Dr. Pachel, DACVB is co-owner of Instinct Portland, Vice President, Veterinary Behavior for Instinct National, and is the owner and primary clinician at the Animal Behavior Clinic.

Dr. Pachel is a board certified veterinary behaviorist who received his veterinary degree from the University of MN in 2002, then worked as a general practitioner for two years in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area prior to the start of his behavior residency program. He operated a house-call behavior practice in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area until 2010 and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2010. He spent 3.5 years of his residency period under the mentorship of Jacqui Neilson, DVM, DACVB at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR before purchasing the practice from her in 2011.

Dr. Pachel brings an approach to behavioral therapy which combines learning theory, medical training, and experience along with compassion and effective communication to create a balanced treatment plan that is tailored to the individual patient’s needs. Dr. Pachel’s methodology emphasizes the importance of the human animal bond and the role that companion animals play in the lives of their families.

Outside of direct patient care, Dr. Pachel lectures regularly throughout the US and Canada, and has taught undergraduate and professional courses in veterinary behavior at the University of MN and at the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. He has published research on feline water consumption preferences, wrote a book chapter on Intercat Aggression for the May 2014 issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, and is co-author of a book chapter on Pet Selection for Animal Assisted Therapy.

In his spare time away from the office, Dr. Pachel enjoys distance running, strength training, yoga, and weekend RV excursions. He is a supporter of beer festivals, wineries, and the Portland food scene, and is always looking for new recommendations for places to visit. He shares his home with his partner of 16 years (who happens to be a veterinarian as well) and a Bull / Rat Terrier cross named Corneliuz.