The Story Behind Thumper
In the months leading up to becoming a first-time mom in September 2023, Michaela began thinking seriously about how she could continue contributing to the veterinary field while having greater control over her schedule and putting her family first. That vision led to the creation of Thumper LLC as the parent company for the different ways she hoped to remain involved in veterinary medicine, animal care, and related support services while building a work structure that offered more flexibility for her family.
Thumper Veterinary Staffing
Thumper Veterinary Staffing became the first branch developed under Thumper. It was created to give experienced veterinary professionals meaningful opportunities to use their skills remotely while supporting veterinary teams behind the scenes. Michaela wanted to remain connected to the field she loved while working from home, and she also saw an opportunity to create flexible options for other experienced veterinary professionals who wanted to continue contributing to veterinary medicine in a different way.
Thumper Pet Care
Thumper Pet Care was established to bring back the personalized pet-care and concierge services Michaela previously provided through her former pet-care business. Her experience caring for pets in their own homes inspired her to create a dedicated branch focused on providing convenient, individualized support for pets and their families. By bringing these services under Thumper, Michaela was able to reconnect with another meaningful part of her animal-care background while continuing to build a business structure that accommodates her family and personal responsibilities.
Thumper PRN Relief
Thumper PRN Relief was established from Michaela's desire to return to hands-on veterinary work while maintaining greater flexibility over her schedule. Having experienced firsthand the demands placed on veterinary teams and the challenges facilities face when additional coverage is needed, she saw an opportunity to provide local, in-person relief support using her own training and experience. Unlike Thumper Veterinary Staffing, which focuses on remote support through other qualified professionals, Thumper PRN Relief was created specifically for Michaela to personally assist veterinary facilities on a PRN and as-needed basis, within her permitted scope of practice and availability.
Michaela Hulsey Wray, Sole Founder & CEO
Michaela and her husband, Tucker, share a 3-year-old daughter and a very full house that includes Thumper and ten cats—all with names that start with “O”! Mr. Labi and Carl have crossed over the rainbow bridge. Before beginning her career in veterinary medicine, Michaela studied music education in college, where her principal instruments were trumpet and French horn, and she was a vocal tenor.
Experience
Michaela has been in the veterinary field for 11 years as of February 2026. She is a double-certified veterinary assistant for both large and small animals, with experience across a wide range of veterinary settings, species, and levels of care.
2015–2016 — Veterinary Assistant Education & Training
Michaela began her veterinary education in February 2015, completing her first veterinary assistance program in August 2015. She continued her training through a second veterinary assistance program from February through July 2016, building the foundation for her work across both small- and large-animal veterinary medicine.
2016–2017 — Shelter Medicine & Animal Welfare
Her professional career began in shelter medicine, where she started in the puppy department as an animal care technician before quickly cross-training across the shelter’s other departments. She eventually became the medical lead, gaining experience across shelter operations, animal care, and high-volume workflows. She also assisted with community vaccine and basic-care clinics, supporting accessible preventive services for pets in the surrounding community. Through this work, she developed an understanding of animal rescue and the broader sheltering and animal-control system for what was considered a no-kill community.
2016–2017 — General Practice & Spay/Neuter Outreach
During the same period, she also gained general practice experience in kennel care, supporting veterinary assistants, and providing surgical support for spay and neuter procedures. The practice partnered with the shelter to provide spay and neuter services for shelter animals, including TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) and TSR (Trap-Spay-Return) efforts, as well as pets belonging to lower-income families.
2016–2017 — Veterinary Assistance Classroom Support
Alongside her shelter and general-practice work, Michaela assisted the instructor with a veterinary assistance class for a couple of semesters. As one of the program’s most recent graduates at the time, she shared her perspective on entering the veterinary field and helped students become familiar with commonly used veterinary tools, basic medical equipment, and hands-on clinical skills by demonstrating how they are used in everyday veterinary practice.
2017–2018 — Mixed-Animal General Practice
Michaela moved into a mixed-animal general practice, working as a veterinary assistant, receptionist, and animal care attendant. She continued building her clinical knowledge while gaining additional experience working with large animals. She also assisted with community vaccine and basic-care clinics, supporting preventive care for pets in the surrounding community. During this period, she also began providing drop-in pet care visits.
2018 — Natural Balance Pet Foods Brand Ambassador
Alongside her veterinary work, Michaela served as a Brand Ambassador for Natural Balance Pet Foods, traveling to PetSmart, Pet Supplies Plus, and Pet Supermarket locations throughout the greater Asheville area to promote the brand and educate pet owners about its products. Through her time working in these retail environments—particularly at Pet Supermarket—she also gained valuable exposure to pet-store operations, merchandising, customer service, and the day-to-day management of a pet retail business.
2018–2020 — Orthopedic Specialty Practice
Michaela continued developing her skills in an orthopedic specialty practice, working as a veterinary assistant and orthopedic surgical assistant. She gained experience with the full orthopedic-care process, from consultation and preoperative preparation through surgery and postoperative care. Her work also expanded her understanding of joint and mobility support, including the use of supplements as part of ongoing orthopedic and mobility care.
2019–2023 — Paws 4a Moment Petcare
Michaela founded Paws 4a Moment Petcare in Asheville, North Carolina, initially offering concierge services, pet sitting, drop-in care, and boarding before later expanding the business to include grooming services. Her concierge services included helping transport pets to veterinary appointments and providing pet care during events such as weddings. During this period, she also provided pet-care services through Wag! and Rover.com, broadening her experience with different types of clients, pets, and care needs. The business later closed after she relocated back to Virginia to be closer to her family in the months leading up to the birth of her daughter.
