As a young boy, Dr. Kier enjoyed interacting with any animal he could get his hands on, both domesticated and wild. He enjoyed reading books written by James Herriot, a British veterinary surgeon, and obtained the Veterinary Science merit badge on his journey to become an Eagle Scout. By the age of 12, Dr. Kier knew he wanted to be a veterinarian when he “grew up.”
Dr. Kier attended Virginia Tech where he earned a Bachelor of Science with a major in Wildlife Science and minors in Animal Science and Biology. During his undergraduate studies, Dr. Kier volunteered at the New River Valley Wildlife Center and had a summer internship with the veterinary service at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aviary. He also worked at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine where he met Dr. Smithwick.
After graduation, Dr. Kier worked in a research lab studying parasites of companion animals and livestock. A few years later he taught a veterinary assistant program at a trade school before attending Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, located on the island of St. Kitts in the West Indies. His senior year studies were completed at the University of Georgia.
When not working at the hospital, Dr. Kier enjoys fishing, boating, camping, hiking, rugby, soccer, skeet shooting, and darts. Although he is a veterinarian now, Dr. Smithwick feels he still hasn’t “grown-up.”