Dr. Gainey is a 2006 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary medicine and the owner of the Uniontown Veterinary Clinic. In December 2009 Dr. Gainey and his wife Angela moved to Uniontown and purchased the practice from Drs. Dave and Denise Ballinger. Prior to moving to Uniontown Dr. Gainey had practiced in Dover and Salem, Ohio where he worked with a wide array of medical and surgical cases and had the opportunity to work with and learn from a large number of other veterinarians. Dr. Gainey's passion for animals comes from growing up on a dairy farm in Holmes, County Ohio. He was raised around holstein dairy cattle, horses, dogs, cats, and a few chickens and pigs. To this day Doc does his best to find time to visit his mother, who is an avid rider and to ride his horse "L.B." His veterinary interests are in soft tissue and laser surgery, preventative care, and chemotherapy. Dr. Gainey and his wife Angela live in Uniontown with their four footed children, six dogs "Annabelle," "Benson," "Honza" and "Watson", "Holmes" and "Molly" and two cats "Steiny" and "Angus".
Alyssa Auer, DVM
Dr. Ayssa Auer joined our staff in March of 2017 after practicing at a small animal clinic in Stow, Ohio. She grew up on a small farm in Indiana and later graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Animal Science in 2009 and continued her education at Purdue to receive her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. She enjoys the veterinary field because it allows her to help give a voice to the creatures that don't have one. Dr. Auer and her husband, Tim, were married in August of 2016. Together, they have many pets! "Chloe-Bear" Shiba-Inu/Basenji mix, "Chloe-Jo" Golden Retriever, "Chloe the Tortoise, "Domino No!" Domestic Shorthair cat, "Tiny Baby Life Coach" her Cat and Mentor, many fish all named "Chloe" except for "Beta-baby!" (can you see that she likes the name Chloe?) In her spare time she enjoys gardening, growing basil and riding horses.
"Cats are not small dogs! They are really good at hiding illnesses. Grain-free diets are only a trend!!!" - Dr. Auer
Dr. Meluch was born in the Philippines and obtained her veterinary degree in 2005 from the University of Southern Mindanao. A few years later, she moved to North America and was privileged to attend a special post-graduate program (VSTEP) designed to further enhance her veterinary skills offered at the Ontario Veterinary College in the University of Guelph, Canada.
Her interest in canine rehabilitation and pain management started after seeing a multitude of her patients suffer from lameness and mobility issues. With the desire to serve her current and future patients better, she enrolled at the University of Tennessee and became Certified in Canine Rehabilitation (CCRP). She then focused and added extra classes on getting certified in Management of Canine Osteoarthritis. Shortly after, she took training and became certified in Canine Manual Therapy and added soft tissue and joint mobilizations to her specialty. Her experience with canine mobility/pain management/rehabilitation was further enhanced with her previous employment at a specialty facility. She learned and worked closely with specialists in orthopedic surgery, oncology, and neurology and managed a variety of cases.
Dr. Meluch knew the necessity of providing good medicine to both young and adult pets, but she understood that it is just as important to provide comfort and care for seniors and pets with terminal illnesses. She is very passionate about offering alternative options through Integrative Medicine. She went to Florida to enroll at Chi Institute then obtained her Certification in Veterinary Acupuncture (through Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) in 2019. Having senior pets of her own, she wanted to create a better understanding of pets’ end of life care and all options available to them and their caregivers. She recently became a member of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care and is currently working on her certification in providing hospice and palliative care for animals.
Dr. Meluch lives with her husband and her two dogs: Avalanche (an 11-year-old Alaskan Malamute) and Kuya (a 1 yr old rescue, Portuguese Water Dog). They also own a 17-year-old Mustang named Cheyenne. In her spare time, she likes to travel and experience various cuisines and cultures from different places.
Deborah Simmonds, DVM
PICTURE AND BIO COMING SOON!
Arkee Padayao, DVM
PICTURE AND BIO COMING SOON!
