Our Team — Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital

Founder & Veterinarian

Dr. Laura Putnam, DVM

Dr. Laura Putnam is the founder of Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital and has been serving pets and their families in the Santa Barbara area for over two decades. Originally from Scotland, she spent her early years surrounded by pets, horses, and horseback riding, and always knew she wanted to become a veterinarian.

After moving to Santa Barbara at age 13, Dr. Putnam attended Santa Barbara High School before earning her bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara. While completing her undergraduate studies, she worked as an emergency technician at Pacific Emergency Pet Hospital and volunteered with the Animal Shelter Assistance Program.

Dr. Putnam earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. She then completed a one-year small animal rotating internship at Pet Care Veterinary Hospital in Santa Rosa, California.

Following her internship, Dr. Putnam joined Carpinteria Veterinary Hospital and spent two decades caring for pets throughout the Santa Barbara community. During her tenure, she served as an associate, then owner, and finally Medical Director while building lasting relationships with generations of clients and their pets.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Putnam proudly volunteers on the Board of Directors for the National Search Dog Foundation, located in Santa Paula.

Today, Dr. Putnam is excited to bring her experience, leadership, and passion for compassionate medicine to Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital. She looks forward to building lifelong relationships with pets and the families who love them while providing personalized care tailored to each patient’s unique needs.

At a glance

Education: B.S., Biological Sciences — University of California, Santa Barbara
Doctorate: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine — UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, 2005
Internship: Small animal rotating internship — Pet Care Veterinary Hospital, Santa Rosa, CA
Leadership: Owner — Carpinteria Veterinary Hospital
Medical Director — VCA Carpinteria Veterinary Hospital
Volunteerism: Board of Directors — National Search Dog Foundation
Memberships: Feline Veterinary Medical Association
California Veterinary Medical Association
Certifications: Fear Free Certified
Senior Dog Veterinary Professional Certification

Dr. Putnam lives in Santa Barbara with her husband, three teenagers, two rescue dogs (Larry and Pinto), and three cats (Deedle, Pickles, and Rabies). Outside the hospital, she enjoys spending time with her family at the beach, hiking local trails, and camping in the nearby mountains.

RVT Supervisor

Catharine, RVT

Catharine is excited to be joining the founding team of Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital as RVT Supervisor, where she gets to combine her love of patient care with building an amazing team from the ground up. With almost 20 years in veterinary medicine, she’s passionate about creating a positive, collaborative hospital while helping pets and their owners feel cared for every step of the way.

When she’s not at the hospital, you’ll find her spending time with her husband and two young daughters, hanging from the ceiling on Aerial Silks or looking after her ever growing family of pets — a dog, four cats, a parrot, and a variety of chickens and ducks. She can’t wait to meet clients, their pets, and be part of this exciting new adventure!

Client Service Supervisor

Michelle

Michelle is thrilled to be joining the team at Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital as a Client Service Representative Supervisor and looks forward to meeting the wonderful clients and pets who will make this hospital so special. She loves bonding with clients, caring for their pets, and creating a welcoming, stress-free, positive experience for every client and patient who walks through the door.

When she is not at the hospital, you’ll usually find her making memories with her two kids. They enjoy visiting Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios, or simply spending time at home with their family, four dogs, and a bird who keep life fun and entertaining. Michelle also enjoys a great cup of coffee and can happily rewatch Friends again and again. She can’t wait to meet you and your furry family members!

Registered Veterinary Technician

Tabby, RVT

Tabby grew up in San Diego and moved to the area in 2015, when she began her career in veterinary medicine. She loves the innocence and unconditional love of animals and is passionate about creating a calm and caring experience for both pets and their families.

Tabby is a wife and mother to two small children. While she doesn’t currently have any pets, she has always had dogs and has a special place in her heart for them. Outside of work, her family enjoys visiting the farmers market, taking walks to the park, and anything they can do outdoors.

She is excited to begin this new chapter as a team member at Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital and looks forward to helping cultivate a warm, calm, and caring atmosphere for the neighborhood’s furry friends.

Registered Veterinary Technician

Fabiola, RVT

Fabiola is a Registered Veterinary Technician with 15 years of experience in veterinary medicine. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Ojai, California, Fabiola’s journey into veterinary medicine began as a shelter volunteer, where she spent her time walking dogs and caring for the animals. She was soon offered a position as a kennel attendant and later had the opportunity to train in the shelter clinic, assisting with spay and neuter procedures. It was there that she discovered her passion for veterinary medicine and knew she had found her calling.

