Get to know theCareFur Story

Originally from England, Dr. Murray grew up and lives on the Connecticut Shoreline. She graduated from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine after doing her undergraduate work at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Murray has been practicing on the Shoreline since 2001 and was recently voted the number one veterinarian in Best of the Shoreline magazine 2020.

Dr. Murray lives in Stony Creek with her husband, Jim, and their dog Clover, along with many chickens and goldfish. She enjoys spending time outdoors gardening and hiking, oil and watercolor painting, and sewing. 

CareFur Veterinarians is honored to have Dr. Murray as part of the Team. We are so happy to be able to surround her with the people and resources she needs to continue to provide the trusted veterinary care that many of you have come to depend on over the past two decades. Dr. Murray looks forward to meeting new families as well as reconnecting with loyal clients and friends.

Originally from Georgia, Dr. Wood graduated from Kennesaw State University and worked as a veterinary technician before receiving his doctorate. He graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, completing his final clinical year in Dublin, Ireland. After graduation, he traveled to Connecticut to continue his training with a rotating Small Animal Medicine and Surgery internship at a local Emergency and Specialty practice. After his internship, Dr. Wood returned to Georgia to practice Emergency medicine. Still, his heart remained in Connecticut, and he has been practicing primary care and Emergency medicine as a relief doctor for several years.

Dr. Wood lives with his wife, three dogs, and four cats. He enjoys beekeeping, gardening, running, hiking, and comic books. He has special interests in emergency medicine as well as clinical pathology. His favorite part of being a veterinarian is connecting with clients and monitoring patients as they recover from whatever life throws at them.

CareFur Veterinarians is proud to provide a permanent home for Dr. Wood to deliver his exceptional veterinary knowledge and skills. We are confident that you and your fur babies will love his kind and compassionate manner.

Dr. Verfurth grew up and lives in central Connecticut. She graduated from St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2019 after completing a clinical year at Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in animal science from the University of Connecticut and has a special interest in preventative care and dermatology. Dr. Verfurth is Fear Free Certified.

Dr. Verfurth shares her home with a Havanese mix, Cooper, and in her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, especially at the beach, as well as traveling and crocheting.

CareFur Veterinarians is elated to have Dr. Verfurth join our team. In addition to her incredible brain and warm personality, she brings experience in surgery and dentistry to help strengthen our competencies in those fields.

Michele is a Connecticut native with strong ties to Vermont. She lives in Milford with her two rescued dogs, Jeffrey, a senior pit bull, and Puck Francis, a Border Collie Terrier mix. Michele is a credentialed dog trainer, CPDT-KA, avid dog sports competitor, and self-proclaimed dog behavior nerd. She is also a licensed Pet Partners therapy animal evaluator, a registered Pet Partners therapy dog handler since 2012, and a member of the Pet Professionals Guild. Michele’s proudest moment was retiring Jeffrey from the World Cynosport Rally in September 2023 as the highest-achieving pit bull in the sport’s history and the first-ever pit bull to earn WCRL’s highest achievement, the Master Champion title. Michele comes to CareFur with over 12 years in the veterinary field, a vast array of experiences, and a deeply empathetic love for people and animals alike. CareFur is deeply grateful to have Michele as one of the first voices you will hear when you call in. We know she will take great care of our patients’ human side and ensure all your concerns are addressed and heard by the rest of the CareFur team.

Alyssa was born and raised in Branford, CT. She has been in the veterinary field since 2015, starting as a veterinary assistant. Alyssa graduated from Middlesex Community College with her associates in Veterinary Technology in 2019. 

Alyssa currently resides in New Haven with her partner Josh, their young son Jaxon, dog (Brady), and cat (Elmer). In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and doing puzzles. 

Although CareFur only gets Alyssa part-time, they are thankful for her whip smart and compassionate nature and are happy to support her and her young family anyway they can.

Erica was born and raised in Guilford, CT. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in animal science. Erica has worked as a technician on the shoreline for over 26 years.

In her free time, Erica enjoys teaching Jazzercise and volunteering at Manes in Motions, a therapeutic riding facility. She lives in Killingworth and has raised her family there since 1997. She lives with her partner, Pete, several horses, dogs, chickens, and a few turtles.

Erica is grateful for all the long-standing clients and their pets whom she has had a chance to foster relationships with over the years. Erica is excited to help CareFur become a place where clients feel supported in navigating their animals’ health and wellbeing.

CareFur Veterinarians is delighted to have Erica’s strength and expertise help lead our team of technicians and support staff.