Mike Slawienski, DVM, DACVS
Dr. Mike Slawienski s a Board Certified Surgeon who has worked in the Cleveland/Akron area for several years. He is available for advanced/complex surgical procedures on dogs and cats on a scheduled basis. Orthopedics/joint surgery, fracture repair, soft-tissue surgery, oncology surgery, neurosurgery and other complex surgical procedures can be performed on premesis. After a diagnosis has been made by one of our doctors and surgery has been recommended, we will schedule an appointment for you to meet with Dr. Slawienski in the morning and surgery will take place that day. In most cases, your pet will go home that evening.
Dr. Slawienski is a native of Buffalo, New York. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Cornell University and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University in 1992. He completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and trained as a resident in veterinary surgery at the prestigious Animal Medical Center in New York City. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1999. Dr. Mike practiced at Associated Veterinary Specialists in St. Louis before moving to Ohio with his family in 2004. He has provided soft tissue, neurologic and orthopedic specialty surgeries for patients of veterinary hospitals in Northeast Ohio and surrounding areas since that time. Dr. Mike is an avid homebrewer and as a BJCP certified judge has judged beer competitions nationally and abroad. Dr. Mike enjoys spending time with his three young wonderful children and his wife and his dog Roux and cat Shadow.
Our Clinic Mascots
Benson, Watson, Holmes, Molly, Honza & Annabelle
Molly is a Miniature Dachshund owned by Dr. Gainey and his wife Angela! You can find her usually snuggled with her "Dad", Dr. Gainey, in our back office!
Benson is a Wirehair Dachshund. He also is owned by Dr. Gainey and his wife Angela! The wirehair dachshund is normally known as "the clown" of the dachshund family, and that he is!! Benson loves to play and come and say hello to everyone when they arrive for their appointment. He doesn't know a stranger! He has been competing in dog shows with his mom, Angela, and has achieved his "GRAND CHAMPION" status!
Annabelle is the smallest Wirehair of the family. She is such a tiny peanut. Dr. Gainey and Angela got her for the intent to continue showing Wirehair Dachshunds. She, also, is a clown! She is so spunky and full of energy. She loves to play with her brothers and "talk" to all the patients coming in for their visits.
Honza is the newest Wirehair to join the family! He came from Poland (Yes, the Country!) to compete in AKC events. He is a total mama's boy. His hobby is Barn Hunt and chasing his cat brothers around the house.
Next time you are in our office, feel free to ask if the Gainey kids are working, and they will sure be glad to see you!!
Our Staff
Angela Gainey, Certified Veterinary Practice Manager
Angela serves as our Practice Administrator. She takes care of human resources, accounting, inventory and marketing for the clinic. She networks within the local Chambers of Commerce and the BNI Green Initiative Chapter. She is also an advocate for The 3/50 project, a nationwide program that promotes local spending and supporting small businesses. She received her management certification from the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, majored in interpersonal communications studies at Ohio University, and studied business administration at Belmont Technical College.
Angela admires the unconditional love animals have for humans, and she relishes repaying their love with superb veterinary care, so that they may live their longest, healthiest, and happiest lives.
While not at work, Angela enjoys reading, playing board games, quilting, and traveling. Her pets include a whopping six Dachshunds: Tucker, Benson, Annabelle, Honza, Watson, and Holmes.
Ashley, RVT/FFCP- Practice Manager/Certified Business Leader
Ashley is a 2013 graduate from Brown Mackie College with an Associates Degree in Applied Science of Veterinary Technology. After her internship with us, she first started working with us at our Belpar office helping with boarding pets. She transferred to our Uniontown office to assist in surgery and room assisting until she received her technician license in 2014. She is a Fear Free Certified Professional dedicated to making veterinary visits as fear free as possible for all pets. A fun fact about her is that she is the oldest of 8 children and she likes exotic animals. Ashley enjoys nursing pets back to health and sharing her knowledge with others. Her hobbies include reading, watching movies, candle making, scrap booking and spending time with her family.
