Our Team
Dr. Alan Mafara
Veterinarian, Owner
Dr. Alan Mafara came from Zimbabwe in 2003 after having graduated in 1993 from the University of Zimbabwe. He came to AZ to be with his wife, Sharon, who he met in an exchange program between the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Zimbabwe’s veterinary school.
Since moving to Arizona, Dr. Mafara has become passionate about preventative care, orthopedic surgery and veterinary dentistry in primarily dogs and cats. He spends time with his mentors at Arizona Veterinary Dental Specialists in order to improve his dentistry skills.
Dr. Mafara and Sharon share their home with their son, daughter, and a boxer mix called Girlfriend. Their after hours activities are usually centered on the kids who like chasing hot air balloons and attending swimming lessons. Dr. Mafara also enjoys the local sports teams and catching a Cardinals, Diamondbacks or Suns game whenever he can. He hasn’t quite yet become a Coyotes fan since he says he still has to learn how hockey works! For relaxation, however, he finds a round of golf is a welcome bonus.
Dr. Sharon Langeneckert
Associate
Dr. Langeneckert didn’t always know she wanted to be a vet but it seemed to make sense by the time she was a teenager. She was the kid who tried to rescue stray cats in the neighborhood and save worms that were drowned out of the lawn. In high school, she became very interested in physiology and biology. Her high school offered a work for school credit program so she obtained a position at a local veterinary clinic. It was there that she saw her first surgery and became hooked.
Having grown up in Michigan, she attended Michigan State University for both undergraduate work and veterinary school, graduating in 1994. Right after graduation, she looked for a place that didn’t have as much snow and relocated to the Phoenix area. Since then she has really enjoyed helping cats and dogs and the interactions she gets to have with their owners.
There is a special place in her heart for her feline patients, but there is nothing like a soft nose and wagging tail of a dog as well.
She and her husband have 2 kids, 1 cat and 1 dog. The kids like helping with the pets when they need medical attention. Maybe we have the next generation of vets here. We’ll see.