About Us

Proudly serving the community since 1964!

Husband and wife team, Dr. John Worman and Dr. Paula Marrie, purchased Gahanna Animal Hospital in 1981. The original building had a treatment room/laboratory, hospital ward, a small pharmacy, surgical room, and two exam rooms. As the hospital began to grow, expansion became a necessity. The hospital underwent a major renovation in 1994 and again in 2005, resulting in our current full-service animal hospital. The facility now has a large treatment area, fully stocked pharmacy, in-house laboratory, hospital ward, isolation room, intensive care unit, surgical suite, grooming facility, doggie daycare area, large boarding facility and seven exam rooms. The boarding facility is equipped with extra-large runs, indoor/outdoor runs and pet suites with beds and a TV!

Gahanna Animal Hospital now has eight associate veterinarians in addition to the owners. The hospital offers full-service wellness care, vaccinations, internal medicine diagnostics, hospitalization, intensive care, radiology, in-hospital laboratory, mobile ultrasound, allergy testing, acupuncture, dentals, surgical procedures, long-term case management, behavioral consultations, emergencies, grooming, boarding, puppy classes and doggie daycare.

Meet Our Staff

Dr. John Worman

Veterinarian, Owner

Dr. Worman's Bio

Dr. John Worman knew he was destined to be a “doggie doctor” by the first grade. He was raised on a farm in Gahanna where his parents bred Beagles and Basset Hounds. They had 10 adult dogs and would raise about 20 puppies each year! The family farm also gave him the opportunity to grow up with horses, ponies, frogs, turtles, and a few baby raccoons. He learned at an early age that wild animals make terrible pets! Dr. John attended The Ohio State University and graduated with a BS in Animal Science in 1976. Dr. John made his “doggie doctor” (and kitty doctor) dream a reality when he graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1981. Dr. John has a passion for surgery, particularly orthopedics, and has over 30 years of experience. He has a notable interest in anterior cruciate repairs, tibial transpositions, and 2 to 3 piece bone fractures.

Dr. John, and his wife, Dr. Paula Marrie, have two children, Jason and Jenny, who both work at Gahanna Animal Hospital. Dr. Jason is a veterinarian and Jenny is a Client Care Representative and works in Advertising and Social Media as well. Dr. John and Dr. Paula have 2 dogs, Keady and Jeorge, 2 cats, Goofy and Bimby, a yellow-naped amazon parrot, Patrick, a turtle, and 12 chickens. Dr. John is a very big supporter of Ohio State football, and outside of work, you can often find him at the Shoe! If he’s not there, he will surely be found at Lake Erie. His favorite past times are boating and exploring the lake.

Dr. Paula Marrie

Veterinarian, Owner

Dr. Marrie's Bio

Dr. Paula Marrie knew at an early age that becoming a veterinarian was her passion. Her school projects and papers included animal topics whenever possible. Growing up in Youngstown, Ohio, she volunteered at a large, local veterinary hospital, where she was later hired, and learned as much as possible about the workings of a veterinary establishment. She attended The Ohio State University and was accepted to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1977, after 3 years of undergraduate studies. After graduating in 1981 she married classmate Dr. John Worman. They discussed owning a veterinary hospital and took advantage of the opportunity to purchase Gahanna Animal Hospital in 1982. She found a happy balance of raising their two children, Jason and Jenny, and serving her clients with their veterinary needs. After 13 years of practicing medicine and surgery, she became more involved in practice management. Though Dr. Marrie is not currently seeing patients, her primary role is handling the business needs of GAH.

Her favorite community contribution is teaching the animal safety portion of Gahanna’s Safety Town Program, which she has been doing since 1984. She is delighted each time she encounters a young child in the community who is practicing the technique taught in her program. Dr. Marrie spends her spare time taking care of her chickens, 33-year-old parrot, turtle, 2 cats, and 2 dogs. She has been Irish Dancing with Columbus Celtic Dancers since 2002 and this year (2018) participated in a group of 8 dancers that performed an 8 Hand Jig and became the North American Irish Dance Champions.

Dr. Nancy Rich

Veterinarian

Dr. Rich's Bio

Dr. Nancy Rich has been with Gahanna Animal Hospital since 1989. She is a graduate of Purdue University. She specializes in the reproduction of AKC registered breeds as well as O.F.A. procedures. She also treats rabbits, ferrets, and pocket pets.

She enjoys surgery and is exceptional in internal medicine. She is also the primary veterinarian for Columbus Cocker Rescue. She shows and breeds Rhodesian Ridgebacks in her free time.

