Dr. Midge Ritchie’s path to veterinary medicine has been anything but traditional, and she sees that as one of her greatest strengths. Raised in Ohio by a creative father who was an artist, she first pursued a bachelor’s degree in fashion design and art history. But after experiencing several profound personal losses and adopting her first pug, Oliver, she discovered her true calling: helping animals and the people who love them.
Determined to follow that passion, Dr. Midge moved to New York City in 2000, working as a veterinary technician while completing her veterinary school prerequisites at Columbia University and Hunter College. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University in 2010, completing her clinical year at Texas A&M University before moving to Canada in 2014. Dr Midge joined the Lifting Stars team in 2025.
As a clinician, Dr. Midge has a strong interest in wellness and lifelong care, pain management, and palliative, end of life care. What truly defines her, though, is a deeply compassionate approach shaped by the real challenges she has faced, both personally and within the veterinary profession.
Dr. Midge is also the founder of Off the Beaten Path Veterinary Retreats, an initiative devoted to supporting the mental wellbeing of veterinarians and helping them reconnect with purpose, joy, and community in their work. Her mission is rooted in lived experience: those who care for others deserve care too.
Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Midge loves to travel, explore art museums, play golf, and spend time with her son, Xander. They share their home with their dogs, Dexter the pug and Piper the rescue pittie mix, along with their beloved cats, ensuring life is always full of laughter, adventure, and fur.
Professional Memberships
- Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)
- College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC)
- Canadian Academy of Veterinary Medicine (CAVM)
- Fear Free Certified
