Meet The Veterinarians

A.J. Hardy, D.V.M.

My interest in animals started while growing up in Wisconsin.  We lived outside of Milwaukee and had a menagerie of chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, and horses.  While I enjoyed those "family pets" my real respect for animals came through the many summers I spent on my uncle's dairy farm.  Working with the cows and calves and seeing how well they were treated and cared for made me want to somehow be involved with animals.

I moved to California after high school and eventually received my degree in veterinary medicine from the University of California, Davis.  I felt I owed something to the Wisconsin dairy industry for establishing my interest in animals and moved back there to work as a dairy vet.  After four years, my wife Margaret and I decided that California had more opportunities for our family than Wisconsin, so we returned, moving to San Diego in 1984.

I purchased this practice, then called Clairemont Square Veterinary Clinic, in 1986.  We started with one doctor and two veterinary assistants.  Since then, through the overwhelming support of our clients, we have been able to expand the hospital and have grown to four doctors and ten staff members.

What I enjoy most is getting to know my clients, seeing what their pets mean to them and how they bring quality to each others' lives.  I enjoy helping the pets in any way I can to make their lives, and the lives of their owners, more comfortable.

I currently live in Scripps Ranch with my wife, Margaret. We share our home with a rescued golden retriever named "Kionna".  Our son, Alex, graduated from U.C. Berkeley and is currently working in San Diego as an environmental consultant.  Our daughter, Vanessa, graduated from the University of Arizona and is working for Nordstrom as a talent manager.

Degrees and Memberships:
B.S. Biochemistry, University of California, Davis, 1976
D.V.M. University of California, Davis, 1980
San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association
California Veterinary Medical Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
American Animal Hospital Association - Hospital Director

Outside interests:
soccer, sailing, music, baseball, reading





Roger K. Beck, D.V.M.

I was born and raised in Rushsylvania, a town of six hundred people in rural western Ohio.  I participated in the Future Farmers of America, owned a couple of horses, raised sheep, and worked on both my family farm and others.  The family veterinarian made regular visits to our farm, sparking my interest in veterinary medicine.  Being science oriented, pursuing a career in veterinary medicine was natural.

While in veterinary school at The Ohio State University, I worked at the dairy barn, milking and helping in the husbandry of the OSU dairy herd.  I was a member of Omega Tau Sigma, the professional veterinary fraternity, and Phi Zeta, the the veterinary honorary fraternity.  In my senior year, I received the AVMA's student chapter award as the student contributing the most to the community or school over their four year veterinary term. As an added interest, I played lacrosse for OSU (1958-1962) and received the Big-Ten Athletic Scholarship Award in 1962.

After graduation from The Ohio State University in 1964, my interest in equine and mixed practice led me to apply for, among others, a job with a mixed practice in Bakersfield, California.  However, Uncle Sam called first and sent me to San Diego with the U.S. Army for two years.  Dr. Jim Dowe of Bonita, California, offered me my first job in an equine, dairy, and developing small animal practice.  I was with Dr. Dowe for four years. In 1970, I opened the University City Veterinary Clinic on the north edge of San Diego doing equine and small animal medicine the first year, and small animal practice since then.  I owned the University City Veterinary Clinic for twenty-nine years. I combined my practice with Dr. A.J. Hardy at Lifetime Animal Care Center at our present location in May 1999.

My interest in organized veterinary medicine developed early in my practice career.  Dr. Jim Dowe encouraged me to be the area representative for the South Bay Chapter of the San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association.  In 1975, I was President of the San Diego County VMA, and have continued to be involved since that time.  When invited to participate as a member of the California Veterinary Medical Association's Long Range Planning Committee, and later the Ethics Committee, I agreed, and have served as chairman of both committees.  I served on the California Board of Governors for six years, and as President of the California Veterinary Medical Association in 1995.

My wife, Joanne, and I have four children: Steve is a science teacher and soccer coach in Santa Barbara, married to Jana, an attorney, and mom to Brooklyn; Dave is an attorney in Portsmouth, Ohio, married to Kim, a special education teacher, and mom to their two children Danielle and Hannah; Lynn is a radiologist in Palo Alto married to Peter, a banker, and mom to twins Tommy and Laura, and brother Andy; Tom is a Navy Commander stationed in San Diego, married to Christine, a Navy pediatrician, and mother to Emily and Margaret.

Joanne and I also enjoy our golden retriever, "Buckeye".  We are active members of the Torrey Pines Christian Church.

Degrees and Memberships:
D.V.M., The Ohio State University, 1964
San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association
California Veterinary Medical Association
American Veterinary Medical Association

Outside interests:
wife and family, tennis, traveling





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 always knew I wanted to be a veterinarian and worked hard in school to achieve good grades and gain knowledge to pursue my dream.  I don't think it was until my dog Casey died 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 so I could improve his quality of life 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, where he was finishing his graduate degree in neuroscience.  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 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 our cat named Eightball and an adorable black lab named Diego.

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

Emily Wilkinson, D.V.M.

My enthusiasm for animals has been a part of me for as long as I can remember.  Some of my earliest memories are of animals. We started out with an unforgettable black cat named Pizza, and a couple of rabbits and fish.  I always found going to the zoo more fun than a trip to the park or the movies.  I was fascinated at an early age, and geared my education around them, so that I could always be near them.  I majored in Biology at Cal Poly, and then pursued veterinary medicine at Louisiana State University, graduating in 2005.

I started out working for a small zoo, where they trained me in animal husbandry for a variety of hoof-stock, including antelope, zebra and giraffe.  I also got to work with other interesting animals including ostrich, warthogs, hippos, and secretary birds.  I spent four summers working as a seasonal park ranger in Sequoia National Park. After getting a job as a biologist for the state, I worked at a veterinary clinic on the side, gaining experience in kennel duties and assisting the veterinary nurses and doctors.  While in veterinary school, I spent one summer working at the Tulane Primate Research center, learning and caring for macaques, rabbits, and rodents. While in school, I worked for the school in the barn where we took care of mostly equine patients.  During my senior year, I ex-terned at both large and small animal hospitals.

As an integral member of the LACC team, I will treat every person and every animal with as much respect and care as I would to a family member, because outside of my own immediate family, these are the people and pets I spend the most time with.

Degrees and Memberships:
B.S. Ecology and Systematic Biology, Cal Poly SLO 1999
D.V.M. Louisiana State University 2005
Member - San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association
Member - American Veterinary Medical Association

Outside interests: bird watching, hiking, gardening - any activity that takes me outside, but I also love football, baseball, reading, and playing board games with friends, and I'll never pass-up good barbecue.

GOOD BYE AND GOOD LUCK Dr. SCHULTZ AND ADAM!  WE WILL MISS YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY.


Laura W. Schultz, D.V.M.

So far my career has taken me from coast to coast.  Since I am married to my best friend, Adam, who happens to be in the Navy, we get to travel quite a bit. My career started in Virginia, working at the clinic where I grew up taking my own animals.  Then we went to Kauai, Hawaii for three years where I got to work at several different clinics and expand my knowledge of tropical diseases.  I was also able to become a member of the executive board of the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association where I met many great veterinarians from other islands.  In Hawaii I had the privilege to attend the AVMA Leadership Conference in Chicago in 2005. 

We enjoyed the past 3 years in beautiful San Diego, where I worked here at Lifetime Animal Care Center.  Adam was transferred to Guam late in 2009.  I have now joined him (and the dogs, of course) and we are starting yet another adventure, and making new memories.