Our Team
Our Team
Meet our
veterinary team
Meet the veterinarians & team of Palo Duro Animal Hospital! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!
Get to know our team
We are solely dedicated to your pet’s care! We look forward to getting to know you, and we hope you’ll take the time to scroll down and get to know us.
Veterinarians
Robert Ballinger, DVM
Veterinarian/ Medical Director
Dr. Ballinger grew up in a small town on the Redwood coast in far Northern California. After serving on a Fast Attack Submarine in the early 1970’s he attended Texas A&M University and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. He has been in practice in Canyon since graduation. In his career he has done large animal, feedlot, emergency & small animal medicine. He was the consulting veterinarian for the Bureau of Land Management facility that housed and cared for approximately 3,000 mustangs. He has been small animal exclusive for about the last 20 years with particular interest in dermatology and surgery. In his spare time Dr. Ballinger enjoys spending time with family, especially his grandkids, cooking and eating, and riding or working on his motorcycle.
Dr Ballinger is also a proud board member of the Hope Lives Here organization based out of Amarillo, TX. Hope Lives Here rescues dogs from local shelters and pairs them with Veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress (PTS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma (MST) and/or chronic pain disorders, and trains the two as a team.
If you would like to know more about Hope Lives Here or would like to make a donation, please visit their website for more information.
Amy Kirkland, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Kirkland is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama where she grew up and graduated from the University of Alabama with her Bachelor in Biological Science. She then attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2013. Dr. Kirkland is diligent and compassionate with every client and patient she encounters. She works alongside our veterinary team to get your furry family member feeling better, as quickly as possible. She also enjoys spending quality time with her cat, dog, and husband.
Stacy B. Smith, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Smith grew up in the Amarillo/Canyon area. She attended Oklahoma State University where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science in 1992 and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, DVM, in 1996. Dr. Smith has owned a mixed animal practice in Dalhart, TX as well as an equine practice in Canyon, TX. She is a certified National Animal Cruelty Investigator and has testified in a number of animal cruelty cases. She spends time helping rescue groups with treatment and health examinations for the relocation of abandoned and unclaimed animals. Dr. Smith enjoys spending time with her husband Mike and their extended family, grandchildren, and Bullmastiff Gladys Knight.
Meet Our Managers
Abigail Alexander
Practice Manager
Abigail grew up in Dallas, TX before attending West Texas A&M University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Animal Science. Her love and fascination with animals made a career in veterinary medicine a perfect fit. Outside of work, Abigail enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and the family dogs.
Meet Our Veterinary Technicians
Jasmine Rivera
Lead Technician
Jasmine grew up in Perryton, Texas and attended Vet Tech Institute of Houston where she graduated with her Associate in Applied Science of Veterinary Technology. Outside of work, she is a fur-mom to her two cats, Macaroni and Cheese, and her two dogs, Honey and Luna.
Audrey Laney
Veterinary Technician
Audrey attended high school in Dalhart, TX. While in high school, she worked at an animal diagnostic laboratory and became OSHA 30 certified. Shortly after high school, she moved here to Canyon, TX where she began taking care of the animals of Canyon at our facility. Some of her hobbies include taking care of her two pet snakes and crocheting.
Kalene Stambaugh
Veterinary Technician
Kalene is from Ventura, California. She has 8 years of experience within the veterinary field and hopes to work toward her veterinary technician certification in the future. When she is not working, Kalene enjoys spending time with her family and pets, drawing, and taking care of her plants.
Jairen Taylor
Jairen recently moved to Amarillo from Missouri to study at West Texas A&M University. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science. In his free time, he loves to ride his motorcycle, play with his cat, and enjoy the great outdoors.
Desirae Randall
Desirae grew up in Idalou, just right outside of Lubbock. She grew up on her family farm and has always had a strong love for animals. She is currently a senior at West Texas A&M University and will hopefully be attending vet school in the future. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family and her dog, Ada, as well as hiking, horseback riding, and baking.
Cameron Warren
Cameron is from Cypress, Texas. He enjoys riding motorcycles and spending time with his dog, Jax. He has been working at his hometown veterinary clinic for the past 5 years. He loves helping animals. He is currently a student at West Texas A&M University with hopes to attend vet school in the near future!
Ashley Villanueva
Veterinary Technician
Ashley grew up in Bakersfield, California, and made the move to Amarillo in April of 2023. She has her Bachelor in Biology with many AA degrees in different variations of math and science. Ashley started as a volunteer at the clinic where she excelled quickly and was offered an employee position. She has hopes of being accepted to Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine program in the upcoming year. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family, three dogs, two ducks, and many chickens.
Dr. Whiskercloud
Veterinarian
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