Dr. Katie Matzke, DVM.
Founder of Rover Veterinary Care. Jupiter native. University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, 2013. The person who answers the phone, and the person who shows up at your door.
From Jupiter, to UF Vet School, to Nevada, and home again.
Dr. Katie Matzke grew up in Jupiter. She left to study veterinary medicine at the University of Florida, graduated in 2013, then spent the next ten years working in shelter medicine at Nevada Humane Society in Reno.
Shelter work is where she saw the gap that became Rover. Most of the elderly and sick pets she met there had been surrendered by families who didn't know what else to do at the end. "It is so tough to see pets confused and not sure what is happening at the end of their lives," she says. She wanted families to have a better option. At home, surrounded by the people who loved them.
She founded Rover Veterinary Care in Reno in 2020. The phone started ringing immediately.
In 2023 she came home to Jupiter and brought the practice with her. Today Rover operates teams in both cities. Jupiter is run directly by Dr. Katie. Reno is run by Dr. Chris Clarkston, who joined her in 2022.
Through in-home euthanasia, I get the privilege of helping pets who have generally lived a long life surrounded by so much love. It is a blessing to be able to give them a peaceful goodbye after a life well lived.Dr. Katie Matzke · on the work
Still in the shelter world.
Dr. Katie still works as a surgeon for shelters in South Florida, performing spay and neuter surgeries and any other care a shelter pet might need.
"Between surgery and Rover, I am fulfilled in my career."
What's behind the visit.
Samantha Sligar is who you'll talk to first.
Samantha is Rover's client services representative for both Jupiter and Reno. When you call, she's usually the first voice you'll hear, and she stays with your family through scheduling, the visit, and aftercare.
A veterinary technician by training, with an Applied Science degree in Veterinary Technology and experience across private practice, shelter medicine, and a dental specialty practice. She still volunteers with local shelters, and spends her off hours hiking with her dogs.
Joshua Matzke runs growth and operations.
Katie's husband, Joshua, handles Rover's growth and operations. He's the one who keeps the bookings flowing, the phones answered, and the schedules aligned for both cities.
Joshua also occasionally rides along when a transport requires two pairs of hands. "When circumstances prevent a family member from assisting," Katie wrote in her Q&A, "I bring along an assistant, typically my husband or brother."
UF Business Management. Joshua handles the part of the practice that lets Katie focus on the part she trained for.
We are here to help. Whenever that is.
A real person answers, every time. Often Dr. Katie herself. Same day or next day, seven days a week.
Or text us if you'd rather not talk right now.