When your furry—or feathery or scaly—pal needs veterinary care, you want to know the person behind the stethoscope. And, because The Old 41 Animal Hospital team considers you and your pet part of our family, we want you to help us welcome Clare Randt, VMD, who is our newest pet-care family member. We sat down with Dr. Randt to learn about her background and what led her to veterinary medicine practice in Florida.

Question: Where are you originally from?

Answer: I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and while I love where I live now, I miss it a lot.

Question: How and when did you decide that you wanted to be a veterinarian?

Answer: Like virtually every veterinarian, I’ve always been an animal lover. But, I also became intrigued in the sciences and medicine that are essential for the field after taking a comparative anatomy course in college.

Question: How did you land at The Old 41 Animal Hospital?

Answer: My fiancé is the practice manager. While not every couple wants to work together, we enjoy and cherish the extra time we have together working at the same practice.

Question: What’s your favorite part about being a veterinarian?

Answer: Overall, I am overjoyed to be in a profession where I know I am making a positive contribution to the community as I help pets and their families. I also enjoy the breadth of responsibilities I experience as a veterinary general practitioner. From performing surgery, to meeting families with new puppies or kittens, to working up complicated internal medicine cases, I do a little bit of everything. The day-to-day variations keep the job interesting and fresh.

Question: Tell us about your pets.

Answer: I have three dogs who embody very different personalities. My ride-or-die boy Jaako loves food and sticking his head out of the car window, and he looks exceptionally adorable in his protective “doggles.” Then there is Ezra, the most loyal, long-legged dog I know. And last, I have Ellie, who has no idea what is going on around her, but is delighted to be in the midst of things.

Question: Tell us about your human family members.

Answer: My parents retired to Naples, which is what brought me here. But, I wish they lived somewhere cooler, because this Florida weather is not my style. I have a tight relationship with my parents and wanted to live nearby, so I’m sucking up my dislike of the weather to stay close.

My mom is carefree and liberal, who believes every day is worth celebrating, especially with champagne. On the other hand, my father is cautious and tactful, which served him well as a lawyer and diplomat.

As the baby of the family and the only girl, I am used to being teased. One of my older brothers works for the U.S. Treasury and is an extremely successful, driven nerd. My eldest brother is a Utah resident and a fun, attentive sibling. He takes great care of me—despite the teasing—and has made himself my personal trainer. To ensure I stay in shape, we work out together via Zoom several times a week. He is also the one who really holds the family together by ensuring we all still buy Christmas presents for one another and go on family vacations together.

Question: What’s something about you that might surprise others?

Answer: I’m pretty good at doing a shuffle dance.

Question: What’s your favorite food?

Answer: I love anything Asian—Chinese, Japanese, Indian, etc.

Question: Do you prefer dogs or cats?

Answer: Cat owners, don’t read this. I think dogs are way cooler and will choose them over cats every time.

Question: What’s your favorite hobby?

Answer: I enjoy hiking, jogging, and just being out and about with my dogs.

Question: What are a few things you want to accomplish?

Answer: Essentially, I want to have more adventures and travel around the world, particularly to Japan, Austria, and Switzerland. I’d also like to experience more of the diversity found in the different regions of the United States. My ultimate goal is to buy a boat and learn how to dive for lobsters in the Caribbean.

Question: Do you have any unexpected talents?

Answer: My rap karaoke is alright, but I really wish I could play the electric violin.

Welcome Dr. Randt to The Old 41 Animal Hospital family as she settles into her new role here—you can start by challenging her to a rap battle in the exam room, dishing on the best places in town for Asian takeout, or showing off your own shuffle dance moves. Give us a call to schedule your pet’s next appointment and meet Dr. Randt.