Kayla has been in veterinary medicine since 2007 and is a wonderful vet assistant! She loves all types of animals but is a cat person at heart! She basically has a zoo at home which includes dogs, cats, llamas, lizards, and tortoises. When not working she enjoys reading, dancing, and listening to true crime podcasts!
Haley is from Rochester, NY and since moving has found a passion for caring for animals. She is even in school to be a dog trainer! She has become an important part of our kennel staff providing care to the animals that board overnight with us. She has two dogs and two cats of her own: Ryuk, Draco, Ash and Fez.
Liz has grown up around cats and dogs and she has worked at previous boarding facilities before coming to work with our kennel team. She enjoys working with dogs of different breeds and sizes, larger breeds are her favorite! It’s important to her that when pets are staying at our facility they are welcomed to a fun, enjoyable, and safe environment; she wants to make them feel right at home! She has her own furry son, Ozzy. He is a 3 year old, pit bull mix that she adores!
Aubrey started with DOKO in July of 2022 as a client service representative but has now become a vital part of our assistant team! She is currently in school to become a licensed vet technician. She has a passion for animal care and loves nothing more than helping sick pets become well again. Outside of work she enjoys taking her dogs to the dog park, reading, and watching true crime documentaries! She has two dogs of her own, Izzy and Fat Louie (you have probably seen Fat Louie at the clinic as he grew up as a puppy with us).
Olivia is one of our amazing vet assistants who joined our team in July of 2022! You can mostly find her assisting with our surgical procedures but likes to help with annual visits as well! She loves all types of animals including her leopard gecko Yondu. She also has three cats and two dogs: Randy, Rowdy, Riddle, Kane, and Cupcake!
Ashley started as a kennel tech at our clinic in August of 2022 but has now become an important part of our client service team! She loves animals so much that she has 8 dogs, 3 cats, a tortoise, and a bearded dragon! When she has some down time she enjoys watching Grey’s Anatomy and Law & Order SVU.
Dr. Brian Gallery grew up in Columbia, SC and is a graduate of Heathwood Hall. He earned a bachelor of arts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR. From there, he attended the University of Georgia and completed his veterinary degree in 2009. He began working at Companion Animal Clinic in October of 2015, and purchased the clinic in April of 2017. The hospital was renamed DOKO Animal Hospital in January 2023. Dr. Gallery is married to Dr. Cara McKinnon and they have 2 children, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. In his free time, Dr. Gallery enjoys supporting USC and UGA athletics, spending time outdoors and being with his family. He is a member of the AVMA, SCAV, and the Greater Columbia Association of Veterinarians. Dr. Gallery is also a USDA-accredited veterinarian.
Dr. Cara McKinnon joined DOKO Animal Hospital in the summer of 2017. Originally from Douglas, GA Cara is a graduate of Valdosta State and the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. She has worked at both Cherokee Trail Veterinary Hospital and Banfield Pet Hospital. She has a special interest in surgery; both soft tissue and orthopedic. In her free time, Dr. McKinnon enjoys reading historical fiction and would like to travel to Scotland one day. She is a member of the AVAM, SCAV, and the Greater Columbia Association of Veterinarians. Dr. McKinnon is also a USDA-accredited veterinarian.
Danielle took over as DOKO’s groomer in November of 2018. She has been working with animals since 2004. She initially worked as a veterinary assistant and fell in love with caring for animals, but she wanted to find ways to spend more time with each individual animal. She then decided to attend additional schooling to become a professional dog groomer. Danielle now has over fifteen years of grooming experience. She still enjoys working with animals and loves the transformation a good bath, and haircut can bring to a dog. She resides in Blythewood with her family and their golden retriever, Eva. When not at work she enjoys traveling, photography and sewing.
Pogo is one tough kitty! The first time we saw her, a car had run over her tail, and it had to be amputated.
The second time we saw her, she had been attacked by a dog and had severe damage to her abdomen.
The owners were unable to help have her repaired, so the clinic stepped in to adopt her and have her treated. After three surgeries, many bandages, and 3 months in the ICU, Pogo is happy and healthy! She enjoys relaxing in Dr. G’s office in the morning, and greeting pet parents at the front desk in the afternoon.
If you would like to meet Pogo, stop by anytime, she will be happy to see you!