Dr. Craig Bernard was born in South Africa and moved to Ohio with his family at a young age. His love for animals started with African wildlife photography, but became a true interest when his grandfather took him on a Safari bush hike. There is nothing like the awe inspiring wonder of encountering rhinos, elephants, and lions in the wild. Since then Dr. Bernard was hooked and his veterinary career has grown from there.
Dr. Bernard earned his Bachelors of Science degree at the University of Akron in Ohio and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (Go Bucks!). After graduation, Dr. Bernard commissioned into Active Duty as a U.S. Army Veterinary Corps Officer. As a veterinarian in the military, he served closely with Security Forces and Military Police, ensuring their military working dogs were healthy and ready to do their jobs of patrol and drug/explosive detection. His army career eventually brought Dr. Bernard and his family to the Melbourne, Florida area where he served as the military veterinarian at Patrick SFB until May 2024.
“As a veterinarian, I strive to use my knowledge of veterinary medicine to help all healthy and sick animals. By portraying values of integrity, compassion, and selfless service, I seek to build trust and respect with my veterinary team and all pet owners. God has blessed us with so many amazing animals. Helping dogs and cats to live their best lives with their families is the least I can do as a vet.”
Dr. Bernard’s professional interests include surgery and dentistry. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, woodworking, and enjoying the outdoors. Dr. Bernard met his wife, Daniela (you may know her also as Dr. Bernard), at veterinary school and got married in May 2020. They don’t have any children yet, but they do have a loving dog named Roscoe.