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Meet Our Team

We’re dedicated to your pet’s health.

APPOINTMENT

We’ll be there when you need us most.

Circle of Life Animal Hospital is a well-established, full-service, small veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical, and dental care for the pets of Festus, Missouri.

Dr. Rachel Barr, DVM, MBA

Dr. Rachel Barr, DVM, MBA

Managing DVM

Dr. Rachel Barr grew up in West Monroe, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she worked as a receptionist and veterinary assistant at Highland Road Animal Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Barr received her doctorate at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. During veterinary school, she also received her Master’s in Business Administration from Louisiana State University at Shreveport. After graduation, Dr. Barr moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to work as an associate veterinarian in a high-volume small animal practice before deciding to move to the St. Louis area. In her free time, Dr. Barr enjoys cooking, playing the piano, traveling, and cheering on the LSU Tigers. She especially enjoys spending time with her best friend, a German Shepherd Mix named Sable!

Dr. Amy Jo Cook-Breeze, DVM

Dr. Amy Jo Cook-Breeze, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Cook-Breeze grew up in Crystal City, Missouri. After graduating from Crystal City High School, she attended the University of Missouri, majoring in biochemistry. She graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997. Her first job took her to Hillsboro, Missouri. She then practiced at All Creatures Animal Hospital in O’Fallon, Missouri. She came to Blum Animal Hospital in 2002. In 2004, she purchased the practice and renamed it Circle of Life Animal Hospital. Dr. Cook-Breeze is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, the Greater St. Louis Veterinary Medical Association, and the Twin City Chamber of Commerce. She is a lifetime member of the University of Missouri Alumni Association and a lifetime member of the Varsity M Association from her college career in track and field. Dr. Cook-Breeze has three children, Alex (15), and Lucas (18), and Logan (27).

Dr. Jeaneyl Hazlett, DVM

Dr. Jeaneyl Hazlett, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Hazlett is a part-time doctor at Circle of Life Animal Hospital. She graduated from Iowa State Veterinary College in 1975. She has been with us for sixteen years. Prior to moving to DeSoto, Dr. Hazlett owned a veterinary practice for 25 years. She has a special interest in felines (cats) and geriatric medicine. She is a proud owner of two cats, Banjo and Bootsie who are 7 years old. She enjoys working in her garden and traveling in her free time.

Jennifer

Jennifer

Practice Manager

Jennifer has been at Circle of Life since 2008. She knew she had a passion for working with animals ever since she was a child. She has worked multiple roles within the hospital before becoming practice manager. She began as a kennel assistant, moved to reception, and then was a technician for 11 years. Jennifer truly loves educating clients and getting to see all of the fur babies.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and relaxing with a good movie.

Faith

Faith

Vet Assistant

Faith is currently making her mark as a dedicated veterinary assistant. She initially joined our team as a summer intern, and her unwavering commitment and passion for animal care have earned her a full-time role with us, where she has thrived for the past three months. Faith’s ultimate goal is to complete her college education and pursue a career in Veterinary School. In addition to her professional pursuits, she is a standout athlete, proudly representing Marryville University as a member of their Collegiate Hockey team.

Faith also finds joy in staying active. She can often be found lifting weights or enjoying the great outdoors. One of Faith’s most endearing qualities is her delightful and goofy personality. Family holds a special place in her heart, and she cherishes spending quality time with her nephew and her beloved Chiweenie companion, Vladimir.

Allison

Allison

Vet Assistant

Allison is a dedicated veterinary assistant who joined our team in August. Her unwavering commitment lies in continually expanding her expertise and understanding within the veterinary field. Beyond her passion for animals and healthcare, she treasures moments spent with her loved ones, including her cherished pets, and finds joy in lending her voice to the choir. Remarkably, Allison boasts a decade-long journey in the world of musical theatre.

Emily

Emily

Kennel Assistant

Meet Emily, our dedicated kennel assistant who joined our team in June of this year. Her aspirations are set on attending school to pursue a career as a veterinary technician. Through her role as a kennel assistant, she has acquired valuable insights into animal behavior and honed her time management skills.

Emily is a person in constant motion, rarely found at home, as she enthusiastically explores and enjoys the vibrant city life. A delightful quirk about her is the unique fact that she possesses two crooked pinky bones.

