"Veterinarians have a unique perspective on the relationship between pets and their people. When I was in general practice I found that a knowledge of animal behavior helped figure out what was going on medically; and as a behavior consultant I find that a knowledge of veterinary medicine helps me provide a complete picture of the hows and whys of pet behavior." -Dr. Derr

Terri A. Derr, D.V.M. is a 1981 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Her undergraduate degree in Zoology included training in ethology, the science of animal behavior in the natural environment. As an associate veterinarian she pursued extensive professional continuing education in animal behavior. In 1995 she began seeing behavior cases in veterinary practice, and in the years since then has seen over 300 cases.

In 2002 she attended the first North American Veterinary Conference Post Graduate Institute course in Animal Behavior. She continues to pursue continuing education in behavior; in July of 2005 she attended the International Veterinary Behavior Society meeting in Minneapolis. In 2007 Dr. Derr presented an original short research topic at the meeting of the combined College of Veterinary Behaviorists/American Veterinary Society for Animal Behavior.

 
 Dr. Derr founded Veterinary Behavior Options in 2004. Her mission is to keep pets in their homes by providing convenient, reasonably priced behavior consultations to veterinary clients. Dr. Derr has an abiding interest in the welfare of shelter animals as well, and is currently the Director of Operations for the Rice County Humane Society in Faribault, Minnesota.

Dr. Derr is a licensed veterinarian in Minnesota and Ohio. She is a member of the AVMA, MVMA, OVMA, the Association for Shelter Veterinarians, and the American Veterinary Society for Animal Behavior. She also serves as the veterinary resource for the popular Fix-It column of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.