Dr. Laurence Labrecque

Dr. Labrecque graduated from the University of Montreal where she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and this Canadian came to us with a lot of experience in exotic medicine. She gained familiarity with birds of prey working at a rehabilitation center during vet school. She did externships at numerous zoos throughout the world including The Johannesburg Zoo in South Africa, The Assiniboine Zoo in Manitoba, and our own Santa Barbara Zoo. Her wildlife experience came from volunteering at a wildlife rehab center in Belize. Dr. Laurence continued to expand her experience when she participated in a spay and neuter clinic in Northern Canada’s First National Villages. This clinic was designed to help counteract a pet overpopulation problem within Canada’s Native American population. Dr. Labrecque cut her teeth in the “real world” when she worked for an exotic and companion animal practice. She also developed an exotics protocol and trained the staff members in exotic animal medicine for an animal shelter in the Montreal area

Dr. Labrecque treats all exotic species seen at EAVC but has a soft spot for the smaller parrots. Because of this love for the little guys, she earned the nickname “the budgie vet.” She also has a big interest in small mammal dentistry. Dr. Labrecque strongly believes client education is one of the most important aspects of the veterinary profession, especially for our exotic companions. In addition, she is a big proponent of preventative medicine for all species.

Dr. Labrecque enjoys SoCal’s beautiful weather. She loves all water sports, including kite-surfing, windsurfing, and scuba diving in water that gets above 50 degrees during the summers. She is also contemplating buying another motorcycle now that she can ride year-round.