2020–2023 — Companion-Animal, Exotic & Rehabilitation Practice
Michaela joined a companion-animal and exotic general practice with rehabilitation services, where she worked in a veterinary technician role through on-the-job training. Her experience included dogs and cats, small mammals and pocket pets, avian and other exotic patients, along with introductory experience in veterinary rehabilitation.
2023 — High-Volume Nonprofit Practice
Michaela transitioned into high-volume nonprofit veterinary medicine across multiple facilities as a medical administrator, gaining experience in resource-limited care environments while supporting a large volume of patients and clients.
2023–2026 — Emergency Practice
Michaela continued working at the high-volume nonprofit practice while also beginning work in emergency medicine as a CSR and doctor’s assistant. After a period of working in both settings simultaneously, she transitioned fully into emergency medicine, where her responsibilities expanded to administrative assistant duties before she became the hospital administrator.
2024–Current — Thumper, & Thumper Veterinary Staffing
While working in emergency veterinary medicine, Michaela founded Thumper, initially establishing Thumper Veterinary Staffing as its first service branch. What began as a way to create remote opportunities for experienced veterinary professionals has since grown to include two additional branches: Thumper Pet Care and Thumper PRN Relief. Today, Michaela continues to lead and develop Thumper and its three distinct service branches, each reflecting a different aspect of her experience, professional interests, and commitment to veterinary medicine and animal care.
Thumper Veterinary Staffing (TVS) was founded to provide experienced veterinary professionals with opportunities to continue contributing their knowledge and skills to the veterinary field through remote support. Recognizing the growing need for dependable assistance within veterinary practices, Michaela developed TVS to connect veterinary facilities and approved animal-care organizations with qualified professionals capable of supporting their day-to-day operations remotely. Its service offerings span client communication and front-office support, medical-support and back-office support, administrative support, and specialty support. Through TVS, Michaela aims to help facilities manage essential responsibilities while creating meaningful opportunities for experienced professionals who want to remain connected to veterinary medicine outside the traditional in-clinic setting.
Thumper Pet Care (TPC) is Thumper's traveling pet-care branch, established to bring back many of the pet-care and concierge services Michaela previously provided through her former pet-care business. Its services focus on convenient, personalized in-home care, including drop-in visits, potty-break visits, and routine hygiene support, when appropriate for the individual pet.
Additional care needs may be discussed individually, but services requiring veterinary licensure, supervision, or other legal authorization will not be offered unless all applicable requirements have been satisfied. Thumper Pet Care does not diagnose medical conditions, prescribe treatments, or independently provide veterinary medical services.
Future expansion plans include the possibility of gradually reintroducing additional hands-on grooming services once Michaela's personal medical concerns have been addressed and her health allows her to safely return to those activities.
Thumper PRN Relief (TPR) is the local, in-person veterinary relief branch, established to allow Michaela to personally provide PRN and as-needed support to veterinary facilities requiring additional coverage. Unlike Thumper Veterinary Staffing, this branch does not recruit, match, or place other professionals. Michaela personally provides the services offered through Thumper PRN Relief, with assignments determined by her training, experience, permitted scope of practice, availability, and each facility's individual needs. This branch also reflects her desire to remain connected to hands-on veterinary medicine and return to working directly on the veterinary floor.
Thumper Levine, Barketing and Pawject Support
Thumper is a 10-year-old Puggle-Pitbull mix with a big personality and an even bigger love for carrots and enzymatic dental chews. Michaela adopted him during her first week working in shelter medicine as a 9-week-old puppy, and they have been inseparable ever since. When he’s not snoozing or demanding belly rubs, he’s busy not sharing, side-eyeing dogs bigger than him, or pestering anyone within earshot for his favorite snacks. He also takes his job as the household alarm system very seriously, barking at the sound of anything—real or imaginary. Despite his very spoiled nature, he’s been a loving foster dad to many kittens—though he firmly believes they should respect his personal snack stash.
Jonathan Hagan Hulsey, Founder & Business Support Coordinator
Hagan is Michaela’s younger brother and one of the people she relies on most. Whether there is a project to finish, a task to tackle, or simply an extra set of hands needed, he is always willing to step in and help across the Thumper businesses.
While he runs his own full-time greenhouse farming business, Hagan still dedicates time to supporting Thumper’s mission and growth. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his 14 cats—eight of whom are farm cats—who keep him on his toes. He is also known as the chef of the family and is always cooking up something delicious.
A true animal lover, Hagan is also known for befriending local wildlife. Squirrels, deer, rabbits, birds, and even the occasional possum or skunk all know they can count on him for a snack.
What Guides Us
Faith, Stewardship & Service
Thumper’s Founder-led culture is influenced by Christian values and by the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those values help shape how Thumper approaches service, communication, responsibility, relationships, and the way people are treated.
Thumper also values integrity, stewardship, humility, honesty, compassion, and respect for the dignity of others. Facilities, Contractors, applicants, vendors, clients, and collaborators of diverse backgrounds and beliefs are welcome. No one is required or expected to share the Founder’s personal faith, and professional relationships are built on mutual respect, appropriate qualifications, and shared responsibilities.
Partnership
Listen to what the Facility actually needs, define the scope clearly, and communicate openly when needs, expectations, or circumstances change.
Professionalism
Show up prepared, communicate clearly, protect confidential information, follow through on responsibilities, and treat people with respect. Professionalism also means taking appropriate initiative—recognizing what needs attention, using good judgment, and helping move work forward without waiting to be directed through every obvious next step.
Initiative With Boundaries
Initiative is an important part of experienced support, but it must remain within the accepted Assignment, individual credentials and qualifications, Facility rules, established responsibilities, and applicable legal authority. Taking initiative should make support more effective without overstepping scope, authority, or professional boundaries.