Alexandra Halasz

DVM, MS

Dr. Halasz, a native Upper West Sider, first became enchanted with exotic pet medicine as a high school volunteer at CAEM. She fell in love with exotics and spent almost every summer and holiday here through high school, college, graduate school, and veterinary school. After earning her bachelor's degree in Music from Smith College, she went to Auburn University to study avian carotenoid coloration, earning a Master of Science degree in Biology. She then attended Cornell University for her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, where she was active in both exotic pet medicine and musical organizations. After graduating, she completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine, further focusing on the exotics she loves. She spent the next year working as a small animal emergency veterinarian at a specialty hospital in NYC and has finally made her way back to CAEM!

Dr. Halasz has had several exotic pets over the years, many adopted from this very hospital! She currently shares her home with a canary, a red eared slider, a crested gecko, two Pomeranians, and a radiologist (of the human kind). When she's not spending time with animals, Dr. Halasz enjoys sewing, playing the cello, and telling her coworkers all about the mechanisms of avian coloration.

Lyle Cleary

DVM (Associate Veterinarian)

We first met Dr. Lyle Cleary in 2009 when he was an undergraduate student/reptile enthusiast, looking to get experience with our exotic pet specialists. His enthusiasm and drive to learn everything he could about these animals kept him coming back every holiday break and summer vacation, first as a volunteer, and then an employee.

During his veterinary studies at Tufts University, he continued working with us during his breaks from vet school, and as an extern through the University. While at Tufts he worked at the Wildlife hospital there and interned with their prestigious Zoo/Exotics department several days a week. From 2014-2016 Dr. Cleary worked at the Tufts University Wildlife Hospital assuming care of the 4th year student cases. He also spent several months working at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby Australia, as well as the Madras Crocodile Bank Center for Herpetology in Namil Nadu, India. Upon graduation, he received the Senior Zoological and Companion Exotics Award.

After graduating, Dr. Cleary embarked on a challenging one-year rotating internship at Brooklyn’s Veterinary Emergency and Referral Group. There he quickly became the go-to exotics vet for emergency cases and he was able to hone his clinical and surgical skills. Finally, after almost 10 years of study, research, practice, and advanced training, we are able to welcome Dr. Cleary to the Center as our newest associate! He shares his home with a pair of Argentine Tegus, a Black-Throated Monitor, several Newts, and a one-eyed boxer.

Alexandra Wilson

DVM

Alexandra Wilson, DVM, has been working at the Center for 14 years caring for the medical and surgical needs of birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and small mammals. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Oberlin College in 1998 and her veterinary degree from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005.

Dr. Wilson has many interests and projects that she is passionate about. She is a consulting veterinarian for the Wild Bird Fund, NYC’s premiere wildlife rehabilitation and education center, and the Animal Care Centers of NYC. She has worked closely with the ASPCA and local law enforcement on cases involving exotic animal welfare, including testifying in court as an expert witness. Dr. Wilson lectures locally and internationally with World Animal Protection and participates in the training of veterinarians, veterinary students, and veterinary nurses on the care and welfare of exotic pets and wildlife. She is also an adjunct professor of Veterinary Technology at LaGuardia Community College. The NYC environment has also allowed Dr. Wilson to participate in the care of special exotic animals housed both permanently and temporarily at the American Museum of Natural History, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Guggenheim, Brooklyn, and Whitney Art Museums, and Creative Time’s “Fly By Night” in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Dr. Wilson shares her home with a tarantula named Amblik, and a hognose snake named Madu.