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Reflections on 2025
As I reflect on the past year, I feel both deep gratitude and pride in what Mission Animal Hospital has accomplished together with our community. 2025 brought extraordinary moments of pride and resilience—but it also tested us in ways we could not have anticipated.
Early in the year, we received joyful personal news for our team that also presented a significant operational challenge: three of our veterinarians were planning on family leave at the same time. While we routinely plan for maternity leaves, we had never faced this level of simultaneous staffing reduction. Almost overnight, we were confronted with difficult questions: how to meet rising demand with fewer doctors, how to retain and support staff during reduced capacity, how to onboard temporary veterinarians quickly, and how to address a substantial budget shortfall.
One of the defining successes of 2025 was how our community responded. In the face of these challenges, we launched an emergency fundraising effort—and our donors answered with overwhelming generosity. Their support allowed us to maintain uninterrupted care for our patients, stabilize our operations, and continue supporting our growing veterinary families. This response was a powerful affirmation of our mission and a reminder that Mission is deeply valued by the community we serve.
Throughout the year, Mission continued to be a vital safety net for pet owners with limited options for care. We adapted services, reallocated resources, and pivoted as required with one guiding principle: meeting the needs of our patients and their families with dignity, respect, and excellence. Our ability to pivot and respond—especially during uncertainty—is not accidental. It is rooted in our core values and our commitment to being community-driven, even when doing so is complex or unpredictable. Demand for our services continues to grow, and so does our resolve to meet it.
Above all, I am immensely proud of our staff. Navigating an unusually challenging year, they demonstrated professionalism, flexibility, and heart. Working with relief veterinarians and adjusting to operational pivots is never easy, yet our team maintained continuity of care, supported one another, and ensured every patient received the attention they deserved. Their resilience, dedication, and compassion remain the foundation of everything we do.
Thank you for standing with us this year. Your support makes it possible for Mission Animal Hospital to remain a trusted resource for our community and a place where pets—and the people who love them—are always welcome. I invite you to read more about our impact in the pages that follow and to celebrate what we have achieved together.
With gratitude,
Dr. Susan Miller
19,834
Pet Visits
6,983
Families Served
9,601
Unique Pets Given Care
In 2025 Mission Animal Hospital donors helped cover $2.5 million in care for pets from low-income families.
89%
of patients received donor subsidized care
71%
of Urgent Care clients said they would have to euthanize, surrender or forego care without Mission
$5.75
in social value generated for every $1 donated
2,590 hours
of volunteer hours were donated by 109 dedicated volunteers.
A service value of
$77,708​
1,171 gave $1,658,972
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558 individuals gave $25 or less
373 donors gave $25—$100
176 donors gave $100—$250
94 donors gave $250—$500
92 donors gave $500—$1,000
82 donors gave $1,000—$5,000
34 donors gave $5,000 or more
14 veterinarians
1 board certified veterinary surgeon
35 relief veterinarians
21 vet technicians
19 vet assistants
11 customer service staff
1 social worker
5 administrative staff
A Lifetime of Love: The Rohde Sisters’ Commitment to Pets in Need
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One of the earliest memories Barbara and Diann Rohde have of their youngest sister, Susan, is watching her learn to walk while carrying a cat. That moment marked the beginning of a lifetime devoted to protecting, caring for, and loving animals.
Raised on a farm, the sisters Barbara, Diann, and Susan grew up surrounded by animals. There were always plenty of cats and at least one dog—usually more interested in staying inside the house than herding cattle. Susan, in particular, befriended every animal she encountered, even bringing orphaned lambs into the kitchen so she could bottle feed them. In a rural setting, having pets was simply a natural part of growing up.
After leaving the farm, the Rohde sisters continued their role as devoted guardians to many animals. Every pet brought its own personality, joy, and comfort into their homes. Nearly all of their pets were rescues, some adopted with the full knowledge that they had significant medical needs. Diann’s last
two dogs required immediate, lifesaving surgeries after adoption. Barbara fought a very public—and expensive—battle to rescue a cat from a street program so she could receive proper medical care and finally have a safe, permanent home.
All three sisters have spent countless hours in veterinary offices, navigating routine checkups as well as serious medical crises. They know the anxiety and fear that can overwhelm a family when a beloved pet needs care, and they understand the heartbreak faced by those who cannot afford that care.
This shared experience is what first drew Susan to support Mission Animal Hospital. Before long, Diann and Barbara joined her. Being part of the unique and compassionate services provided by Mission Animal Hospital has become a source of pride and joy for all three sisters.
In July 2025, Susan lost one of her beloved cats, Scooter, to kidney disease. To honor his memory, she purchased a table at Raise the Woof, with Diann and Barbara proudly joining her. The evening was both joyful and meaningful, reaffirming the sisters’ ongoing commitment to supporting Mission Animal Hospital and helping ensure that more animals—and the people who love them—receive the care they deserve.
