St. Johns Magazine

Pets R Family’s Dr. Kathleen Deckard, DVM

6/1/2020

An Industry Leader, a Compassionate Care Giver

Pets R Family is located at 3035 CR210 West, St Johns, FL
www.petsrfamilyvet.com/

The beautiful furry friends that live in 75% of the population’s homes, are more than just cuddly creatures. These fun-loving pets are an integral part of so many of our families. And so often we love and care for them as our children. Those key individuals who dedicate their lives in the medical care and well being of our pets, are then thrust into the role of “Other Family Doctor”.

Dr. Kathleen Deckard was raised in the Fruit Cove area of Saint Johns County. She then went on to graduate from the University of Florida, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999, where she was President of her graduating class. She immediately moved back to the North Florida area, where she took up residence on CR 210, and has remained since. This was back when CR 210 had no grocery stores, drug stores or restaurants. But she knew this would be home long term, and her future would be built right here.

Dr. Deckard began her career as a Veterinarian in Saint Augustine, at a large multi Doctor practice, with her focus on small animals, reptiles and exotics. However, she had a heartfelt desire to impact her own community where she lived and was now raising her children. Dr. Deckard has always felt a driven purpose to not only provide the very best medical care for pets, but also to make a positive difference in her surrounding area.

As CR 210 began to grow, land was developed and buildings and stores began to open, Dr. Deckard and her husband began the search for a good location to set up their dream. Dr. Deckard and her husband would proclaim that much answered prayer went into the final approval and financing of the building they are in, to allow them to own the building and create what is now Pets R Family Veterinary Hospital.

“ I dedicate my days to improving health, saving lives, and bringing comfort to the beautiful pets with whom I’ve made my life’s work. It’s what excites and fulfills me, it’s what drives me to constant improvement, and it’s what gives me confidence in leading my staff of Doctors and Technicians.”

Dr. Kathleen Deckard, DVM

Brad Deckard is the Co-Owner and Operator of PRF

Pets R Family is located at 3035 CR210 West, St Johns, FL

Pets R Family opened its doors in 2015, and is a full-service animal hospital, focused on internal medicine, dermatology, dentistry, wellness and prevention, and end of life care. It offers full-service boarding, grooming, pet training and Pups N Play social pet care. Dr. Kathleen Deckard and her husband are the full owners of what was a dream since she was 19 years of age. Their practice is designed to provide the very best quality family pet medical care and services with state-of-the-art facility, leading edge equipment and continuing education training with a quality, hand-picked staff. The building that seemed so impossible to achieve, is now the beautiful structure that houses all these great services.

Dr. Deckard is the lead Doctor of this 5 Doctor practice at Pets R Family. And her Team has now amassed to over 50 employees. She and her husband Brad run the daily operations with their two children, Gavin who is 13 and Abigail who is 15, and is following in the career direction of her Mother. Their practice is now involved with over 4,500 patients from their community and surrounding areas. Pets R Family supports many charities, local schools, organizations and churches as part of their larger plan to positively impact the community around them. And it’s the three key tenets of focus in Love, Care and Compassion, that drive all decisions, efforts and focus at PRF. She and her family have built their practice on these key foundational elements, as the root of their Christian faith.

Dr. Kathleen Deckard had a dream to become a leader in the pet care industry. And her continued focus on the care and compassion for the family in that process, is something that truly sets her practice and her results, apart. And in a market area where so many of the Pet Care practices are now corporately owned with cookie cutter service plans, and corporately generated wellness levels, Dr. Deckard and her family owned and managed company can choose to treat the patients needs with customized medical treatments for each client. She has now been practicing animal medicine for over 20 years, and her dream is being lived out daily. However certainly, as her staff knows, she never rests on her current knowledge or position. Dr. Deckard continues to learn, instruct, guide and forge, medical practice and standards that are of the highest level. And her loving, compassionate and caring spirit and demeanor are the qualities that her clients, staff and friends enjoy most.