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Open For 28 Years

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Call Us! 252-504-2097 Online Booking Available
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Our Care Team

Your pet’s emotional and physical well-being is prioritized with every visit. We put our patients first!

Our Care Team
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Kristina Hollingsworth

Kristina

Hospital Manager

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Kristina remembers the exact moment that she realized animal care would be an important part of her life. One day while growing up in her hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, she came across a bird in a local park with a string wrapped around its beak. With the help of another passerby, she managed to get the string off and set the creature free. From that moment on, Kristina knew that she wanted to help animals professionally!

Kristina’s veterinary journey began when she started working as a dog trainer alongside her friend, who served as a professional trainer. After learning the ropes, Kristina set out on her own at the age of 26 and continued to train and rehabilitate dogs until meeting Dr. Lloyd through a mutual friend. She joined the Live Oak Veterinary Hospital team shortly afterward, and now serves the area’s pets and animal owners as a Veterinary Assistant. Kristina’s favorite part of her work is getting to meet a variety of pet personalities every day, and she also enjoys learning more about reptile and rodent companions.

Kristina lives in Beaufort and has two beautiful dogs of her own at home.

Alivia Reek

Sarah

Veterinary Assistant

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Bio coming soon.

Alivia Reek

Byrd

Veterinary Assistant

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Byrd’s path to veterinary medicine may have taken a few unexpected turns, but helping animals has been a constant throughout her life. As a child, she brought home stray animals and watched her mother care for animals injured by the family’s dogs. Her grandfather bred Beagles, and spending time with him caring for and training the dogs gave Byrd an early appreciation for looking after animals.

After studying biochemistry in college, Byrd returned to school to earn her Veterinary Assistant certification. After college, she ultimately chose a different path when presented with other career opportunities, but her passion for animals never faded. When she was laid off from her job as a loan officer, encouragement from her stepmom inspired her to return to veterinary medicine. In November 2024, Byrd joined Live Oak Veterinary Hospital, where she found herself back where she belonged—caring for animals and pursuing the meaningful career she had always felt called to.

Today, as our Veterinary Assistant, Byrd has discovered that some of her favorite parts of the job satisfy her curiosity. She enjoys surgery and loves the diagnostic process because animals cannot explain what hurts, making each case feel like a mystery to solve. Her interest in science makes the in-house laboratory especially appealing.

Her compassion for animals extends beyond the hospital. Years ago, Byrd rescued a litter of two-day-old kittens after their mother was hit by a car. She bottle-fed them and brought them to her mother’s beauty shop while she worked, where clients helped with feedings. The kittens later developed mange, and Byrd did too, but all eventually found good homes.

Outside of the clinic, Byrd shares her life with her husband, Rick, dogs, cats and a crested gecko. She enjoys Stephen King novels, old books, sourdough baking and finding treasured books at thrift stores and yard sales. For Byrd, caring for animals is more than a career—it’s a passion that stayed with her through every chapter and ultimately led her back to her purpose.

Alivia Reek

Kathryn

Kennel Technician

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Growing up, Kat saw firsthand how much people are willing to do for the animals they love. One of the biggest influences was her family’s diabetic cat, Tiny, whose care required constant attention, patience and dedication. Watching her mother do everything possible to keep him healthy and comfortable showed Kat just how powerful the bond between people and their pets can be.

That experience stayed with her as she grew older and helped shape the kind of career she wanted for herself. Kat was drawn to work that felt meaningful, offered opportunities to learn every day and allowed her to make a positive difference in her community. Veterinary medicine combined all of those things, giving her the chance to support both animals and the people who care for them.

In August 2025, Kat joined Live Oak Veterinary Hospital, where she began turning her passion for animals into a career in veterinary medicine. She currently works as a Kennel Technician while learning the skills needed to become a Veterinary Assistant. One of her favorite parts of the job is getting to know both clients and patients while continuing to expand her knowledge through hands-on experience. 

Kat especially enjoys learning the behind-the-scenes aspects of veterinary medicine, including running blood work, taking X-rays and properly handling patients. She also loves spending time with the hospital’s boarding dogs and watching their personalities shine as they run and play.

Born and raised in Morehead City, North Carolina, Kat grew up surrounded by family, pets and a strong sense of community. Today, she shares her life with two dogs, Dobby and Koda, and three cats, Deuce, Suki and Hailey. Outside of work, she enjoys fishing with her boyfriend, Carson, and still remembers the excitement of catching her first slot red drum just before sunset. Like veterinary medicine, fishing has taught her the value of patience, persistence and appreciating the moment when all your hard work finally pays off.

23,458 Sloppy Kisses

23,458

Sloppy Kisses

19,389 Bellies Rubbed

19,389

Bellies Rubbed

27,193 Treats Given

27,193

Treats Given