Fabiola worked in shelter medicine until 2015, when she decided to take a leap and pursue an opportunity at a specialty and emergency veterinary hospital. She has spent the past 11 years working in emergency and critical care, developing a strong passion for critical care nursing and providing compassionate, hands-on care to critically ill patients. She became a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2025 and is excited to bring her years of emergency and critical care experience to a new practice while continuing to expand her knowledge and grow in a different area of veterinary medicine.

Outside of work, Fabiola is married to her husband, Matt, and together they have three daughters. Their family also includes a lively crew of furry companions: three dogs Pickles, Mr. Business, and Alfredo and two cats, Mr. Mittens and Clover.

When she’s not at the clinic, Fabiola enjoys spending time with her family at the beach, hiking, going to the movies, volunteering with local rescues and just as importantly, relaxing at home. She is thrilled to be joining this brand-new practice and looks forward to helping build something special from the ground up. Most of all, she is excited to get to know each patient and family and provide the compassionate, personalized care they deserve.

Veterinary Assistant

Natalia

Natalia is a dedicated Veterinary Assistant at Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital, bringing five years of experience working in the local veterinary community. She takes great pride in compassionate patient care, client education/communication, emergency and critical care, and assisting your pet through surgeries and procedures, while keeping you updated every step of the way. She is excited to meet you!

Natalia is passionate about animal welfare, including fostering and helping animals in need. Outside of the hospital, Natalia advocates for unhoused, abused, and unethically bred pets. She is especially passionate about brachycephalic breeds and the specialized attention and care they require. She enjoys supporting every breed’s unique needs.

Natalia is excited to be part of something beautiful and new at Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital and feels blessed to work alongside such a skilled and compassionate team. She is looking forward to becoming a licensed RVT this year and continuing to grow her skills in veterinary medicine.

When she is not at the hospital, Natalia enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and dogs Goose and Nacho. She also looks forward to finding a loving, forever home for the foster dog she currently has. If you’re ever looking for another pet, Natalia can help you find a rescue animal in need of saving.

Veterinary Assistant

Lauren

Lauren is excited to be joining the Bonnie Mara Animal Hospital team as a Veterinary Assistant. She graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2023 with a B.S. in Animal Science. Her previous experience includes wildlife rehabilitation, general practice, emergency and critical care, and shelter medicine. Through these experiences, Lauren has found a passion for caring for animals while supporting the people who love them. She hopes to one day become a veterinarian herself.

In her free time, Lauren is a line dance instructor and travels across the country teaching and performing with her line dance team, The West Coasters, and Monster Energy. When she is not dancing, she enjoys spending time with her two cats, Pop and Papaya, and watching Love Island. Lauren is eager to help build the Bonnie Mara community and looks forward to creating a welcoming and comforting environment for her patients and their families.

Veterinary Assistant

Angie

Although Angie began her career in veterinary medicine later in life, her passion for animals and their welfare has been lifelong. She began volunteering at animal shelters at the age of nine, where she walked dogs, cleaned kennels, and assisted people with disabilities through horseback riding programs in Rancho Santa Fe.

Before entering veterinary medicine, Angie spent many years painting houses, first in Massachusetts, then in San Francisco. In 2007, she made her way to Santa Barbara with her three-legged rescue dog, Sarge. With family already in the area, Santa Barbara quickly became home, and Angie feels especially fortunate to have found another chosen family when she met Dr. Putnam 14 years ago.

Joining the team at Bonnie Mara is a fabulous and exciting opportunity for Angie. She hopes to bring humor, compassion, and a collaborative spirit to the team while continuing to make a positive difference in the lives of animals and the people who care for them.

Outside of work, Angie enjoys movies, music, and art, and she has a particular soft spot for rescuing older shelter dogs.

The team behind Bonnie Mara.

The people behind the care.

Doctor

Dr. Laura Putnam, DVM

Supervisors

Catharine, RVT

Michelle

Registered Veterinary Technicians

Tabby, RVT

Fabiola, RVT

Veterinary Assistants

Natalia

Lauren

Angie

Come meet the team.