Dr. Cathy Latimer joined Best Friends in 2004. She graduated from Michigan State University in 1981, and then went on to an internship in Santa Cruz, California. After her internship, she practiced small animal medicine in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, including owning and operating her own small animal practice for 14 years. In 2001, she relocated to Dublin so that her husband could accept the position as veterinarian at the Columbus Zoo.

Dr. Latimer and her husband Mike have 3 adult children: Mike and wife Beth, George, and Lindsay. They have one dog--a quirky Dachshund-Chihuahua mix (Chi Chi)--and two cats, Ned Devine (a shy cuddler) and Sir Arthur (an outgoing lover boy). "Passed" pets have included 120 lb Mack, a singing Great Dane/Lab mix (he sang along to 'Happy Birthday' and sirens); Smookers, a sweet Collie-mix; Clara, a clever Lab/Blue Heeler; and Tweed, a smart, laid back Border Collie adopted during the vet school years. Cats have included Dusty, the gentlest cat ever, and numerous 'volunteer' barn cats while living in Oklahoma.

Dr. Latimer's favorite hobby is gardening. You can admire her amazing green thumb all throughout the spring, summer, and fall because she brings in beautiful bouquets of flowers to brighten the front desk. Her other hobbies include cooking, collecting cook books, reading, hiking, canoeing, and writing college tuition checks.