Dr. Christine Smart, Owning Partner
Hi, my name is Dr. Christine Smart. I am a veterinarian and owner at Pend Oreille Veterinary Service. I joined POVS in 2005 and became an owner/partner in 2008.
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and decided I wanted to be a veterinarian as soon as I knew what the word meant. I grew up with pet dogs, fish and birds, but I always wanted a cat and a horse, and nearly any other pet animal that crossed my path.
In high school I ran Cross Country and track. I was a proud member of Swarthmore College’s nationally ranked Women’s Cross Country team and played club rugby while earning a bachelor degree in Biology. I attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1997. My veterinary career path started at Castle Shannon Animal Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA and then Causeway Animal Hospital in Metairie, Louisiana.
Four days before Hurricane Katrina devastated the greater New Orleans area, my husband Matt and I left NOLA with our three dogs and six cats to move to Sandpoint, Idaho. I was 5 months pregnant with our first child. Our family currently includes my husband Matt (we have been married since 2000), son Avery and daughter Indigo. We share our home with two Australian shepherd dogs, five cats, a guinea pig, eleven chickens and eighteen horses. My husband and I also own a trail riding business called Mountain Horse Adventures that operates from our home in spring and fall and at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in the summer. I am a licensed trail guide in my spare time. In addition to trail riding, I enjoy running, yoga, fitness, hiking, snowboarding, lake time, reading, live music, and cooking.
At Pend Oreille Veterinary Service, my special interests are internal medicine, ultrasound and endoscopy. I also have find endocrinology, oncology, hematology, gastroenterology and feline medicine fascinating. I enjoy soft tissue surgery, managing complex medical cases and dermatology. Most especially, I enjoy celebrating the human animal bond that our pets bring to our lives. I value team building on our staff and strive to create a culture of wellness and excellence within our team. I am so proud of our team at Pend Oreille Veterinary Service.
Dr. Christina Ponsness, Owning Partner
Dr. Ponsness moved to Sandpoint in 2008, joined the Pend Oreille Veterinary Service team as an associate in 2013 and became an owner in 2014. Originally from Renton, Washington, Dr Ponsness completed her Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology degree at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. She then received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University in Pullman (Go Cougs!!). She enjoys working closely with clients to meet the needs of their dogs and cats. Her special interests include surgery- both orthopedic and soft tissue, oncology and specialty care of the geriatric family pet. When she is not at the clinic, Chrissy and her family enjoy most things outdoors; such as boating, fishing, hiking, camping, skiing and running.
Dr. Bruce Vogel
Bruce graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1991 and joined Pend Oreille Veterinary Service in 1995. Bruce enjoys working with both cats and dogs with special interests in acupuncture and treating exotic animals. When not at the clinic he enjoys spending time outdoors. Skiing, hiking and canoeing are just a few of the activities that Bruce enjoys in his spare time.
Dr. Jenifer Ness
Dr. Jenifer Ness graduated with her DVM from Washington State University in 2016. She was raised in North Dakota and spent many wonderful years assisting her father with his self owned business of breeding and training field bred hunting dogs. Her interests include, surgery, internal medicine and preventive care. In her free time Dr. Ness enjoys gardening, snowboarding, cooking and hiking with her husband and two dogs.
Dr. Sara Smith
Dr. Smith grew up in Rhode Island and got a degree in European History before heading to veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania. Once graduated, she moved to northern California and joined a practice in Ukiah, a small town two hours north of San Francisco in Mendocino County. After three years she bought the practice and grew it into a multi-doctor, AAHA certified clinic. Thirty years later, she decided to sell her shares in the clinic and do something new.
Family ties brought her and her husband to Sandpoint and she began doing "relief work" for POVS in 2018 during the summer months. Now she's solidly seeing patients from May through October, noting the pleasure she gets from working with an exceptional group of colleagues and an amazing staff at POVS. " At work, my favorite thing is being in the exam room with clients and their furry family members", says Dr. Smith. " I get so much joy from talking to people about their pets, watching the interactions and finding solutions to whatever issues they are having."
Dr. Smith's clinical interests are Wellness and Senior Care, along with Oncology and Internal Medicine. In free time she likes sailing ( anywhere, any size boat ), travelling and learning new languages , as well as cheering for her grandkids sports teams and hiking around this beautiful county with her little Boston Terrier, Dezi.
Dr. Sara Garrett
Dr. Sara Garrett joined the Pend Oreille Veterinary Service team in January 2024 after spending part of 2023 at the practice as a relief veterinarian. She graduated from Washington State University in 2020 and spent the last three years working as a large animal veterinarian in the Sandpoint area. Originally from Coeur d’Alene, Dr. Garrett has been fortunate enough to remain in the North Idaho area following vet school. Her interests include preventative medicine, rehab and chiropractic work, and working with clients to sustain the wellbeing of their animals. When not at work, Dr. Garrett enjoys spending time with her family on their small farm as well as hiking/exploring with her dog.
Dr. Kendra Hollar, DVM
Dr. Kendra Hollar is excited to be joining the Pend Oreille Veterinary Service team after recently graduating in May, 2024 from Washington State University with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. She is originally from Boise, ID where she also completed her Bachelor of Science Degrees in Biology and Pre-Veterinary Medicine at Boise State University. Her interests include surgery and internal medicine, as well as building lasting relationships with both her clients and patients. She is committed to a team approach, not only with her colleagues but also with her clients, forming strong partnerships to deliver excellent individualized care. Outside of work, you can find Dr. Hollar hiking with her Border Collie mix Kodiak, camping, baking, reading, and crafting.
Dr. Clarice Forbes
Dr. Clarice Forbes is elated to be coming back to Sandpoint after completing an externship at Pend Oreille Veterinary Services in September 2024 and graduating from Washington State Veterinary School in May of 2025. She is originally from Port Townsend, WA and completed a Molecular Biology degree at the University of Washington Seattle campus. She has special interests in internal medicine, dentistry, and integrative medicine. She hopes to build strong and collaborative relationships with her clients regarding the care of their pets, and looks forward to building a joyful clinical culture between herself and other hospital staff. Outside of work you can find Clarice snowboarding, hiking, or mountain biking with her fiancé Joe, or training her two budgies Paikea and Igor.
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Dr. Shelley Richards
Dr. Richards grew up in many different places including Minnesota, Alaska, and California. However, North Idaho is the first place that has felt like home. She moved to the Sandpoint area in 2019 and worked at the Emergency Veterinary Hospital of Coeur d’Alene until deciding to join the Pend Oreille Veterinary Services team in January 2026.
Her college years were all spent at the University of California, Davis where she completed a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science in 2003, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2011 and Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in 2013. During the gap between her undergraduate and veterinary degrees she gained experience as an assistant in small animal medicine and wildlife rehabilitation. Although she started veterinary school with an interest in wildlife epidemiology, it didn’t take long after starting general practice to realize that clinical medicine was her true passion. Her professional interests include soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, internal medicine and exotic pet medicine.
She and her husband share their home with two standard poodles and a cat. In her spare time, she enjoys almost any outdoor activity such as hiking, backpacking, swimming, skiing and traveling. She also enjoys a variety of homesteading activities such as cooking, gardening, cheesemaking, and beekeeping.
Meet Our Doctors
The primary goal of Pend Oreille Veterinary Service is to be a leader in the veterinary profession providing our clients with the highest standard of care and customer service. With over 100 combined years of service and knowledge in the veterinary profession gives you the peace of mind that your pet is receiving the best care in the industry.