Task Force Members

Dr. Joe Stark, a native of Fenton, is a 1986 graduate of Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine. He established Lake Area Animal Hospital in Lake Charles where he practiced small animal medicine and surgery for 29 years until his retirement in 2022. He has been the Board President and Veterinarian for Bayou Animal Rescue Krewe (BARK) since 2016. In addition to his work with BARK, he currently serves as a part-time contracted veterinarian for several rural animal control facilities.

Dr. Chalyn Fayard is the practice owner of Folsom Veterinary Clinic in Folsom, Louisiana. A Denham Springs native, she earned her veterinary degree from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Her areas of interest include behavior, dermatology, and pain management. She is certified in veterinary acupuncture and veterinary chiropractic. Over the last two years she has worked with St Tammany Animal Services to expand their spay/neuter voucher program. She and her spouse have one son and an assortment of dogs, cats, tortoises and chickens at their home in Folsom, Louisiana.

Chip Fitz is the Director for the Tangipahoa Parish Animal Control Shelter.

Shelly Liles Fontenot, D.V.M., is a Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association Representative.

Daniel Myrick is the State Veterinarian, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Suzanne Brevelle began her disaster response career as the administrative assistant and grant writer with the Louisiana State Animal Response Team (LSART), in 2016. She continues to work in support of animal emergency response locally, statewide, and nationally as the LSART Administrative Specialist, whose duties include as a technical subject matter expert, providing animal emergency response training for government and non-governmental responder groups and agencies, maintaining the training calendar, volunteer database, finance tracking for response, training, and equipment maintenance support. Suzanne has provided dedicated and experienced support to animal control agencies in our state in response to animal emergencies as well as normal operating times. She has also collaborated alongside LDAF in creating the Cohabitation Tool Kit as well as other Best Practice documents for animal response. Her experience with LSART as a liaison between animal control directors and other agencies has allowed her to develop working relationships that promote the safety and health of the community, animal control and their staff and last but not least, pets and pet owners.

Dr. Troxler is a veterinary grad of LSU c/o 2004. She has practiced shelter medicine at St. Charles Parish Animal Control for 16 years and currently serves as the director for the past 7 years. She has a passion for a standard of care in animal shelters that brings about a healthy and adoptable population both physically and behaviorally.