It’s a sunny late spring day when I meet Dr. Kate Domenico and her crew at Aspasia Marina in South Portland to board the 27-foot converted lobster boat known as Rita Joan. Though it may look like we’re getting ready to spend a leisurely day cruising around Casco Bay, our agenda is a bit different. Dr. Domenico, who works a full-time job in the Emergency and Critical Care department at Portland Veterinary Emergency (not to mention her position as Veterinary Medical Officer for the National Veterinary Response Team of the Department of Health and Human Services, her role as a lead instructor for the Portland’s Working Canine Medical Skills course, or her post as President of the Maine Veterinary Medical Association) provides veterinary care to the island communities of Casco Bay as the head of Island Veterinary Service (IVS), and today, we’re along for the ride.
Founded in 2003 by veterinarian Dr. John Flood, who retired in 2022, IVS is an essential part of island life for pet owners. In the winter months, Dr. Domenico, who joined the practice in 2019, operates a monthly clinic at the Peaks Island Community Center. Throughout the summer, she makes weekly visits to Peaks, Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Cushing, Long, Cliff, and Chebeague Islands, and she even makes house calls if owners or their pets can’t make it to the boat.
IVS is a unique operation that combines two of Dr. Domenico’s top interests: animals and boating. “I grew up sailing on Lake Michigan, so I’ve been interested in boats since I was a child,” the Chicago native explains. “My love of animals probably started around the same time—I’ve had pets my entire life.” As we pull up to the public dock next to the Casco Bay Lines ferry, Dr. Domenico, her vet tech Elspeth Pennell, and a vet tech assistant named Sandy hop off to secure the boat and set up shop. Dr. Domenico runs through her schedule—she has a handful of appointments on the Peaks Island dock followed by a house call this afternoon—before unloading a battery-powered scale and some folding chairs. Aboard the Rita Joan, she has everything necessary to perform routine wellness exams, sick visits, blood draws, vaccines, and palliative care for the animals of the islands. “We can do most everything a typical vet does except x-rays, and procedures that require anesthesia like surgeries or dental treatments,” Dr. Domenico explains.
As her first patient, a small black and white dog, walks down the gangway with its owner, Dr. Domenico tells me she has plenty to be thankful for. “The people who live on the islands are so special, and the way they all work together is amazing,” she says. It’s clear that the islanders appreciate Dr. Domenico’s services, as every client who visits the Rita Joan seems deeply invested in how the vet and her team are doing. Though Dr. Domenico is only able to dedicate part of her time to IVS currently, she intends to one day expand her services to include the islands of midcoast Maine. “I’m always looking to serve more islands,” she says, “and my hope for the future is to dedicate the majority of my time to our beloved island pets and families.”
“I’m always looking to expand IVS and serve more islands in Maine. My hope for the future is to dedicate the majority of my time to our beloved island pets and families.”
“The most rewarding part of working with IVS is the relationships we've built with the island families. Islanders have different challenges compared to those who live on the mainland—these communities work together to help each other, and that extends to their pets.”