The Rohde sisters, Diann, Barbara, and Susan at Mission's Raise the Woof gala in 2025.
Susan Rohde, on the farm as a little girl with an orphaned lamb.
Transformative Programs
At Mission, we're more than an animal hospital, and we care for more than the pets that come to us. We care for entire communities! Read more below about our transformative programs, and how they are impacting pet owners, communities and the vet-med industry for the better.
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Social Work Program: Mission has been offering a veterinary social work program since 2022. In 2023, we expanded this program to include a full-time licensed master social worker (LMSW) on staff. Our social worker provides guidance to clients throughout the medical decision-making process, grief counseling when a family loses a pet, referral to social services such as housing or food assistance when needed, and more. We have found that having a social worker in the hospital is a huge benefit to our clients, providing one-on-one assistance to more than 600 families last year.
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Junior Vets: Mission Animal Hospital’s Junior Vets program brings high school students from diverse backgrounds into the hospital to gain hands-on work experience in the field of veterinary medicine. Through a unique partnership with Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, this award-winning program is the first high school veterinary work study program of its kind.
The veterinary industry is one of the least diverse in the U.S.: 90% of veterinarians identify as white. This is a dismal statistic that veterinary associations and schools have been attempting to tackle for years with limited success. Research shows the opportunity gap in STEM careers starts with the variety of careers that young people are exposed to. In this program, four high school students work directly with all of our medical staff during the school year, assisting in diagnostic and treatment procedures, learning more than 150 different STEM skills.
Veterinary Student Education Program: Mission Animal Hospital is a teaching hospital and has been training future veterinarians in the practice of Spectrum of Care medicine since 2020. Spectrum of Care medicine is the practice of providing evidence-based options, without judgment, that take into account a family’s financial circumstances, cultural barriers, lifestyle, and expectations. In 2025, this program hosted 25 fourth-year veterinary students.
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High-Quality/High-Volume Spay/Neuter Program(HQHV): Mission partners with over 100 rescue and shelter organizations to provide veterinary care to pets as they search for their fur-ever home. During the “puppy and kitten season” (Spring through early Fall), Mission offers weekly High-Quality/High-Volume Spay/Neuter events, providing low-cost spay/neuters for pets currently in rescue or shelter. During each HQHV event, our veterinarians and medical teams will spay or neuter up to 30-40 pets each week and administer appropriate vaccinations, bloodwork, and microchips. This is often the final barrier pets face before being placed in their fur-ever home.
Financials
Presented below are Mission Animal Hospital's preliminary 2025 financial breakdowns. Mission will undergo an independent audit and the final audited 2025 financials will be available mid-year. ​
Corporate Supporters
We are grateful to the businesses and corporations who have supported us throughout the year.
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44th Street Dental
ADOGO Pet Hotels
BI Animal Health
BluePearl Pet Hospital
Camp Bow Wow Eden Prairie
Care Credit
Cresset Capital
Downtown Dogs & Dog's Day Out
Eisner Amper
Everest Financial Group
Flying Dutchman Spirits
Highmark Exteriors
Hill's Pet Nutrition
IDEXX
Merck Animal Health
Minnesota Pet Cremation Services
My Appliance Source
Navigate Forward
Park State Bank
Purina PetCare Company
R&R Insurance
Riverrun Acreage
Roe Law Group
Star Bank
Tito's Handmade Vodka
Tradition Capital Bank
Urban Tails Pet Supply
VetBilling
Veterinary Orthopedic Implants
Zoetis
2026 Board of Directors
Ralph Bernstein (Chair)
Dan Washam (Treasurer)
Lisa Goodman (Secretary)
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Rebecca Anderson
Alexis Barber
Taylor Bennett
Kerry D'Amato
Alan Eidesness
Peter Gleekel
Sam Kemming
Stefan Knep, DVM
Todd Lifson
Chris Lockhart
Kristin Matejcek
Jennifer Melin Miller
Tara Miller-Hochhalter
Susan Miller, DVM
Gray Rentz
Jessica Roe
Mike Sample
Dr. Rajiv Shah
Stacy Shaleen
David Stillman
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Staff Leadership
Susan Miller, DVM, Executive Director
Kelsey Bertamus, DVM, Hospital Director
Christine Durand, Development Director
Kellie Lager, Human Resources Director
Previous Annual Reports
Mission Animal Hospital
10100 Viking Drive Suite 150
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
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Phone: 952-938-1237
Email: info@missionah.org
Mission Animal Hospital is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit recognized by the IRS.
Tax ID number: 47-2606680
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The materials offered on this website are intended for educational purposes only. Mission Animal Hospital does not provide any veterinary medical services or guidance via the Internet. Please consult your pet’s veterinarian regarding the care of your animals.
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