Dr. Kelly Vernon has had the dream of being a veterinarian since she was a little girl. Her love of animals took off after volunteering at the local animal shelter during elementary school, and since then she’s been focused on how she can continue to improve their lives. She was accepted to the early admissions program at the University of Florida, where she earned her BS in Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation, and then her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2004.

Once out practicing in general and emergency medicine, she wanted to be able to offer more options to patients with chronic pain or mobility issues. She earned her acupuncture certification from the Chi Institute (now Chi University) in 2011, then went on to obtain a certification in canine physical rehabilitation in 2019. Her most recent educational journey was back at Chi University to secure her small animal veterinary medical manipulation certificate (similar to chiropractic manipulations in humans).

Dr. Vernon’s passion for providing care to pets with pain and mobility challenges led her to open her own practice, Strong Strides Veterinary Rehabilitation and Acupuncture, in order to focus fully on these services for her patients. She currently provides care for pets from Ocala to The Villages by house call appointments.