Dr. Debbie Riebel

Veterinarian

Dr. Riebel's Bio

Dr. Debra Riebel decided to become a veterinarian in elementary school. She fondly remembers catching frogs and salamanders in her backyard, caring for them for a day or two, and then releasing them back into the wild. Even at a young age, Dr. Riebel had a strong desire to help each and every animal she came across. Her family would tease her because she would refuse to kill any bug that snuck into the house, instead, she’d catch it to release outside. Her passion for animals further developed in her teenage years when she began working in the kennel at Gahanna Animal Hospital in 1992. As the years passed, she became proficient in other departments in the hospital, training as a receptionist and then a veterinary assistant. She continued working at GAH throughout her undergraduate years and veterinary school. She graduated from The Ohio State University in 1998 with a BS in Community Health Education and graduated from The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. Working in the various areas of the hospital helped her to better understand all aspects of veterinary medicine including client care, kenneling, grooming, and patient care.

Dr. Riebel and her husband, Doug, have 2 wonderful daughters. The family shares a house with their 2 dogs, Woodley and Heath, 3 cats, Tanner, Izzy, and Crazy, 2 toads, 2 fish, 2 lizards, and a hermit crab. Dr. Riebel adopted Woodley and Heath from a client who had rescued a pregnant dog, adopted Tanner from the GAH Adoption Program, took in Izzy after she was abandoned at GAH, and rescued Crazy from a park during her daughter’s soccer practice. Tanner, the GAH adoptee, has a special place in Dr. Riebel’s and her daughters’ hearts. Tanner will let the girls pretend that she’s a baby and carry her around like one. The girls even play dress up with Tanner and style her in the latest Build-A-Bear fashion. Crazy truly lives up to his name by running around the house, pouncing on the other cats, and playing with anything and everything. He even likes to chew on hair!

Outside of work, Dr. Riebel’s biggest passion is her family. Her daughters are involved with travel soccer, piano and voice lessons, gymnastics, and Chinese classes. When Dr. Riebel is not traveling to extracurricular activities or school events, she enjoys spending time with her family at the zoo, Zoombezi Bay, COSI, and the park.

Dr. Kristy Clay

Veterinarian

Dr. Clay's Bio

From a young age, Dr. Kristy Clay was intrigued by science. She discovered her passion for veterinary medicine while working at a vet clinic in Toledo, Ohio. She went on to earn her BA in biology from the University of Toledo in 1992 and her DVM from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. She began working at Gahanna Animal Hospital later that same year. Dr. Clay currently serves on the board at the Columbus Dog Connection, a local rescue organization. She also works closely with rescues that partner with GAH, such as the Columbus Cocker Rescue. Dr. Clay has a particular interest in behavioral science and offers behavioral consultation appointments.

Dr. Clay learns from each patient she treats and provides them with the same care that she shows her own pets. She becomes emotionally invested in every patient and always has their best interest at heart. Dr. Clay’s husband, John, is a Professor at OSU and also works at Battelle. They have 3 children together: Natalie, Luke, and Meredith, all of whom attend Gahanna Lincoln High School. Her family doesn’t end there. They also have a beagle, Daisy, adopted from Columbus Dog Connection, and 3 cats, Pickles, Zlatan, and Kenny, all adopted from the GAH Adoption Program. Her cat, Pickles, is a fan favorite. He was diagnosed with vitiligo (depigmentation), making him look incredibly unique. Everyone from neighbors to close friends, think that Pickles is a special breed of cat because he was solid black for the first year of his life and then gradually developed white hairs throughout his body. His skin even began to lighten in a symmetrical pattern. But Pickles isn’t her only unique cat: Kenny only has 3 legs!

Outside of work, Dr. Clay enjoys cheering on her children at their various sporting events. Her kids are involved in soccer, cross country, and track. Her family loves watching soccer together, especially the English Premier League. She also enjoys walking, biking, shopping, and vacationing with her family.

Dr. Deborah Rausch

Veterinarian

Dr. Rausch's Bio

Dr. Deborah Rausch, originally from North Canton, came to Columbus in 1985. She received her BS in Biology from The Ohio State University and graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. Dr. Rausch has been a valued team member at Gahanna Animal Hospital since 2002. In addition to her years of general veterinary medicine experience, her special interests include feline medicine and extended dental procedures (radiology and extractions) for feline and canine patients.

Dr. Rausch and her husband, David, have a teenage son, Nate, a rescue Greyhound, Jack, and a rescue cat, Earl. Her hobbies include playing the piano, creating art, horseback riding, camping, home decorating, and gardening.

Dr. Cate Drost

Veterinarian

Dr. Drost's Bio

Dr. Cate Drost received her DVM from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. She began working at Gahanna Animal Hospital in 2002. Along with routine veterinary knowledge and experiences, Dr. Drost is passionate about small animal wellness and medical management, integrative medicine, nutrition, and essential oil therapy.

Dr. Drost and her family live just outside of Columbus on a 200-year-old farm with many different animals of all sizes. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, house restoration, and equine activities like dressage.

Dr. Joy Harkins

Veterinarian

Dr. Harkin's Bio

“Being a veterinarian isn’t just my profession, it’s a part of what makes me who I am.”

