Meet Your Team
Dr. Pflaum, April, and Danielle share a unique partnership offering animals solutions to all kinds of behavioral issues. Everything from previous traumas, and learned behaviors, to challenging breed instincts, our process helps you have a better understanding of the animal psychology behind the actions. Dr. Plaum’s initial assessment and diagnosis are then followed by April’s low-stress behavior modifications training.
Similar to the human approach to psychiatry, Dr. Kevin, April, and Danielle provide a different perspective to understanding your pet’s challenging behaviors.
Our Approach
Our approach to our clients and patients is 3 fold. First, Dr. Pflaum is uniquely trained and skilled to assess your pet through the lens of a psychiatric medical point of view. A diagnosis sometimes takes time but we seek to explore the root cause of the issue at hand.
Secondly, once a personalized treatment plan has been created Aprilthen works closely with you and your pet to improve their underlying emotional state and teach new desirable behaviors. We also work in collaboration with your general practice Veterinarian to ensure all physical health concerns are addressed appropriately.
The third and most important element to this method is consistency at home and out in public. It is crucial to understand that the training assistance doesn’t only happen with April, it must carry over into a daily routine at home.
Meet The Team
Dr. Kevin Pflaum, DVM
Dr. Kevin Pflaum was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, and received his undergraduate degree in Biology from Grinnell College, in Iowa. He developed a passion for veterinary medicine through volunteer work with the local animal shelter in Iowa and is inspired by the remarkable quality of cats and dogs to forgive humans and love, to help them every day. He graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017, and after spending a year in Portland, Oregon, was drawn to the mountains of Asheville.
Through his veterinary practice, he has developed a passion for practicing high-quality medicine, behavior, and animal welfare concerns. He is currently completing residency training to become a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist under the mentorship and supervision of Dr. Julie Albright, a Veterinary Behaviorist at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.
He moved to Asheville with 1 dog and 1 cat and enjoys hiking, reading, film, sports, and eating local food. He is sincerely passionate about providing the highest quality care and strengthening the human-animal bond.
April Kormanec, RVT, KPA, CTP
April is a North Carolina native and is so grateful to have resided in Asheville for the last decade. She is a Registered Veterinary Technician. (2011). Previously she worked and grew as a Veterinary Technician in the Emergency Department while focusing on providing low-stress veterinary visits and educating staff and clients on behavior, and teaching proper handling skills while providing compassionate medical care. She has her Sophia Yin’s Low-Stress Handling Certification. (2015). She was lucky to receive a scholarship from the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians to attend the Karen Pryor Academy. (2020).
She has several years of continuing education specifically in animal behavior management and modification. April is working towards becoming a Specialist in Behavior. She would like to continue educating and teaching the community on how to make behavior training, education, and veterinary visits fun and safe for everyone involved.
April’s goals are to effectively teach, encourage, and help clients provide their animals with love, compassion, and relief. She hopes to create a home where humans and animals live happily and harmoniously.
She shares her life with two dogs, Little Bud and Binney. They spend their free time with great friends, hiking, camping and exploring the wilderness.
Danielle Winkelman, KPA CTP, ACDBC
Danielle is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, Associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Fear Free Certified Professional, Family Dog Mediator, and Puppy Start Right Instructor.
After serving in the military as an Army medic, Danielle graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Carolina. Her career began at Asheville Humane Society, then moved into veterinary medicine. She feels fortunate to have found a way to combine her passions for medicine, behavior science, and helping families when she started at Behavior Vets in 2017.
Danielle is committed to continuing education and is a graduate of Dr. Susan Friedman’s Living and Learning with Animals course and the Aggression in Dog’s Master Course. She attends conferences and workshops every year, and is a member of Thrive and Animal Training Academy.
She shares her home with her partner, two huskies, two Maremma livestock guardians, one cat, a flock of chickens, turkeys, and peacocks, as well as three mustangs and a small flock of sheep. You may find her gardening, hiking, or practicing martial arts. She is excited to support clients and their companions of all species!