Haylie

Haylie

Kennel Assistant

Haylie’s journey in the veterinary field is just beginning, but her dedication to animal care and welfare is already shining bright.

A high school graduate who achieved this milestone six months ahead of schedule, Haylie’s commitment to excellence is evident in everything she does. As she prepares to pursue further education in the fall, she brings a fresh perspective and a hunger for knowledge to our team.

When she’s not caring for our furry friends, you can find Haylie enjoying quality time with her four cherished cats or hitting the open road with her friends for leisurely drives. With a love for adventure and a taste for spicy flavors, she adds a dash of excitement to our
practice.

Karen

Karen

Groomer

Karen has been grooming animals for 40 years and has been a part of our team for 27 years. She loves all the fur babies that she gets to meet through grooming daily. She shares her home with dogs, cats, chickens, and ponies.
Tessa

Tessa

Groomer Assistant

Tessa has been assisting her mom, Karen, for 23 years at Circle of Life.
Amber

Amber

Customer Service Representative

Amber has been in the Veterinary field as a customer service representative for eight years. When she first started her journey she worked at a hospital in Illinois for almost four years, then met her fiancé and moved to De Soto. A year later she started working for Circle of Life. Amber’s always had a passion for helping people and animals and she’s happy she gets to do that every day.

She has two dogs, Calli and Roscoe, and three cats, Sammy, Binx, and the newest addition Zazu.

Dara

Dara

Customer Service Representative

Dara dedicated the last eight months to Circle of Life and has a decade of experience in the animal care field. Her passion lies in assisting with TNR for feral cats and indulging in her love for painting. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and her beloved furry companions, Cooper, Xavier, June, and Wobbles.
Kaitlyn L.

Kaitlyn L.

Receptionist

Kaitlyn has been a CSR with us for over a year.  She has been in the field for several years. She loves meeting all the new pets. She has a dog named Woofie and they spend all of their time on the rivers , float trips, and woods hiking. 

Kyrissa

Kyrissa

Technician

Kyrissa is friendly, outgoing, and loves meeting new patients and clients, as well as maintaining strong relationships with existing clients. Her love for animals doesn’t end with our Circle of Life fur babies. At home, she’s wranglin her large crew: Gemma ( pitbull), Jax ( shepherd/pyrenees), Opie ( hound/dane), and Larry ( bearded dragon). Kyrissa started off as a receptionist in 2021 and in 2022 achieved her goal of becoming a technician!

Amanda

Amanda

Technician

Amanda has been working in the veterinary field since 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University. She has been part of the Circle of Life Family since May of 2017. A mother of 2, when she’s not helping care for our wonderful patients she enjoys relaxing at home with her family members, those both with and without fur, and being active within the Missouri Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Bridget

Bridget

Technician

Bridget holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, an Associate of Science in Pre-Veterinary Medicine, and is certified as an ALAT in research. She currently serves as a Veterinary Technician and Inventory Manager, bringing 25 years of experience in the veterinary field, with 11 of those years dedicated to our team. Bridget is pursuing her RVT and looks forward to eventually retiring from the field. 

In her free time, she finds joy in gardening, trout fishing, and spending quality time with her family on the farm – all activities closely tied to her crazy farm life!

Fun fact: She is a competitive fisher. 

Lisa

Lisa

Technician

Lisa has been part of our team for five months as a vet tech. She has 25 years of experience in the animal world, including five years at an emergency clinic. 

In her free time, Lisa enjoys hanging with her two dogs, Pants and Bruiser.

Fun fact: She is a huge hockey fan (LGB!) and she was a groomer for 23 years.

Sarah

Sarah

Technician

Sarah began working as a kennel assistant and has made her way up to a vet tech. She graduated from Midwest Institute with an associate’s degree. Sarah’s goals include passing the VTNE and becoming an RVT. Then, she plans on getting her Bachelor’s degree in biology, completing veterinary college, and earning her DVM.

In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dogs, Toes (hound mix) and Ruger (boxer pit mix), floating down the river, fishing, and getting lost in a book.

Fun fact: She has danced for 15 years of her life, and she is the first girl born on her dad’s side of the family.