Dr. Joy Harkins declared her plan to become a veterinarian during a kindergarten class project. Her earliest memories include diagnosing and treating her “sick” stuffed animals. Her passion for animals grew as she did. She graduated with a BS in Biology from Youngstown State University and went on to receive a MS in Physiology from North Carolina State University. She received her DVM from The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine and began working at Gahanna Animal Hospital shortly after in 2004.

She enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine, especially internal medicine, surgery, senior wellness, and preventative care. She proudly works alongside several local rescue groups. She is a member of the International Veterinary Association of Pain Management (IVAPM) and is certified in Acupuncture. She is a strong proponent of utilizing low stress handling to make veterinary visits a positive experience for her patients.

Dr. Harkins and her husband, Todd, have been married for over 20 years. Together they have 2 wonderful sons, Chris and Drew. The boys are active in travel soccer, basketball, scouts, and piano. Dr. Harkins and her husband also have 2 fur sons, Bradshaw, a boxer mix, and Junior, a pit mix. Dr. Harkins fostered Bradshaw through a local rescue group and he quickly became a permanent member of the family. Junior is also a rescue. He was found on the streets of Cleveland, severely emaciated, suffering from pneumonia, and cruelly abused at the hands of strangers. Instead of becoming aggressive, Junior remained a kind and gentle soul. After he was brought to GAH to be treated, Dr. Harkins quickly fell in love and adopted him into her family.

Bradshaw and Junior absolutely love getting the kids up in the morning. They patiently wait at the boys’ bedroom doors until they are allowed to run in, jump on their beds, and unleash a wrath of kisses until they begin to wake up.

Outside of work, Dr. Harkins enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She particularly enjoys kickboxing and also has a passion for reading.

For better or worse, all of the cases that Dr. Harkins takes on, impact her life. She becomes emotionally invested and works hard to give every animal the same level of care and concern that she would give her own. Dr. Harkins finds that being a veterinarian is truly rewarding, and although it can become stressful at times, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Dr. Joe Wolf

Veterinarian

Dr. Wolf's Bio

Dr. Joe Wolf, a native of Columbus, graduated from The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1981, along with classmate Dr. John Worman. After a brief two-year period practicing at a small animal practice just outside of Los Angeles, California, Dr. Wolf returned to Ohio where he opened a small animal practice in Cincinnati. After 26 years in practice, Dr. Wolf returned to Columbus to help manage his family’s real estate interests in 2010. Dr. Wolf now practices exclusively at GAH as a part-time veterinarian. Dr. Wolf’s veterinary interests include surgery and reproductive medicine. In his spare time, you can find him on the golf course or scuba diving.

Dr. Jason Worman

Veterinarian

Dr. Jason Worman's Bio

Dr. Jason Worman, son of Dr. John Worman and Dr. Paula Marrie, spent a lot of time at Gahanna Animal Hospital growing up. He was exposed to the ins and outs of veterinary medicine at a young age, awarding him a lifetime of knowledge and experience. He graduated from the University of Miami in 2012 with a BSED in Kinesiology/Exercise Science and minors in both Chemistry and Psychology. He attended The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated with his DVM and Graduate Business minor in 2016. Dr. Jason’s biggest passion is promoting the importance of the human-animal bond. He has a strong relationship with his Labrador Retriever, Jango. His yellow lab goes everywhere with him, even to work! At home, Dr. Jason also has a cat, Pickle, a ball python, Rumble, and fish. He adopted Pickle from a rescue group while he was attending undergraduate school in Miami, Florida. In his professional life, Dr. Jason’s interests include surgery, cardiology, neurology, and animal behavior. In his personal life, he enjoys water sports, scuba diving, hiking, longboarding, biking, dancing, cooking, and playing video games, especially Pokémon Go.

Courtney Peters

Hospital Administrator

Courtney's Bio

Courtney Peters is our Hospital Administrator. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t have a passion for animals, in fact, she began working at Gahanna Animal Hospital when she was just a teenager. She knew then that she wanted to pursue a career path in the veterinary field. Courtney’s desire to help animals led her to adopt Chachi, a paralyzed Shih Tzu. She learned a lot from little Chachi. She helped him conquer everyday life as he was unable to use his rear legs or even go to the bathroom on his own. Later in life, he developed heart failure and was placed on a rigorous treatment plan. No matter what challenges life handed him, with Courtney by his side, he couldn’t have been be happier, showing nothing but love and affection to all. He had quite the impact on her life and she will forever be grateful for the time they spent together.Courtney shares her life with her husband, Chris, and 3 children, Mason, Hannah, and Lainey. Courtney and her family live on a farm with their 2 dogs, 5 cats, goats, chickens, and various other farm animals. Her dog, Shyloh, a rescued Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, has devoted his life to protecting his “kids” and the farm. He is often seen herding the pigs and chickens, helping Courtney put them to bed at night. Outside of work, Courtney is a very active mom. She supports her children at sporting events, takes care of the family farm, and manages a Licking County livestock 4-H club.

We treat each patient as family.