Family Animal Hospital

Janet Chipperfield, DVM (Dr. Chip)

Founder of Family Animal Hospital
Like most veterinarians, Dr. Jan Chipperfield has always loved animals. As a child, she drove her parents crazy bringing home stray dogs and cats, rabbits and any other critter who crossed her path. Born and raised in Kirkwood, MO, Dr. Chip graduated from Kirkwood High School in 1981 and received her BS in Physical Education from Southeast Missouri University in 1985. She then took a detour from her calling as a veterinarian and spent the next 15 years helping homeless animals.

Dr. Chip did her part in the animal welfare field by rescuing animals from neglect and abuse while serving as a humane officer with the Humane Society of Missouri. She conducted cruelty investigations and taught school children the importance of treating all living creatures with kindness and respect. During times of disaster and crisis, Dr. Chip was a first-responder and rescued animals from floods in Missouri and Iowa. She oversaw shelter operations for the Humane Society of Missouri, the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau and St. Louis County Animal Control. But she still wanted to become a veterinarian. “I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian before I could spell the word,” she said. “Medicine fascinates me and animals have always been a part of my life. I can’t imagine my world without them.”

Dr. Chip earned her DVM degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2004. The recipient of many scholarships and awards during her academic career, Dr. Chip most values receiving The Gentle Doctor Award during her senior year. Bestowed by her peers, this honor recognizes the veterinarian who exemplifies the highest ethical and professional integrity in patient care.

And that’s what Family Animal Hospital is all about—patient care. Sometimes the doctor/patient relationship becomes second priority with all the high-tech advances in the medical field. “We are a small hospital. We know our patients by sight and know our clients by name. I spend most of my time on the floor with my patients, finding out who they are and what their issues are,” she said. “It’s about our pets—they cannot speak for themselves and they rely on us to understand.”

Dr. Chip continues helping animals through her volunteer work, by consulting for the Animal Shelter Consultation program for The Humane Society of the United States, and teaching veterinary students about shelter issues and compassion fatigue. She resides in Maryland Heights with her 2 and 4-legged family. And, yes, she really does want you to call her “Dr. Chip.”