Meet our team!
Meet the Veterinarians and team of Republic Animal Hospital! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!
Get to know our team!
Dr. Melanie Fergason
Veterinarian/Owner
Dr. Melanie Fergason, a Springfield, MO native, has loved animals since childhood. It was while in the fifth grade she decided she wanted to be a veterinarian. During undergraduate school Dr. Fergason began working at her first veterinary practice. After obtaining a degree in Animal Science at Missouri State University Dr. Fergason began studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004.
Dr. Fergason enjoys many aspects of practicing veterinary medicine but finds it most rewarding to foster the human / animal bond. Her practice of medicine focuses on quality of life for pets and owners. Her professional interests include Preventative Medicine, Internal Medicine and Dentistry.
Dr. Fergason has been married since 2004. She is blessed to have a son, born February 2012, and a daughter, born October 2013. Her four-legged family includes two cats, Cole and Ginger, and two Border Collies, KC and Daxx.
Dr. Fergason’s personal interests include all water activities (swimming, canoeing, boating, etc.), reading, watching the Kansas City Chiefs, and playing fantasy football.
Dr. Tiffany Brite
Veterinarian
Dr. Tiffany Brite is originally from Russellville, Missouri – a small town outside of Jefferson City. She grew up in the country and spent a large amount of her time in the company of dogs, cats, and horses and was involved with FFA and 4-H for years. She was drawn to the idea of becoming a veterinarian at a very early age. She began working in the kennels of a small animal veterinary clinic in Jefferson City at the age of 15. When she was 16, her beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Lady, contracted a life-threatening infection. When the veterinarian saved Lady’s life, Dr. Brite knew that she wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine so that she could save pets too.
Dr. Brite obtained her degree in Animal Sciences from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 2005 before pursuing her veterinary medical degree a few years later. She graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. After graduation, Dr. Brite worked for a small animal practice in Joplin, MO for 2 years. After moving to her current home in Monett, MO she began working at a small animal clinic in Springfield, MO where she stayed for 9 years prior to joining the team at Republic Animal Hospital in 2023.
Dr. Brite’s favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is client education. Teaching clients about how to best care for their furry friends so that they can live the longest, healthiest lives possible is her goal. Dr. Brite is a strong believer in the strength and importance of the human-animal bond. Her professional interests include soft tissue surgery, ophthalmology, and preventative care.
Dr. Brite married her husband in 2014. She and her husband have two children born in 2015 and 2017. She and her family live on a beef cattle farm in Monett where they raise Angus cattle as well as registered Highland and registered Miniature Hereford cattle. Aside from cattle, the Brites share their farm with three Yorkies (Diva, Cupcake, and Malibu), a Red Heeler (Cowboy), two cats (Taco and Queso), three guinea pigs, two crested geckos, two donkeys, two alpacas, a pony, and a lot of chickens.
In her free time, Dr. Brite enjoys spending time with her family, reading, creating art, and collecting and showing model horses. She travels to multiple states to show her models and spend time with her hobby friends. She also loves going to the beach and working with the animals on their farm.
Jessica
Office Manager
Jessica has been an animal lover from a young age, caring for a menagerie of pets and then pursuing education in Animal Ecology at Iowa State University. Her professional ambitions took her to Arizona where she met her husband while zookeeping for 5 years. They moved to the Springfield area to be closer to family and she has enjoyed the change of pace in the veterinary field and forming relationships with pets and their owners. Jess and her husband have a daughter, a son on the way, and a chocolate lab named Lainey. They enjoy going to zoos and spending time together traveling.
Pati
CSR/Veterinary Assistant
Pati has been in the veterinary field since 2004 and is originally from Arkansas. She likes spending her free time traveling with her husband Brandon, going to the beach, and cuddling with her 2 French Bulldogs Emma and Opie. Pati and Brandon were married in Key West, Florida, in 2021, have 10 kids between the two of them, and have 5 grandchildren. Pati joined the veterinary field because she believes that pets enrich our everyday lives. She also enjoys getting to know all of our clients and patients who come through the door while enjoying a coffee.
Lindie
Veterinary Assistant
Lindie joined our clinic in early 2022 and has been a veterinary assistant for over 10 years. Her favorite part of her job is educating owners on how to give their pets the best possible life. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and pets.
Shayla
Veterinary Assistant
Shayla has been an animal lover since a very young age, but never pursued the veterinary field until about 5 years ago when she fell in love with it. She enjoys assisting the doctors in patient rooms and with diagnostics. She also loves learning anything and everything about veterinary medicine. Shayla and her husband have 4 dogs, 2 cats, and a Quarter Horse. They enjoy working out together, taking the dogs on walks and hikes, traveling, and reading in her downtime.
Tara
Social Media Manager/Veterinary Assistant
Tara has been with the clinic since 2018. She transitioned from a veterinary assistant role to the social media manager in early 2022, but can still occasionally be found around the clinic. Tara is married to her husband Holden, and together they have two boys: Silas and Shiloh. Tara has always enjoyed client education, reproduction education and providing excellent care for the communities beloved pets. Outside of work Tara enjoys spending time with her family and animals, going on hikes and runs and riding her horses. She is owned by several Labradors and enjoys showing and competing with them in different venues. She also has two horses, a cat, chickens and ducks.
Melissa
Veterinary Assistant
Melissa joined our team in the fall of 2023. Melissa had a passion for helping animals from a young age. She “got her foot in the door” by training dogs, but has recently found a love for veterinary medicine and helping sick animals. In her free time, you’ll catch her spending time with her fiancé and training her rottweiler, Bowser. She is excited to grow her knowledge and can’t wait to meet you and your fur babies.
Jordan
Veterinary Assistant
Jordan’s passion for animals began at a young age growing up on her family’s cattle farm. From there, she continued to pursue her love for animals by earning a degree in Animal Science and Equine Science at Missouri State University. While earning her degrees, Jordan became a member of the Hunt Seat Equestrian Team, a leader in an agricultural sorority, Sigma Alpha, and devoted her free time to volunteering at local nonprofits. She enjoys spending her free time riding horses, hiking with her two dogs Fancy (mini Australian Shepherd) and Nash (Corgi), snuggling with her cat Ollie, and spending time with family. Jordan joined our clinic in the fall of 2023 to continue pursuing her passion for animal care. She enjoys building relationships with owners by addressing their concerns and assisting in making a difference in each pet’s life.