Richard Debnam, Hospital Manager

Richard started in veterinary medicine as a volunteer kennel cleaner in a small general practice in Thousand Oaks, CA. After working hard for 8months, he was given the opportunity to promote to a veterinary assistant in training, where he fell in love with the field and working with animals. This was an amazing experience allowing him to work with zoo animals and large breed exotics, along with wildlife and large animals. A year and a few months later, he joined a local emergency clinic that enabled him to work on advanced assistant skills by developing emergency and advanced critical care skills. This included hyperbaric chamber training and advance defibrillation. After receiving an associate degree in veterinary medicine in 2007, he went to the University of California, Santa Cruz where he received a bachelor's degree in European History. While going to school full time, he worked full time in Santa Cruz as a veterinary assistant in two busy emergency departments on overnight shifts. After graduating, he was given a lead position at a busy Emergency hospital in Monterey, CA. Realizing that operations and client experience was what drove him, he joined Banfield Pet Hospitals, managing two hospitals, one in Santa Cruz, CA and one in Salinas, CA.  

Richard joined the VCA family in 2016 as an emergency, surgery and neurology anesthetic technician at VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, then joining VCA Benicia Animal Hospital a year and a half later. He lives in San Anselmo, CA currently with a goofy, sweet 8year old German Shepherd/ border collie mix named Baron (pictured above). While not working Richard enjoys hiking, cycling, kayaking, snowboarding, golf, soccer/ footgolf, traveling and truly anything outdoors.  Richard is a dog lover at heart with a soft spot for German shepherds but loves everything furry!