Andrea Dennis, DVM, CVMA Veterinarian of the Year

Dr. Dennis has wanted to be a veterinarian since she was 9 years old, growing up in Hartford, Connecticut.

As an undergraduate in Animal Science, Dr. Dennis attended Cornell University and the University of Connecticut. She received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee University in Alabama, graduating with summa cum laude honors. Following Tuskegee, she performed her internship at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Dennis founded the Bloomfield Animal Hospital in 1992, which remains a thriving practice. She has been a long time member of the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and a past President of the organization. She is also active nationally, serving as a Connecticut delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) board. Dr. Dennis served on the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees from 2003-2011 and is currently serving again as of July, 2013 after having been appointed by both Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Gov. Ned Lamont. She is the current Vice-Chair of the BOT. She also served as President of the UConn Alumni Association from 1997-1999.

She is co-host of the popular WTIC AM radio call-in show, “Pet Talk”, where she expertly answers questions related to pet healthcare, as well as the veterinarian of the pet segment on "Great Day Connecticut" with Kara Sundlun and Scot Haney on WFSB Channel 3.

In her spare time, Dr. Dennis enjoys biking and attending UConn sporting events. She is married to Randy LaVigne, a former UConn basketball and baseball standout and current member of the Bloomfield Animal Hospital team. Together they have a son, Justin, who serves as a production assistant for the Pet Talk radio show, a deeply loved Bouvier des Flandres rescue dog named “Jack” and a precocious domestic shorthair cat named Rita Marie.

Dr. Dennis won the CVMA Veterinarian of the Year in 2024!