Meet Dr. Lawlor
Dr. Kayla Lawlor was born and raised in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Growing up, Dr. Lawlor always loved animals and refused to take no for an answer when begging for her family’s first canine companion. Since that time, Dr. Lawlor earned her bachelor’s degree from New England College in Henniker New Hampshire, while working part time and playing collegiate basketball. Dr. Lawlor then went on to earn her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida in 2019. Upon obtaining her veterinary degree, Dr. Lawlor relocated to the area and has never looked back since. After working for approximately 1.5 years in the area, Dr. Lawlor realized the significant need for not only large animal veterinarians in the area, but small animal veterinarians as well.
This community’s tremendous need is what pushed Dr Lawlor to open Big Bear Veterinary Clinic here in Hayesville, NC. Not only did Hayesville not have a veterinarian, but the nearest emergency clinic was at least 45 minutes away. Upon opening Big Bear Vet in October of 2020, Dr. Lawlor committed to serving the areas small and large animals in need of veterinary care.
Not only was she passionate about providing care to owned animals, but she was also passionate about rescue work and helping animals in need. Dr. Lawlor works closely with Humane Society’s Mountain Shelter in Blairsville, providing discounted veterinary care and surgeries to their animals. These animals then get a new chance at life once they are adopted by their forever homes. Dr. Lawlor also works closely with Wet Noses Animal Rescue, a rescue out of Blue Ridge, Georgia that Dr. Lawlor encountered via her previous job.
Dr. Lawlor also started her own rescue through the clinic, called Big Bear Ranch Rescue. She hopes to have this rescue 501C3 registered soon, so that she can grow the rescue to help stray and abandoned pets within the Clay County Area. There are so many pets in need, and it is important for Dr. Lawlor to be able to provide what services she can to these animals.
In her free time, Dr. Lawlor loves spending time with her fiancé Chris and her son Colton Ryan. She enjoys fishing, hiking, and going to the lake in the summer months. She also enjoys riding her horses Domino, Rye, and Brody whenever she can. She also has four dogs at home, Beaudee, Harley, Kodiak, and Maggie, who make her life complete.