WE'RE ON TV:   THE WILDLIFE OF DOCTOR OLE

Dr. Ole Alcumbrac is the owner and Chief of Staff here at White Mountain Animal Hospital.  He is also the Director of Wildlife Health Services, which specializes in immobilization and capture of native and exotic species. He provides clinical and consultation services for both private and public collections of wild animals and serves as a consulting veterinarian for Departments of the Arizona Game and Fish, the White Mountain Apache Game and Fish, the New Mexico Game and Fish, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Dr. Ole is the lead veterinarian for the Mexican Wolf Project, the Sonoran Pronghorn Project and multiple game and nongame species studies.

Since 1994, Dr. Ole has owned and operated our friendly mixed animal and exotic practice in northern Arizona, providing treatment to any animal that comes through the door. Our practice has overseen several zoological operations, including patients from the prestigious Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, the Phoenix Zoo, and Bearizona Wildlife Park. Additionally, Dr. Ole is a recipient of the Award of Excellence from the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. Dr. Ole serves as an adjunct faculty member at Texas Tech University and is a past Instructor of Veterinary Sciences at Northland Pioneer College. He also teaches formal classes and practicals internationally on wildlife capture. When not working in the southwest, he continues providing veterinary services in other regions, such as  Argentina, Peru, and Mexico to all points in the United States. A native Arizonan, he moved here to the White Mountains for one reason; to enjoy the greatest outdoors in the state and to ski.  Also a pilot and a diver, Dr. Ole is always up for traveling and various adventures.  When Dr. Ole isn’t rescuing endangered species in the deserts and mountains, he enjoys going to his house south of the Mexican border to dive, fish, or just enjoy drinking a margarita on the beach.  He is the proud father of two awesome sons as well!

Here in the White Mountains, Dr. Ole is well-known & loved. As one of the most established veterinarians in the area, most folks have heard his name here or there. He loves seeing your pets and helping you to both understand and correct any issues they may be experiencing as much as he loves his work with our local & foreign wildlife! 

Finally, he has another unusual hobby: Television. In 2017 he hosted an Outdoor Channel original series, “Wild Ops” highlighting his wildlife work. Currently, his entire encompassing career is featured on National Geographic Wild’s, “The Wildlife of Dr. Ole”. Your doc here is the star!

Dr. Merkel is a graduate of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. He had primarily focused on large and livestock animals during his first year out of school, and is now getting the mixed animal experience! Dr. Merkel, his wife, and their 7 children recently moved to the White Mountains and are enjoying the change in scenery. We are excited that he has decided to call White Mountain Animal Hospital home.

Dr. Halstead came on board as a relief veterinarian, and we have been so ecstatic to have her as part of the team. She is a phenomenal veterinarian and surgeon, and a Colorado State University alum. She also completed studies and certifications with Chi Institute for Veterinary Acupuncture.

She has spent her career learning numerous aspects of medicine, including spending 8 years in large animal practice, and 11 years in small animal. Her special interests are soft tissue surgery, integrative practice, and shelter medicine & surgery. Most recently, she has become involved with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona from 2012-2022, serving as medical director from 2020-2022. 

Dr. Halstead currently serves on spay/neuter mission trips with Visiting Veterinarians International to various worldwide locations, providing much-needed medical services and surgeries to animals who may otherwise go without help. Her favorite part of veterinary medicine is being able to witness the human-animal bond, and seeing how pets truly become family members. 

Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Halstead spends time with her husband of 15 years, and their two fur kids, Leeroy & Burglar. She participates in activities such as skiing, hiking, scuba diving, and Jiu Jitsu. 

Fun fact, Dr. Halstead is WAY tougher than most of us! She captained the Tucson Roller Derby’s travel team, 'The Saddletramps' & has competed throughout the country in roller derby events. She is also a member of the 3-time AZ state championship team, Tucson Roller Derby’s Copper Queens!

Dr. Robert Evans joined our team in 2017 as a relief veterinarian for when Dr. Ole is out on his wildlife adventures. He was born and raised by an agricultural family in a small town in Iowa. He later moved to Arizona where he completed his high school education. He joined the Navy in 1964 during the Vietnam era to avoid being drafted into the Army. There, he worked in an intelligence gathering position against the Russians, Chinese, and Northern Vietnamese. 

After 10 years of service, Dr. Evans decided to return to school. He attended Iowa State University, where received an Honors degree in Animal Science, and in 1981, a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. He went into college with 3 children, and had 5 by the time of graduation. Currently, he is up to 19 grandchildren! 

Dr. Evans practiced for one year here in the White Mountains before moving to Mesa to work at an emergency clinic. He then started his own mixed animal practice in Gilbert, Arizona. He owned and operated Gilbert Animal Hospital until selling in 2013 to semi-retire and begin his work as a relief veterinarian. 

He currently lives with his lovely wife in Pinedale, AZ, where they spend time gardening, traveling, and enjoying the mountains. 

Since joining the practice, Dr. Evans has performed a multitude of surgical procedures, and is usually at the hospital 1-2 times per week seeing appointments.