Onward Veterinary Surgery was founded in 2023 to bring specialty surgical care directly to your family veterinarian’s practice. We partner with primary care veterinarians to provide preoperative diagnostics, select surgical procedures, and postoperative follow-up—all within the comfort of your regular veterinary clinic. Our goal is to reduce the stress, wait times, and costs often associated with specialty surgery by offering high-quality care in a familiar setting.
Dr. Jennifer Ree, DVM, DACVS-SA
Dr. Jennifer Ree is a board-certified veterinary surgeon with a passion for improving the lives of animals through advanced surgical care. A Bay Area native, Dr. Ree earned her veterinary degree from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. She went on to complete a rigorous rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri, followed by a specialized surgical internship at VCA Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, NY. She completed her surgical residency at Oregon State University in 2016 and returned to Northern California, where she spent four years in referral practice before becoming board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2020. Since then, she has been providing mobile surgical services throughout the Bay Area, making advanced surgical care more accessible for pets and their families. Dr. Ree has a professional interest in orthopedic surgery—including procedures such as TPLO, patellar luxation correction, and fracture repair—as well as a deep appreciation for soft tissue surgery. She is known for her thoughtful, collaborative approach to patient care and her dedication to high surgical standards. Outside of the operating room, Dr. Ree lives in the South Bay with her husband, her energetic cattle dog mix Lettie, and her senior long-haired cat, Sulley. She enjoys TV watching, movies, reading, and going to as many Dave Matthews Band shows as possible.
Justin Hammond, Practice Manager
Justin is a San Francisco Bay Area native—born in the East Bay, he spent six years living in San Francisco before relocating to San Jose to join Onward Veterinary Surgery. He has worked in the veterinary industry for over fifteen years, spending the majority of that time alongside board-certified surgeons. Justin has a particular interest in anesthesia and pain management and completed formal training through Penn Foster. For the past six years, he worked with a mobile surgery service in the Bay Area and is well known in the veterinary community for his strong relationships with hospitals and teams across the region. He also brings valuable business experience to Onward, having completed the educational requirements for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) program. He is currently in the process of completing the final CE hours required for certification. At Onward, Justin assists Dr. Ree in surgery as her trusted second set of hands. Outside of work, he shares his home with his two-year-old greyhound, Dax, along with a 100-gallon saltwater aquarium full of tropical fish and a 20-gallon freshwater tank home to his betta fish.
What is a Board-Certified Veterinary Surgeon?
A veterinary surgeon has undergone additional training after veterinary school. This training meets specific guidelines established by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and typically includes multiple years of internships and residency.
While all veterinarians can perform surgery as part of their veterinary practice, board-certified veterinary surgeons use their additional training to complete more specialized, difficult, or complicated surgical procedures, such as orthopedic surgery. Access to specialty equipment and experience provides the ability to offer these more advanced procedures and assisting with post-operative management.
If you are interested in our services, please contact your family veterinarian and refer them to us!