Dr. Shelley Lake, DVM

Hi, I am Shelley Lake, I was born to Harlow Eugene and Vonnel Bunch in Overland Park, Kansas .  I graduated from Shawnee Mission West in 1989.  I have always loved animals more than people and wanted to be a veterinarian from a very early age.

I started college at the University of Kansas, then Colorado State University and then completed my undergrad at Kansas State University.  I applied to the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995 and graduated in 1999.  Also in 1995, I found the other love of my life, which is working with greyhounds, when I took on a summer position at the Woodlands. 

When I graduated, I came back home to Overland Park and I have worked at many practices here in the Kansas City area.  I also continued to work part time as an assistant greyhound trainer at the Woodlands.  I have mostly done relief veterinary work and that is how I started at Petworks.  When the Woodlands closed in 2008, I started doing a greyhound cancer study and placing greyhounds for adoption in my spare time. 

In 2000, I married my classmate, and soulmate, Jeff Lake, DVM.  We chose to not have human children, but have, at least in Jeff’s estimation, way over compensated with our animal children.  We currently have 12 senior greyhounds, a garage cat (Patches) and a fish tank at home.  I take in any sick greyhound that can’t find a home through my adoption program, as I think every animal that can have a home should, whether it is for a day or many years. 

Our favorite place is our lake house down on Table Rock Lake and we spend every moment we can on our pontoon relaxing, it is a greyt way to decompress from the stresses of life.  We do enjoy traveling, but haven’t been able to travel as much as we would like due to our busy lives.  I enjoy concerts, any pet oriented event that I can take my greyhounds to and spending time with my husband and family.  I also am an amateur photographer and love to take pictures of my favorite subjects, my greyhounds.  I enjoy greyhound racing in every way, and would love to see the Woodlands come back, and would love to own a racing greyhound again. 

My motto for practicing veterinary medicine is very simple:  when your pet is in my care, that pet is my pet too, and I take care of it as I would my own.  And the day I stop caring about the patients in my care is the day I need to retire.  I strive to always better myself, and that is by continually learning, whether that is by way of continuing education, online or by reading journals.  If I can be of any help, at any time, do not hesitate to contact me.