Dr. Jeff Payne:

   Jeff and Retta attended The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.  They graduated in June of 1985, took boards, got married, packed up and moved to Somerset County.  They worked at White Oak Veterinary Clinic in mixed animal medicine.  Jeff did a variety of work with dairy and beef cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and pets while Retta concentrated on pet animals.

   In late 1989 they decided to focus on small animals and on January 2, 1990 opened the first Somerset area small animal exclusive veterinary hospital.  Somerset Veterinary Hospital started as a lease-hold facility until 1993 when they built and moved into their new hospital just one building north of the initial location. 

   They enjoyed concentrating on working with pets and their owners adding new technology along the way to be able to provide the most efficient and up to date care.  Meanwhile they raised their two sons, Matthew and Christopher; cats D.C., Ben and Willie; a succession of Collies, Spirit, Amber and Belle; Labrador Bear and German Short-haired Pointers Wigeon, Teal and Apple.  They enjoyed birding, traveling and gardening on their small mountain farm.

   Tragedy struck in 2009 when Retta was diagnosed with fast-acting pancreatic cancer.  We lost her in November of that year.

   Restructuring took place at Somerset Veterinary Hopital, P.C. and now Dr. Jeff is very pleased to be working with Dr. Penny Iliff and Dr. Robert Henry.  We continue to add new services, including dental radiography this year, to provide the best medicine and surgery possible for our patients.  Dr. Jeff greatly enjoys working with pets and their families and providing both medical and surgical care.

Dr. Jeff still enjoys birding in Somerset County and beyond, hunting with his shorthairs Teal and Apple, traveling with his now college age sons, canoeing, bicycling and puttering in the gardens and fields around the farm. 
 

Dr. Penny Iliff is a graduate of the University of Florida.  She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and was raised in Bradenton, Florida.  Penny worked for many years as a certified veterinary technician before earning her DVM.  After graduation she worked in a small animal hospital and emergency practice in Tallahassee, Florida.  She moved to Somerset County and began working at Somerset Veterinary Hospital in July 2011.  Her special interests include feline medicine, preventative medicine, dentistry and surgery.  She currently has 3 cats (Cubby, Isaac and Dharma) and 3 dogs (Kanga, Panda and Mo).  She enjoys hiking, bicycling and playing with her daughter.

Dr. Robert Henry  is a graduate of Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, VA.  He received his B.S. in General Agriculture from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD.  He is originally from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and is the owner of two Pembroke Welsh Corgis (Goliath and Khan pictured here) and a Guinea Pig named Capy.  His veterinary interests include pain management, preventative care and gastroenterology.