Our History

Oronoque Animal Hospital was established in 1982. The Oronoque name was chosen to create an easily recognizable identity for the hospital based on the location of the facility in the Oronoque section of Stratford, CT. The original hospital was small; however the need for our services grew to where we needed to expand. Our expansion brought us to our current location in Ryders Landing.

Dr. Yessenow graduated in 1977 from the Ohio State University of Veterinary Medicine. Soon after graduation he moved to Connecticut and worked in private practice at several other local animal hospitals. After completing his internship in 1982, Dr. Sheldon Yessenow opened Oronoque Animal Hospital. After building a reputation for veterinary medical excellence, Dr. Yessenow moved the practice to a larger  location in 2005. Oronoque became a practice where other veterinarians could refer their difficult cases. It also became a respected training ground for some of the most outstanding veterinarians in the State. 

In 2010, Dr. Kari Kissel joined the Oronoque family, hailing from the University of Glasglow, Scotland.  She and Dr. Yessenow work side by side, along with a dedicated support staff to meet all the needs of our clients and their loved ones.

Our Mission here at Oronoque Animal Hospital is to help people and animals as much as we can. We pride ourselves in working with rescue groups, animal shelters and stray animals. We participate in the State's Animal Population Control Program, and we were helpful in designing the State's "Caring for Pets" license plate.

Throughout the years, Oronoque Animal Hospital has maintained its tradition of providing the best veterinary care possible. We look forward to continuing this tradition with the help of dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled staff.