Fairview Heights Animal Clinic & Animal Hospital of O’Fallon

Meet Our Team

At Fairview Heights and O’Fallon animal clinics, we treat every pet as if they were our own. From the front desk to the exam room, we are focused on providing top notch care for pets and their owners. Learn more about the team that makes Fairview Heights and O’Fallon pet clinic the best in St. Clair County.

Brett Ziegler

DVM & Co-Owner

Bio coming soon!

Craig Thacker

Associate DVM

Dr. Craig Thacker is an Associate Veterinarian at Fairview Heights Animal Clinic as well as the Animal Hospital of O’Fallon. Dr. Thacker attended pre-vet at the University of Nebraska and went on to earn his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1986. His areas of professional interest include exotic animals and internal medicine.

Dr. Thacker's love of animals and veterinary medicine leads all the way back to Junior High in his hometown of Grand Island, Nebraska. To this day, Dr. Thacker still believes the best part about working in the veterinary field is meeting new clients and getting the opportunity to help their beloved pets any way he can! Through the years, he has been able to clinically train with Grand Island Veterinary Clinic as well as Northern Animal Hospital of Phoenix, Arizona.

Having been settled in Belleville, Illinois since 2014 with his wife and daughter, Dr. Thacker has a variety of interests that keep him occupied outside of the exam room. His family keeps busy with their two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels named Prada and Gucci, as well as their senior cat named Elsa. With any free time he has left at the end of the week, Dr. Thacker enjoys reading, travelling, kite flying, crewing for hot air balloons, and playing the bagpipes! He admits that while exotics, wildlife, and zoology are all areas of interest of his, he has a deep passion for his bagpiping. He has even had the opportunity to play alongside the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

Emilie Schilling

DVM

Dr. Emilie Schilling is a Southern Illinois native, having attended the University of Illinois where she majored in Animal Sciences. She went on to graduate from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and then worked at a mixed animal practice for one year before returning home to Southern Illinois. She currently does relief veterinary work in the Metro-East and started regular shifts at Fairview Heights Animal Hospital in 2023. Dr. Schilling also helps with office work at her family’s farm, enjoys hanging out with her family, and loves to travel, both domestically and internationally.

Jessica Tiemann

Technician

Jess has been working at Fairview Heights Animal Clinic and Animal Hospital of O'Fallon since 2019. She went to school at Vatterott and is one of our Dental/ Surgery Technicians. Aside from surgery Jess loves working in the clinic to build relationships with our clients and watch their pets grow up. When she is not at work, she loves spending time with her friends and family outdoors. She has an Australian Shepherd mix, Lani and a cat named Greta. Jess also loves watching the St. Louis Blues with her son Brayden.

Keri Odom

Technician

Keri is a graduate of the Vet Tech Institute at Hickey College, and a board-Certified Veterinary Technician. Keri is not only passionate about preventive care for every pet, but she also loves to expand her knowledge in surgery. She has one daughter, Jazlynne, who is 8 years old. They enjoy traveling together and going to St Louis Cardinal games. They have 2 dogs - A 4-year-old Schnauzer named Schatzie, and a 1-year-old Biewer Terrier mix named Roxy

Jessica Tegano

Technician

Jessica has been working in the animal industry for 5 years and proud to be working as our Veterinary Assistant at both locations. She's a loving dog mom and enjoys watching movies with her 3 dogs. She has always been passionate about animals and is always excited to help a furry friend.

Danyil Dickinson

Technician

Danyil has worked in the veterinary industry since 2004 and is proud to serve as one of Fairview Heights Animal Clinic and the Animal Hospital of O'Fallon's veterinary technicians. Danyil was born and raised in Missouri, but currently resides in Belleville IL with her two dogs Georgia and Ryder. Danyil enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family.

Ekatarina "Kat" Ziegler

Groomer

Ekatarina (Kat) has been part of Fairview Heights Animal Clinic for many years and in grooming the past 3 years. She loves making dogs and cats not only look good, but also feel great after their grooms. Ekatarina lives in Belleville, Illinois with her fiancé, Mitchell their cat Mr. Whiskers and their 2 crazy dogs Tank and Mordekai. She enjoys listening to old country music and doing relaxing coloring pages on her time off.

Laura Young

Receptionist

Laura joined the FHAC/AHOF team in 2008 as a receptionist. Laura always has a smile on her face and tries to make every interaction as positive and welcoming as possible. Growing up, Laura had many different animals in her life. From cats and dogs to horses and cows. While away from work Laura enjoys spending time with her nieces, and her kitties.

Makayla Hubbard

Boarding/Kennels

Makayla is from East Saint Louis Illinois and has lived there the majority of her life. She loves German shepherds and has one of her own named Tank. Makayla recently graduated from Greenville University in May of 2021 and received a Bachelor of Arts in biology. She is currently in the process of applying to vet schools in hopes of becoming a veterinarian. Makayla started shadowing Dr. Ziegler in August of 2021 and is now working as a kennel assistant. She loves seeing the different animals that come in and caring for them. Some things that Makayla loves to do when she's not working are; shopping, hanging with her friends, and binge watching her favorite shows.

Hours of Operation

Phone: 618-398-1530

  • Monday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
  • Thursday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Friday: 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
  • Saturday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Sunday: Closed
Fairview Heights, IL location icon

Fairview Heights, IL


10208 Lincoln Trail

Fairview Heights, IL 62208

618-398-1530

O'Fallon, IL location icon

O'Fallon, IL


306 E. Highway 50

O'Fallon, IL 62269

618-632-6303

Hours of Operation

Phone: 618-632-6303

  • Monday: 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Thursday: 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
  • Friday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Sunday: Closed