Our Founder, Dr. Joel Friedman opened St. Georges Veterinary Hospital in 1978. Before establishing St. Georges, Dr. Friedman practiced veterinary medicine at Lexington Animal Hospital in Clark, NJ from 1975 to 1979.
An avid sports fan and scholar of baseball history, Dr. Friedman grew up in New York City and splits his time between Monroe, NJ and Port St Lucie, FL. Dr. Friedman attended State University of New York, Farmingdale, where he earned an Associate’s Degree in Animal Science. He went on to attend Cornell University, where he was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture. Dr. Friedman earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at the University of the Philippines College of Veterinary Medicine in 1975. His professional interests include dermatology, parasitology, dentistry, and internal medicine.

Dr. Friedman is a member and past president of the Metropolitan New Jersey Veterinary Association. He also maintains membership in the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dr. Friedman can usually be found cheering on the Mets, Jets, Nets and the Devils. He also loves golf and pickleball, both as a spectator and player. Aside from sports, he enjoys going to rock and folk concerts and Broadway productions. Dr. Friedman also loves reading about the history of baseball, especially anything about the Brooklyn Dodgers. He has an adult daughter, Eryn and a lovely grandaughter. At home, Dr. Friedman cares for Molly, a Scottish Terrier.

Despite Dr. Friedman taking a step down for his retirement, you will always be able to catch him at St George’s during the summer to welcome our patients and clients!

Medical Director, Dr. Kirsten Dorney is originally from Chatham, New Jersey. She knew she was going to be a veterinarian since she was seven years old. She is a third-generation veterinarian and earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Cornell University and her veterinary degree from Mississippi State University in 1994, twenty-five years after her grandfather earned his! At home, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Mark, and their three children, along with the family’s various pets. She has fun cooking, traveling, and watching NASCAR.

I am Dr. Chintan Patel. I was born and raised in India and completed my Veterinary education there. I came to the United States in 2017 and started working in an emergency specialty hospital while pursuing a licensure exam. From a very young age I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian and with that passion I started volunteering in animal shelters. I joined SGVH in 2022 as a head technician and became a veterinarian in February 2023. I have since then been working as a Veterinarian at SGVH. I have a special interest in medicine and radiology. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family and my pets