As a member of the Avon High School band, Matt Cantrell dreamed of a career in music.

But at age 16, when he began working at a local boarding kennel, he discovered his true calling in veterinary medicine.

After a year and a half at the kennel, Dr. Cantrell took a job assisting at a veterinary hospital in Avon, gaining real-world experience that prepared him well for his eight years at Purdue University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science with highest distinction and completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Purdue in 2010.

Matt Cantrell, DVM, and his dogs Ricky and Sprocket

While an undergraduate, Dr. Cantrell worked in Purdue’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, starting as a kennel attendant and progressing to a job in the Medical Records Department and then to a position as a filing clerk in the Clinical Pathology Department.

During his first three years of medical school, Dr. Cantrell worked as an emergency laboratory technician, doing blood work and other diagnostic tests for emergency cases at the hospital.

Dr. Cantrell joined Brownsburg Animal Clinic in 2010.

In his free time, Dr. Cantrell runs…a lot! He has competed in a number of marathons as well as 50-mile ultra-marathons. He also enjoys running shorter races and has participated in the Tri-Indy Triathlon.

A dedicated advocate of responsible pet care, Dr. Cantrell has volunteered for a number of animal-related causes over the years, taking him from Chicago to San Diego, and twice to Morocco. In Brownsburg, he volunteers with Misty Eyes Animal Shelter & Learning Center, a non-profit animal rescue organization dedicated to building a no-kill shelter in Hendricks County. Long-time Flyer readers may remember “Hot Dogs and Cool Cats.”