Dr. Jeff Young was born on April 14, 1956, in Indiana.
He is an American veterinarian and television personality best known for Animal Planet’s Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet.
Who is Dr. Jeff?
Dr. Jeff Young is an American veterinarian known for low-cost, high-volume animal care. He founded Planned Pethood Plus, a clinic built around affordable spay and neuter services.
His work reached a national audience through Animal Planet’s Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet, which followed his clinic for eight seasons.
The show highlighted his hands-on approach and his refusal to turn away animals based on their owners’ ability to pay.
Young has also built Planned Pethood International, a nonprofit that trains veterinarians in underserved regions. He continues that mission today from a training center in Conifer, Colorado.
Early Life of Dr. Jeff
Jeffrey Young was born in Indiana and spent part of his childhood on his grandparents’ farm. That early exposure to animals shaped his lifelong interest in veterinary care.
His mother, Esther Stevens, raised him alongside a stepfather who served in the military. Because of his stepfather’s service, the family moved frequently during his childhood.
Young attended Rantoul High School in Rantoul, Illinois. As a child, the death of his own pet dog pushed him toward a career treating animals.
Dr. Jeff Age
Dr. Jeff Young is 70 years old as of 2026, born on April 14, 1956. His zodiac sign is Aries.
He has worked as a veterinarian for nearly five decades. Young has continued running his clinic even while managing a serious cancer diagnosis in recent years.
Dr. Jeff Ethnicity and Nationality
Dr. Jeff Young holds American nationality. He was born and raised in the United States, moving frequently as a child due to his stepfather’s military career.
His early years took him through several parts of the country before he settled into veterinary training in Colorado. That path eventually led him to build his entire career around the Rocky Mountain region.
Dr. Jeff Height and Weight
Dr. Jeff Young’s height and weight are not publicly confirmed through a primary source.
He is recognizable on screen for his long hair, which became a signature part of his public image. He cut that signature hairstyle before undergoing cancer treatment, a moment that drew significant attention from fans.
Dr. Jeff Education
Young pursued veterinary training at Colorado State University, earning his veterinary medicine degree there in 1989. That program gave him the clinical foundation for his later career in high-volume, low-cost veterinary care.
After graduation, he first worked as an animal welfare officer in Fort Collins, Colorado. That early role shaped his frustration with profit-driven veterinary practices and pushed him toward founding his own clinic.
Dr. Jeff Career
Founding Planned Pethood
After working as an animal welfare officer, Young grew frustrated with the financial priorities of many veterinary practices. In 1990, he founded Planned Pethood Plus in Denver, Colorado, built around affordable spay and neuter services.
The clinic emphasized mobile outreach to reach underserved communities. Through this model, Young worked to reduce pet overpopulation while keeping care accessible to owners who could not afford traditional veterinary fees.
Rocky Mountain Vet on Animal Planet
In 2015, Animal Planet began filming Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet, following Young and his staff at Planned Pethood Plus. The show ran for eight seasons and highlighted the clinic’s high case volume and unconventional approach to care.
Episodes featured everything from routine surgeries to complex procedures, including a lung surgery on a dog named Leyla during one season premiere.
The series also showed Young performing free spay and neuter clinics in remote communities, including a trip to a jungle village in Panama.
Recent Work and Planned Pethood International
Young has since expanded his mission through Planned Pethood International, a nonprofit training center that teaches veterinarians in underserved regions, including parts of Mexico and Eastern Europe. In 2023, he opened a new state-of-the-art clinic and training facility in Conifer, Colorado.
He also began filming a YouTube series, Dr. Jeff and Dr. Petra: Unleashed, alongside his wife. Young has continued treating animals and training staff while planning for the clinic’s future beyond his own involvement.
Dr. Jeff Wife
Dr. Jeff Young married Petra Mickova, a fellow veterinary professional, in 2014. The two met through their shared work at his clinic before their relationship developed.
Petra has remained closely involved in the clinic’s operations and appears alongside Young in his more recent television and online projects. Young has spoken publicly about her role in helping secure the future of Planned Pethood as he manages his health.
Before marrying Petra, Young was previously married to Deb Burns, his high school sweetheart. The couple had three children together before divorcing.
Dr. Jeff Children
Dr. Jeff Young has three children from his first marriage to Deb Burns. One of his daughters has worked at his clinic alongside him.
Details about his children’s current lives beyond their connection to the clinic are not widely published.
Dr. Jeff Net Worth
Dr. Jeff Young’s estimated net worth is $200,000 as of 2026. His income comes mainly from his veterinary practice and his television and online media work.
Dr. Jeff Health Update
Young has faced four separate cancer diagnoses since 2013, starting with lung cancer that led to a partial lung removal. In 2016, doctors found he had B-cell lymphoma, a diagnosis he shared publicly during an episode of Rocky Mountain Vet, and that cancer went into remission after treatment.
In 2023, Young was diagnosed with lung cancer again. He has described this most recent diagnosis as stage 4, though he has continued working at his clinic and training new veterinarians throughout treatment.
False reports claiming Young had died circulated online, prompting him to publicly confirm he remains alive. He has responded to the rumors with humor, noting that sympathy donations sent to the clinic keep arriving despite his being very much alive.
Dr. Jeff Social Media
Young posts updates from his clinic and personal life on Instagram under the handle @drneuter. He also appears in the YouTube series Dr. Jeff and Dr. Petra: Unleashed, which documents ongoing work at Planned Pethood.
The Bottom Line
Dr. Jeff Young founded Planned Pethood Plus in 1990, building a clinic around affordable spay and neuter care that later became the subject of Animal Planet’s Dr. Jeff: Rocky Mountain Vet. The show ran for eight seasons and introduced his high-volume, low-cost approach to a national audience.
He grew up moving frequently as the child of a military stepfather, an upbringing that gave him early exposure to animals on his grandparents’ farm. Young has continued treating patients and training veterinarians even through four separate cancer diagnoses since 2013.
He now works alongside his wife, Petra, at Planned Pethood International’s training center in Conifer, Colorado. Young continues to document his clinic’s work through the YouTube series Dr. Jeff and Dr. Petra: Unleashed.
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