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Healing is a gift, one that Missy Weaver
has wanted to give since she was a child.
As a veterinarian, it’s a dream that has
come true. Weaver began her career with
an education at the University of Georgia
in Athens. She graduated with a doctorate
from the school’s College of Veterinary
Medicine in 1993.
“I began working for my small town,
mixed animal veterinarian in Kingstree,
S.C., when I was about 12 years old,” she
said. “I learned then how rewarding it
could be to heal animals when they could
not speak for themselves.”
While treating sick animals can be
extremely fulfi lling, it’s clearly diffi cult.
Weaver welcomes the obstacles and maintains
a positive outlook.
“When an animal is sick and can’t tell
you anything, it can be so challenging. It is
such a gift to be able to heal. It sounds silly,
but it is so exciting every time a diagnosis
is made and a pet is healed. I never take it
for granted,” she said.
After having a private practice for many
years, Weaver was approached by the
Humane Society of South Coastal Georgia
and asked to join its medical team. At fi rst,
it was a position Weaver wasn’t sure that
she could accept.
“When I was initially approached by the
executive director of the Humane Society,
Virginia Schlegel, to help out at the shelter,
I said no. With fi ve boys under 9-years-old
(at home), a busy husband and an active
relief veterinary practice, I didn’t think I
could take on the role needed. I wasn’t sure
if shelter medicine could bring me the joy
that private practice did,” she said.
One visit to the shelter, however, removed
all doubt.
“I was able to see these precious animals
come off the street dirty, needing food and
medical care, and be a part of transforming
them into amazing pets for great families,”
Weaver said.
“There is an highly trained medical team
in place as well as dedicated animal care
workers that have such a passion for their
work. Every day I leave the Humane Society
amazed at the work our team can do.”
Much of that work recently has been to
promote spaying and neutering pets in the
area. It’s vital to responsible pet ownership
and an action that can drastically reduce
the number of homeless animals. The
shelter offers low-cost vaccines plus a spay
and neuter program, which is a huge part of
Weaver’s mission there.
“We have a terrible problem with pet
overpopulation nationwide, but here in
South Georgia, it is particularly bad. We
are able to provide quality, safe spays and
neuters for the community. Our private
practice veterinarians are also working
hard to help the problem with overpopulation,”
she said. “It takes a combined effort
of the entire community to solve this problem.
Not only are we helping with overpopulation,
it has been medically proven
that spayed and neutered cats and dogs live
longer.”
That’s her primary goal – helping to create
healthy, happy pets. Of course, Weaver
also finds happiness in her daily duties.
“There is not a better job that working
with pets all day,” she said.