"Education is key. Do your research whether it be food, breeds, whatever, make sure you use reliable sources and when in doubt ask your veterinarian!" - Ashley
Nicole, RVT
Nicole has been a member of our staff since June 2016. She became a Registered Veterinary Technician through Kent State University. She enjoys working in the veterinary field because there is always something new to learn every day. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys target shooting, 4 wheeling, reading and spending time with family. She has a white German Shepherd (Sasha) and 5 cats.
"Obesity shortens life span and reduces quality of life. Talk to your vet about healthy treat alternatives!" - Nicole
Amy, RVT
Amy received her Associates Degree in Veterinary Technology at Brown Mackie/Ross College and has been with us since March 2017. She externed with us at our Belpar office and we loved her so much we offered her a position!!! Amy enjoys taking care of all animals because it gives her great pleasure to nurture our companions and give them the opportunity to live great lives with their owners. Amy and her son have 2 cats: Mae and Ruby. In her spare time she enjoys traveling outside of the country, reading, golfing and spending time with her son. She really loves to ride roller coasters, but not ones that spin in circles!
"A pet's love is pure and unconditional." - Amy
Amber, RVT
BIO COMING SOON!
Jillian, RVT
Jillian joined our team in September of 2022. She always has been drawn to animals and needs to help and protect those who can't help them selves. Jillian loves walking and collecting beach glass, music and cleaning to relieve stress. She has 4 sons and 4 daughters and 9 grandchildren! A fun fact about Jillian is that she has an intense love for sea turtles and likes to collect sea turtle things.
"Be patient with the vet staff and we can get through anything. Kindness goes a long way." - Jillian
Hannah
Hannah joined our staff as a room assistant in May of 2017. She loves animals and loves being able to learn new things every day at work. Hannah has a turtle named "Myrtle." In her spare time she enjoys travel, hiking, volleyball, painting, reading and hanging out with friends.
"Keep up with preventatives, even in the winter &Don't listen to everything you read on the internet (AKA coconut oil)" - Hannah
Maggie
PICTURE AND BIO COMING SOON!
Jess
Jackie
Jackie joined our team in 2022. She loves animals and coffee. Her hobbies include visiting new places and going to church. She has a bunch of dogs to keep her company at home including Sam, a shih tzu mix and Theo, a corgi mix.
"Trim your puppy's nails early and often to get them accustomed to it" - Jackie
Liz
Liz is a 2023 graduate of the Animal Behavior College and was hired after completing her internship at our clinic.
Mandy
Mandy is a valued receptionist that came to us in 2014. She loves helping owners take the best care of their furry family members! She also loves to get to love on all the dogs and cats and treat them like her own. In her spare time, Mandy and her husband enjoy hiking, reading, kayaking and spending time with their Chihuahua, Lola.
"Keeping up with routine visits, vaccines & maintenance is key- Prevention is easier & less expensive than treatment" - Mandy
Sarah
Sarah joined our team in 2019 as a receptionist. She has an Associates Degree in Psychology. She loves reading, traveling, learning new things, watching movies, listening to music, spending time with her sons and going on family road trips. Sarah has a house full of cats and loves those unique kitty personalities.
Jamie
BIO COMING SOON!
Jamie came to join us at Uniontown Vet in as another receptionist in 2020.
Kylee
PICTURE AND BIO COMING SOON!
Kylee joined our reception team in 2023.
Kim
Kim started with us in 2024. Kim has an Associates Degree in Radiology and has completed a veterinary assisting program at NorthCoast Medical Training Academy. She has a variety of dogs and cats and enjoys animals more than people. She spends her free time knitting, gardening and camping. Kim has 3 children and a wonderful husband.
"Thank you for being here for us when we lost our dear dog Elvis! The card we recieved was very thoughtful and appriciated. Its been a hard time and all of you made it a little easier knowing you cared."
