Benjamin Brault, DVM — Chief of Staff
Dr. Brault, our Chief of Staff, has been practicing at Fresh Pond Animal Hospital since late August 2010. He grew up in both northern and southern Connecticut. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Animal Science at Cornell University and received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University in 2003. Dr. Brault then moved to Sacramento, California and completed a one-year rotating internship in general practice, internal medicine, surgery, and critical care and spent the next six years practicing general medicine in Elk Grove, California.
In August 2010, he and his family made the move back to the East Coast where he has joined the Fresh Pond Animal Hospital team. He has a strong interest in radiology and continues to expand his knowledge in this area through continuing education. He lives in Milford, tucked in the woods, with his wife, daughter and son, and their dog Sooki (a Leonberger). You can often find Sooki lounging in the doctor's office on the days Dr. Brault is here.
Elizabeth C. Perkins, DVM — Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Perkins has been part of the Fresh Pond team since August, 2005. She grew up in Milton, and attended high school at Milton Academy. As an undergraduate at Wesleyan University, Dr. Perkins earned the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry in 1998. She received the same award at Tufts University where she earned her DVM degree in 2004. After veterinary school she joined a mixed animal veterinary practice in rural New Hampshire, where she treated a variety of species. In 2005, she moved to Boston to pursue small animal medicine exclusively here at Fresh Pond Animal Hospital.
Dr. Perkin's medical interests include internal medicine and surgery, pain management, senior care, and emergency/critical care. In her spare time, Dr. Perkins enjoys spending time with friends and family on Cape Cod. An interesting fact: both her parents and her siblings are human doctors. Dr. Perkins never had an interest in human medicine, but knew from middle school on that she wanted to be a veterinarian.
Bethany Surgan, DVM — Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Surgan was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Although she always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian, the path she took to vet school was an indirect one. She received a BA degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University in 1995. She worked in both non-profit and education before moving out to northern California in 1999 to return to school to finish her veterinary school prerequisites. She earned her DVM degree from the University of California, Davis in 2006. She then completed a year-long internship at a small animal specialty and emergency practice in San Francisco before finally moving back to the northeast to Boston to join Fresh Pond Animal Hospital.
Dr. Surgan's veterinary interests include cardiology, ophthalmology, soft tissue surgery and diagnostic ultrasound. In her free time, Dr. Surgan enjoys travel, music, yoga and dance, spending time with friends, eating good food, and exploring Boston and the surrounding area. She shares her home with her dog Chase, a Lab/hound mix, and two cats, Simon and Zoey.
As a side note, her last name really is pronounced "surgeon", which often leads to some confusion and much amusement!
Jennifer Mateleska, DVM — Associate Veterinarian
Dr. Mateleska is pleased to be joining Fresh Pond Animal Hospital. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences from the University of New Hampshire in 1997 and then went on to receive her DVM degree from Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. Before joining our team, she finished a year-long internship in Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery from Tufts, and spent the next four years practicing at a wellness and 24-hour emergency veterinary practice in West Hartford, CT. Additionally, she was the veterinarian for the animals at the Science Center of West Hartford (now known as the Children's Museum of CT). For the past several years, Dr. Mateleska worked at a veterinary hospital on the South Shore, where she treated all types of pets—from dogs and cats to birds, reptiles, small mammals, and the occasional fish!
While Dr. Mateleska enjoys treating all animals, she has a special interest in exotic pets and looks forward to slowly introducing this service to Fresh Pond Animal Hospital. During her free time, she enjoys ballroom dancing, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She currently shares her home with two cats, Mulder and Bella, and two parrotlets, Kiwi and Betty— and yes, they all get along!
