freshman in college, he discovered his love for pets and became interested in veterinary medicine. He finds every day to be challenging and rewarding and receives great satisfaction in seeing patients grow healthy and happy.

A native of Plainfield, NJ, he attended Rutgers University and majored in Biology. He was accepted for early admission into Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and was awarded his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1969.

While a veterinary student, Dr. Tumolo received the Charles Gross Bondy Award For Outstanding Students in Surgery. In addition, he completed an internship at the Cornell University Companion Animal Clinic from 1969 to 1970. He is a member of Phi Zeta, the veterinary honor society, and surgery and ophthalmology are among his professional interests.

Dr. Tumolo and his wife, Joyce, are the proud parents of four adult children, and they share their home with a dog named Fiona. His hobbies include travel, fly fishing, golfing and hiking.

Associate veterinarian and general practitioner Dr. Janette Relyea has cared for pets at Rhinebeck Animal Hospital since 1991.

Originally from Melville, Dr. Relyea grew up around animals: her mother was the neighborhood cat savior, and Dr. Relyea took an early job cleaning a local riding stable in exchange for free riding lessons. She loves improving pets' quality of life and strengthening the bond between pets and their people.

As an undergraduate, Dr. Relyea attended Cornell University and received her Bachelor's Degree in Biology in 1986. She continued her education at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and was awarded her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. Her many professional interests include internal medicine, ultrasound and reproduction.

Dr. Relyea, her husband and their daughter share a home with two cats, Hercules Mulligan and Mr. O'Malley, and a Jack Russell Terrier named Doozie. She enjoys cooking and baking with her daughter in her spare time, as well as gardening, and attending a book club with other local moms.

Born and raised in Rhinebeck, Dr. Weckesser has known ever since the sixth grade that she wanted to be a veterinarian and spent most of her childhood summers working with cows and goats in preparation for 4-H shows. She is quite invested in Rhinebeck Animal Hospital as she was mentored by Dr. Tumolo as a veterinary assistant before going to veterinary school. She enjoys developing a bond with each pet that comes into the hospital and likes challenging herself with new experiences and new cases.

Dr. Weckesser attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and received her Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science in 2003. She went on to attend Ross University and Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Weckesser was awarded her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2008.

Dr. Weckesser's professional interests include ophthalmology, surgery, and ultrasonography. When she's not busy with her duties at the hospital, Dr. Weckesser enjoys spending time with her family. She is married and has two beautiful children, Christopher and Brooke.

A Rhinebeck native, Dr. Greg Tumolo has been dedicated to caring for pets and their families at Rhinebeck Animal Hospital since 2006. He loves building lasting relationships with clients and their pets, and finds great joy in combining the science of medicine with the compassion every animal deserves. His goal is always to help pets live healthier, happier lives.

Dr. Tumolo studied at Colorado State University, where he earned dual Bachelor’s Degrees in Biology (with a minor in Spanish, 1995) and Zoology (1999), followed by a Master’s Degree in Anatomy and Neurobiology in 2001. He went on to receive his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006.

His professional interests include critical care and emergency medicine, anesthesia, internal medicine, surgery, and acupuncture. He is also certified in veterinary medical acupuncture through the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association.

Outside the hospital, Dr. Tumolo enjoys skiing, sailing, traveling, hiking, and, most of all, spending time with his daughters, Adeline and Delilah.

Dr. Julianne Porter is a general practitioner who joined our staff in July 2013. She has been working in the animal care field ever since she was 14.

Having grown up in Woodbourne, NY, she decided to become a veterinarian to advocate for our furry friends and to maintain the human-animal bond. In addition to solving difficult cases, what resonates with her most is being able to improve an animal's quality of life.

She says, 'Rhinebeck Animal Hospital understands how important our pets are to us and they really care, all the while practicing a very high quality of veterinary medicine.' Outside the office, Dr. Porter spends her time with her husband and their daughter. Their family also includes a Doberman named Gatsby and two cats named Ninja and Heffer. Most of her pets were rescued while she was at veterinary school. In her free time, Dr. Porter enjoys hiking, traveling, yoga and theatre.

Dr. John Van Demark is a general practitioner at Rhinebeck Animal Hospital. He joined our practice in September of 2014, and has a professional interest in exotic companion animals.

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.

Dr. Noah Shulman is originally from Pittsburgh, PA. He had many pets growing up and worked on dairy farms treating sick cows and barn cats in Pennsylvania before becoming a veterinarian. It was during his time on the farms that he developed his passion for veterinary medicine.

He attended Pennsylvania State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in 2017. He earned his veterinary degree at the University of Pennsylvania in 2021. He has many professional areas of interest including surgery, preventative care, and emergency medicine. 

Dr. Shulman recently moved to the Rhinebeck area to join Rhinebeck Animal Hospital. He has two cats named Bouche and Softie-Cat Rosie. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, throwing pottery and playing the tuba.