Elma Animal Hospital

Dr. Helen Roberts-Sweeney

DVM

Dr. Helen Sweeney (formerly Roberts) is a small animal Veterinarian and the owner of Elma Animal Hospital.  Dr. Sweeney is a 1990 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. She has practiced Veterinary medicine in the WNY Southtowns since 1995.

Dr. Sweeney has been very active in the community including public health work for the Erie County Department of Health, and volunteering at the Buffalo Zoo when another veterinarian is needed. 

Dr. Sweeney has also lectured internationally on aquatic animal medicine and surgery at multiple Veterinary conferences, is a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network (VIN), and has taught online pharmacology and radiology courses for VetMedTeam.

She is also the editor and co-author of the book, "Fundamentals of Ornamental Fish Health" published by Wiley-Blackwell (November 2009).

In her free time, she enjoys relaxing on her porch with her dog Truman and seeing local bands.

Dr. Maureen Vaillancourt

DVM

Dr. Maureen Vaillancourt was born in Hamburg, NY. Her want to be a Veterinarian started very early on in life when she visited a local veterinary clinic on a kindergarten field trip!  She was also known as a “flea picker” by her family, as good preventive for fleas did not exist at that time.  During high school she enjoyed running and being part of the Cross Country and Track teams.  She graduated with Honors from the University at Buffalo with a BS in Biological Sciences and started a Masters program when she entered Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 2006.

Dr. Vaillancourt joined the team here at Elma Animal Hospital in 2018. She loves solving puzzles and helping pets and their owners alike. She particularly likes internal medicine and dermatology cases.

Dr. Vaillancourt lives in Elma with her husband, three sons, and their dog Sparky. She enjoys camping and outdoor activities such as kayaking, biking and hiking. Summer is her favorite time of year. She doesn’t like the cold but you may see her ice skating or cross country skiing in the winter as her boys keep her in constant motion.  Go Bills!!!!

Dr. Rachel Griffin

DVM

Please help us welcome our new associate, Dr. Rachel Griffin!  Born and raised in Buffalo, Dr. Griffin earned her bachelor's degree in Biology and Veterinary Technology from Medaille College in 2021 before graduating from Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2026. Before and throughout veterinary school, she worked as a licensed veterinary technician, gaining valuable hands-on experience and developing an even greater passion for caring for animals and helping others.

Although working with patients who can't tell us what's wrong can be challenging, Dr. Griffin enjoys the process of putting the pieces of the clinical puzzle together to see the bigger picture. She also loves staying hands-on and continuing to develop her technical skills. Her particular interests include dermatology, soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, and feline medicine.

Outside the clinic, you can find her line dancing, reading, or spending as much time outdoors as possible. During the winter months, she enjoys hitting the slopes and snowboarding to make the most of the colder weather. She also loves relaxing and spending quality time with family, friends, and her cat, Cheeto.

And, of course... Go Bills!!!!