Cate Lemmond is the President and CEO of Anicira, a non-profit veterinary clinic based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a second location in Manassas, Virginia.
Cate opened the organization under the name Shenandoah Valley Spay/Neuter Clinic in 2005, eventually expanding the services provided to include general surgery, dental, and medical care. In 2016, the organization officially rebranded as Anicira and unveiled new service options to improve access to affordable veterinary care.
Cate is passionate about managing this non-profit business, as it is a passion of hers to offer affordable veterinary care to pets in need. She is proud that she and her team have been able to impact the lives of thousands of pets and the families who love them through Anicira’s programs and services such as providing nutritious meals through the Pet Food Pantry so no pet in the community goes hungry and offering subsidized veterinary services for pets whose families would not otherwise be able to afford care.
Cate does not just consider herself a businesswoman; she considers herself a philanthropic leader, and she hopes to inspire other businesses to find causes they can give back to through their work. For many years, Cate has been an animal welfare advocate so when she considered opening the original spay and neuter clinic, it seemed to be an obvious choice. She has always felt close to the cause of animal welfare, and thus, she knew she had to find a way to give back.
Now, through her work with Anicira, Cate has been able to positively impact her community in many ways. Her work has led pets in her area to remain happy, healthy, and in good hands. She is pleased when she is able to prevent animal hunger by providing meals for pets from underserved households and help to address the number of homeless animals by continuing to offer affordable spay and neuter surgeries at Anicira.
One of Cate’s mottos comes from Jim Collins, “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.” In her work with Anicira, Cate strives to uphold this value, always seeking the best possible option for every decision she makes.
Cate’s future plans for Anicira include continuing to help sick and injured pets while working on expanding Anicira’s operations to find new ways to help more animals. She also looks forward to further growth and development on her team, leading to great relationships in her business and her community.