In 1972, Dr. Peter McKoy moved to Camden, SC, to open a veterinary practice. Wateree Animal Hospital was located on Church Street, a small side street one block from downtown. Dr. McKoy knew very little about business, advertising, or marketing. He saw 3 patients during his first week. His filing system consisted of an old cigar box with 100 index cards. Gradually, the word spread and the number of clients grew.

By 1975, Wateree Animal Hospital had outgrown its 3-room facility. With the help of a local businessman, Mr. Bud Davis of Davis Printing Company, Dr. McKoy was able to build on the present Camden location of 500 York Street. Since then, not only has the Camden facility been renovated and expanded, a second hospital was built in Elgin, SC. And the cigar-box filing system has grown into a paperless computer system with 26 computers and more than 15,000 active clients. The practice itself, despite its small-town location and approach, has grown into one of the largest practices in the Midlands of South Carolina.

A large part of our success is having the right people on the team. We look for people who are team players, who can help us carry out our purpose “to provide exceptional client service and excellent medical care in such a way that the clients have a high sense of value for what they receive and reflects our motto of ‘Caring Hearts and Caring Hands.’ ”

Our staff has grown to multiple veterinarians, and 30+ staff at two locations. Our staff’s love of animals is obvious when you walk through the front door. We constantly solicit feedback from existing and new clients. We listen very closely to our clients’ needs and suggestions, as well as their perception of the service they and their pets receive.

Dr. Patrick Wylie and Dr. Eric Rundlett purchased Wateree Animal Hospitals in 2014. They continue to practice our motto, “Caring Hearts and Caring Hands”, and look forward to many years of providing care to the animals in and around our communities.

Dr. Peter B. McKoy

September 9, 1943 – April 2, 2014