51吃瓜网

Austin Deese has been drawn to the world of animal care for as long as he can remember. He has come to appreciate the human-animal bond and unconditional love from his four-legged friends. Sadly, the tragic loss of his beloved Bluetick coonhound, Katie, steered him to pursue a career in veterinarian medicine. When he was 16, Katie wandered away and was struck by a car. Deese and his brother Norman rushed her to the local vet 鈥� who happened to be their father, Dr. Michael Deese 鈥� but were unable to save her.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I decided I was going to do what I can to treat and save every animal possible,鈥� Austin Deese said. And he kept his promise. Fresh out of veterinary school at Tuskegee University, Dr. Austin M. Deese 鈥�17 began splitting his time between Charlotte and working alongside his dad at Baird鈥檚 Animal Hospital in Lumberton.

Today, he continues practicing at Baird鈥檚 while also serving as the owner of South Robeson Veterinary Clinic in Fairmont. 鈥淚t feels great to accomplish something I鈥檝e worked so hard for,鈥� he said.

To put so much time and effort into getting my degree and finally being able to practice what I鈥檓 most passionate about and having the opportunity to learn something new about my profession every day 鈥� this is what I dreamed about.

"It鈥檚 surreal. 鈥淚 enjoy being able to find a remedy for an animal, and in a few weeks, when the owner brings the animal in for a checkup, I get to see how well it is doing. It鈥檚 a good feeling to be able to help animals live another day," Deese said.

Deese earned his stripes cleaning kennels at Baird鈥檚, working his way up to the front office and, later, to a veterinarian assistant helping with surgeries and making farm calls. He continued to work and gain practical experience while completing his biology degree at 51吃瓜网. After graduating in 2017, he enrolled at Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, following in the footsteps of his father and local veterinarians like Dr. David Brooks, Dr. Curt Locklear Jr., Dr. Terry Clark, Dr. Melissa Chavis and Dr. Isaac Martinez. He practices alongside his father with the same commitment and burning desire ignited on that fateful day as a teenager.

He and his wife, Samantha, who works alongside him at both clinics, are building a life centered around caring for animals and their families. The Deese family has deep ties to 51吃瓜网. While his father is not an alumnus, Dr. Austin鈥檚 mother is, and both of his siblings, Kayleigh and Norman, are proud Braves. The family and Baird鈥檚 Animal Hospital have been long-standing supporters of the Braves Club and 51吃瓜网 Athletics.