We understand that work responsibilities, family obligations and other stresses can make a person’s life hectic, and that includes taking care of your pet’s health within normal business hours. 

Couple that with the fact that transport of the pet and being in an animal hospital are also huge stressors on the pets themselves, and it’s easy to see why we felt the need to start Veterinarian On Wheels, PLLC.

Dr. Kristen Andersen

Dr. Kristen Andersen (-Mercer) has always had a strong and dedicated passion for helping animals and practicing quality, pragmatic veterinary medicine. She has worked in some of the best specialty and general practices in New York City and Long Island for 10 years.  Throughout those positions, she has always kept in mind her dream to bring high-quality and affordable care to her much-loved community in the Port Washington area.   Dr. Andersen grew up in Roslyn & Port Washington, spending most of her time with her grandfather, Harry, as well as her family’s plethora of pets.  This was where her love for animals truly began from an early age.

She graduated from Hofstra University in 2001 with a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry and received a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. While in school she completed preceptorships in emergency medicine and neurology at County Animal Clinic in Westchester, NY as well as shelter and behavioral medicine at the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).  

Eager to pursue specialty training after graduating from Iowa State, she accepted an internship at Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists in New York City in 2006. This is where she realized her passion for emergency medicine and critical care. From there she went to work as an emergency doctor at Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, NY and truly loved her time there. While in Yonkers she served on the Board of the Yonkers Humane Society and HEAL (Humans Enriching Animals Lives).

Although emergency work was her passion, she wanted to give back to the community and provide quality medicine for ALL animals, so she accepted a position at North Shore Animal League in the fall of 2009. She truly believes that every animal deserves the highest-quality veterinary care and to be treated with compassion, patience, and dignity.

After a time at NSAL, Dr. Andersen was offered a chance to work in private practice at East Islip Veterinary Group and saw it as an opportunity to connect more with people, as well as their pets. While there, she thoroughly enjoyed helping her patients and educating clients on all the options they had to care for their pets. Because she was the only full-time doctor on staff, she was able to learn much about practice management, which ultimately piqued her interest in starting her own veterinary practice.

While at East Islip, she also started working as a surgeon on Helping PAW – a low cost spay-neuter truck dedicated to promoting the animal welfare cause, which she still spends a portion of her time helping with.  In 2012, shortly after starting at Helping PAW, she was offered a full time position at Peace Love Pets Veterinary Care in Commack, NY where she worked side by side with one of Long Island's best internal medicine specialists.  Dr. Andersen spent three years enjoying her time at PLP and learning from all the rare, unusual, and critical cases referred to the practice from neighboring hospitals.  Dr. Andersen has been a member of the AVMA, NYSVMS and LIVMA since 2006.

She is so grateful and proud to be able to offer her services and expertise to the animals and communities of Port Washington, Manhasset, Great Neck, Plandome, and Roslyn.   Our Healing Wheels™ Veterinary Care is dedicated to providing high quality, compassionate and affordable care in the comfort and convenience of your home! We look forward to meeting you and helping your pets.

Cody Mercer

Cody is the Co-founder, Manager and Marketing Director for VOW. 

Raised on a farm in Southwest Iowa, Cody grew up surrounded by dogs, cats and livestock.  It was there he learned his love for nature and all its creatures.

After high school, Cody attended Iowa State University, eventually receiving dual degrees in Advertising & Psychology.  He also met the loves of his life - his wife and two dogs.

Soon he found himself moving to New York with his new family, and ultimately embarked on a successful career working in Media on some of the largest accounts in the NYC media agency world.  In fact, when not attending to his duties for VOW / Healing Wheels™, he is busy balancing his time between family and work in the agency world.

Cody's goal in opening our practice is to give back to animals just a fraction of what they have given to him throughout his life.  He also enjoys meeting new people, and hopes he can help them with a vet service that makes the sometimes demanding & time-consuming nature of life in the city just a bit easier when it comes to their pets.

Nicole Thumhart, Veterinary Technician

Jessica Miller, Veterinary Assistant

VOW / Healing Wheels Staff

Dr. Kristen Andersen-Mercer  
Co-founder & Chief Medical Doctor

Cody Mercer  Co-founder, Manager & Marketing Director

Primary Service Areas

Port Washington
Great Neck
Manhasset
Roslyn
Plandome
Sands Point
Roslyn Heights