Our Doctors
We are proud of our family at Echo Hollow. We take patient care very seriously and we want you to know your pet is in good hands. Between our our doctors we have over 75 years of experience.
Dr. DuWayne Penfold, Owner
In 1970, Dr. Penfold graduated from Michigan State University and moved his family to Eugene to start his career as a veterinarian. Since then, he has seen the community grow and change in many ways, but has maintained a philosophy of compassion and service to pets in need. He has given his time as President of the Lane County Veterinary Medical Association and the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association, and as State Delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association. There was even a time in the ’80’s, when he traveled to Salem to help save Oregon State University’s veterinary school whose funding had been cut from the state budget. There are many veterinarians in our area that have been mentored and continue to be mentored by Dr. Penfold.
Dr. Bruce Behrends, Owner
Dr. Behrends grew up in Oregon and attended school in Oregon. After graduating from Oregon State University he never thought twice about living anywhere else. He started his career working at Veneta Veterinary Hospital back when they saw ‘all creatures, great and small’. After practicing at Veneta Veterinary Hospital for seven years, he became an owner. If you catch him on a slow day, he has some great stories to tell about those “middle of the night farm calls”. Over the years he has shifted his focus to small animals and creating a veterinary hospital that serves the needs of our community. Like Dr. Penfold he has and continues to mentor new veterinarians.
Dr. Elizabeth Hoffmann, Associate
Dr. Hoffmann completed her undergraduate work at Oregon State University and received her veterinary degree from Washington State University with the intention of going into equine medicine. Upon graduation she married her husband Andy, a fisheries biologist, and moved to Alaska (where there are a lot of fish but not many horses). Dr. Hoffmann became a small animal veterinarian and a mother of 3 children. In 2004 her family relocated to Oregon to escape the 8 months of winter and to have the opportunity to pursue her equine interests. Both Dr. Hoffmann and her train and compete in the equine discipline of eventing.
Dr. Hoffmann’s other passion is Christian Veterinary Missions. She has gone on a number of short-term mission trips and currently makes regular trips to Uganda, Africa and some native Eskimo communities in Alaska.
Dr. Hoffmann has been with us since 2006.
Dr. Michelle Kenna, Associate
Dr. Michelle Kenna was born and raised in Southern California. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, she realized that her true professional passion was for medicine and animals. She started veterinary school at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. After completing a semester there, she transferred to Ross University in St. Kitts Florida. She then went on to complete her clinical year at Texas A&M. She received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in January 2007.
Dr. Kenna has practiced veterinary medicine in the Eugene and Cottage Grove areas for the past 12 years. She enjoys working with clients and their pets. In her free time, Dr. Kenna loves to hike, run, kayak and spend time with her family including her 2 Labradors.
Dr. Kenna has been with us since February 2019.
Dr. Heather Renèe Srch-Thaden, Associate
Dr. Srch-Thaden is a true Oregonian. She was raised in the Klamath Basin where she enjoyed watersports, became a nationally ranked figure skater, and participated in a multitude of 4-H projects. Life as a military wife took her around the world including Japan, Europe, and Australia. She studied Marine Biology at UNC-Wilmington and was a professional aquarist at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
She returned home to earn her DVM from Oregon State University and her research has contributed to many aquatic animal health programs including beach renourishment in the Carolinas, restoration of Oyster Reef Habitats, and created a blood test for Sea Star Wasting Syndrome in the Pacific Northwest.
Dr. Srch-Thaden’s interests outside of medicine include showing dogs, dance, and traveling. She also enjoys many water sports of the liquid and frozen variety, including scuba diving, surfing, wakeboarding, kayaking, and snowboarding, as well as spending quality time with her family and friends.
Dr. Srch-Thaden has been with us since 2018