Kelly M. Pizzo, D.V.M. I have always had a love for animals of any type. Ever since I was five years old, I wanted to be a person who could aid animals in need of help. While other kids in the neighborhood were pretending to be homemakers, cowboys, and teachers, I pretended to be a veterinarian. I would loan my stuffed animals to my playmates and they would bring them to my "office" to be healed.

I spent a lot of my childhood summers on my uncle's farm where I had a Shetland pony named Bob Crachet. I watched with interest as the local veterinarian trimmed the hooves on the ponies and our very wild five-year-old horse. I found his job and his approach towards these magnificent animals exciting. Although I had wanted to be a veterinarian since I was five it wasn’t until my dog Casey died in my arms when I was a senior in high school that I truly had the passion and determination to succeed in my goal of becoming a veterinarian. Being unable to help him or even know what was really going on made me want to learn all I could to help any animal that came my way. That desire is what kept me focused through undergraduate college and the tough pre-vet courses.

I graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia, in 1991 with my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree. I married my college sweetheart shortly thereafter and moved to Galveston, Texas. I practiced veterinary medicine in Texas for four years before moving to San Diego. Prior to becoming an employee of Lifetime Animal Care Center, I worked about four years as a relief veterinarian throughout San Diego County. While it was exciting to meet new people and see a variety of veterinary practices, I was also discouraged at being unable to follow cases and get to know clients and their beloved pets.

Lifetime Animal Care Center is a wonderful place to work with a very caring staff both for the animals and the people. I have worked here since 1999 and find it to be the best place I have ever worked; a lot of that is because of the staff members, many who have been here as long as I have if not longer. I thoroughly enjoy working with everyone here and delight in getting to know clients and their companion animals.

I live in Clairemont with my husband, Don, and our three sons, Anthony, Vincent, and Nicholas. We also share our home with 3 black Labradors named: Diego, Rogue and Maverick and 2 cats adopted from the Humane Society: Phoenix and Shadowfax.

Degrees and Memberships:

• B.S. Animal Science, University of Missouri-Columbia 1987
• D.V.M. University of Missouri-Columbia 1991
• San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association
• American Veterinary Medical Association

Outside interests: gardening, camping, reading, football, baseball