Hollie was born and raised in Connecticut. She grew up in Bethany and currently resides in Durham. Hollie has been in the veterinary field for over 20 years, starting as a kennel attendant and working her way up to becoming the amazing and dependable technician she is. Hollie recharges by spending time outside, homesteading, and gardening, usually with her three dogs, five cats, and many chickens.

CareFur is delighted to be able to offer patients the chance to work with Hollie and know they will appreciate the depth of her experience, compassion, and beautiful soul.

Jordan was born and raised in Meriden, CT, and has been in the veterinary field for over nine years. She started as an assistant while attending veterinary technician school, obtaining her certification in 2018. Jordan has spent most of her time as a surgery technician specializing in anesthesia and sedation in general practice. She always seeks to further her education and experience to be the best technician possible.

In her free time, Jordan enjoys spending time with her loved ones, playing various games, and being outdoors. She currently resides in Middlefield with her boyfriend, their dog Nora, and two cats, Luci Furr and Calcifurr.

CareFur is thrilled to have Jordan join our team to strengthen our ability to provide safe and compassionate care for your pets while undergoing surgery and other procedures requiring anesthesia and sedation.

Brianna grew up in East Haven, Connecticut, and lives with her family, including three dogs and a guinea pig. She graduated from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT, with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Brianna has worked as a Veterinary Assistant since 2018. Brianna enjoys baking, trying new food, and spending time with family and friends.

CareFur is honored that Brianna has followed Drs. Wood and Murray continue to work with them as a vital part of our team.

Emma is finishing her Associate’s Degree at Gateway Community College. She moved to Madison about seven years ago and grew to love the town and community. She has always had a passion and love for animals and currently has two dogs (Benny and Winston) and a cat (Tillie). Most of her free time is spent with her family and her pets, relaxing on the couch, catching up on a TV show, or going out and having fun with her friends. Emma is looking forward to returning to school and becoming a veterinary technician as she hopes to continue working with animals. She is super excited to learn so many new things while working at CareFur and is looking forward to getting to know you and your pets.

CareFur is just as excited as she is and is delighted to help mentor her on her journey to becoming a certified veterinary technician.

Maria was raised in Guilford, CT, and was surrounded by many animals growing up. She possesses a deep-rooted passion for animals that has guided her towards a career as a Veterinary Assistant. She has two cats, Winifred and Freddie, and is currently in school to become a Veterinary Technician. Her goal is to positively impact the lives of both animals and their human companions through her work. Maria enjoys traveling and spending time with her family in her free time.

CareFur looks forward to helping Maria continue to grow in the profession and can’t wait to see her flourish through all her hard work at school and with the support of our amazing technicians and doctors.

Molly was born and raised in Middlefield, Connecticut, and has spent the majority of her work life in the field of veterinary medicine. Starting out in the kennels of a large hospital in Middletown right after high school, Molly was quickly spotted as someone incredibly reliable and with an unwavering commitment to excellence. Over the next decade, she became the head of scrub nurses and surgical assistants in the surgery department of that large veterinary referral hospital and a sought-out assistant to help directly with complex surgical cases. After spending a few years out in California and seeing how veterinary medicine is done on the West Coast, she has returned to manage the day-to-day operations of CareFur Veterinarians.

Molly enjoys hanging out with her St. Bernard, Rowan, kayaking, spending time at the beach, traveling, riding ATVs, and playing VR.

CareFur Veterinarians is excited to have Molly support your pet’s wellness and care by ensuring operational efficiency and meticulous adherence to gold standard operating procedures.

Dr. Carolyn Gross graduated from Tufts University of Veterinary Medicine after obtaining an undergraduate degree from UMass Amherst. She completed her internship in Norwalk, CT, and a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where she received the Excellence in Teaching award. Dr. Gross is a board-certified veterinary internist, making her a Diplomate of the American College of Internal Medicine. She shares her home with her husband, dogs Ender, Fisher, & Daisy, cats Zelda, Link, Mooncake and Hoggle, and many awesome fish.

Dr. Jennifer Lansdowne graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in Canada after completing her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology. She graduated with a Masters of Science in Clinical Studies as well as a DVM. Dr. Lansdowne completed her internship at Colorado State University, followed by an Orthopedic fellowship and surgical residency at Michigan State University. She is a board-certified veterinary surgeon and a Diplomate of both the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons. She shares her home with her husband & son, dogs Enzo & Benny, and cat, Zizou.