By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

The charm of small-town living is one of the top reasons Carlee Wollard chose to start her veterinary career at Hillsboro.

A May graduate of Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, she started work at Hillsboro Animal Clinic this week.

“Essentially I’m from Winfield,” Wollard said. “I wanted to go someplace that was a small town. It just seemed like a wonderful fit.”

Driving the streets of Hillsboro and the highways of the county gave her a good feeling for the place, Wollard said.

“I got a sense of peace and serenity driving around the county,” she said. “I think it will be the perfect place.”

Bolstering that belief are the words of Hillsboro residents she’s met, who say they love living there.

She said she knew she wanted to become a veterinarian when she was 6 or 7 years old. Her grandparents had a farm outside Arkansas City. She grew to love animals as well as science and math.

Adding to her interest is her mother’s profession as a biology teacher.

Her favorite animals to work with are cattle, Wollard said. She’ll likely see no shortage of cattle in the clinic, which provides treatment for both livestock and pets.

“I love the cows,” Wollard said. “They’re calm. They’re beautiful.”

Her favorite part of working with cattle is calving.

“I really like helping with difficult births,” she said. “I like seeing that calf be born and be all right. I also like surgery.”

One other thing she looks forward to in Hillsboro is finding out how else to spend time after years of studying and taking tests.

“I’m really looking forward to finding out what I like to do and developing some hobbies,” Wollard said.