Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Dr. Elliott Craig Martin of Crestline Pet Care
At Crestline Pet Care, Dr. Elliott Craig Martin brings more than 30 years of veterinary experience to caring for pets and supporting the people who love them.
Before the doors open each morning at Crestline Pet Care, there’s a quiet rhythm to the place — computers warming up, charts being reviewed, a clinic cat stretching in a heated bed. For Dr. Elliott Craig Martin, it’s a familiar scene. Veterinary medicine has been part of his life since he was 12 years old.
His father, also a veterinarian, put him to work early. But somewhere between high school and college, something shifted. Martin began to see more than the long hours and demanding cases. He saw the impact.
“One thing that had such a great impact on me was my father’s willingness to go the extra mile,” he said. “He would stay late. He would offer pick-up and delivery service for elderly clients who couldn’t drive. That passion to help others has always impacted how I do things.”
After graduating from veterinary school in 1991, Martin practiced alongside his father before eventually launching Liberty Animal Hospital in 2002 with two partners. Years later, that practice expanded into Mountain Brook Village, and in 2023 the clinic relocated to Crestline, where it operates today.
“Crestline felt like the right fit,” he said.
Centrally located and bustling with foot traffic, the neighborhood offers both accessibility and community, which Martin values deeply. He has lived in Mountain Brook since 1995 and has practiced in the area for more than two decades. Over time, clients have become neighbors, friends, fellow church members and parents of children who grew up alongside his own.
The clinic’s philosophy is simple: Be a good neighbor. On a practical level, that starts with staff. From receptionists to technicians to groomers, Martin credits the team’s chemistry and shared purpose for setting the tone. “We all have a passion to help people and their pets,” he said.
Crestline Pet Care includes five veterinarians, each with different clinical interests. Martin enjoys surgery and orthopedics. Others gravitate toward internal medicine or dentistry. The collaborative environment allows doctors to consult with one another, elevating the level of care. “If one of us has a question, we can go to another doctor and talk it through,” he said. “It helps us provide a higher quality of service.”
Their patients are primarily dogs and cats, though the occasional rabbit, hamster or even chicken finds its way through the door. Some clients have followed Martin for decades. A few even remember his father as their childhood veterinarian — a full-circle moment that reflects the generational roots of the practice.
Veterinary medicine has changed dramatically over the years. What once relied heavily on observation now benefits from digital radiography, ultrasonography, in-house lab diagnostics and more. Martin is also watching the rise of artificial intelligence with interest. “AI will never replace the veterinarian,” he said, “but it may help us diagnose and plan treatments more efficiently.”
The emotional weight of the profession remains constant. Hard days are inevitable. When they come, the team leans on one another — sometimes with a hug, sometimes with a prayer.
And then there’s Manny, the clinic’s 16-year-old mascot. Once Martin’s personal cat, Manny now roams the office freely, seeking affection and occasionally interrupting typing sessions. “He’s living his best life,” Martin said with a smile.
Looking ahead, Crestline Pet Care has expanded its after-hours urgent care service, now open until 10 p.m. on weekdays under the leadership of Dr. Scott Upton.
For Martin, the mission hasn’t changed since those early days watching his father: Treat every patient as if it were your own — and serve the people who love them just as faithfully.
