Today we’d like to introduce you to Clint Martin.
Hi Clint , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I first wanted to be a Veterinarian at 5 years old. I saw our local Vet doing an exam on our dog and thought “I want to be him when I grow up.” The answer to “what do you want to be when you grow up” never changed after that moment. At 16 I got Hired at Blue Ridge Animal Clinic and was mentored by Dr. Brooks and Dr Busby. This clinic confirmed I wanted my Career to be in Veterinary Medicine. I attended Auburn University where I earned my B.S in Animal Science and M. Ag focused in Meat Science. I then got accepted into Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, where I earned my DVM in 2018. My wife and I moved to Chapel Hill TN, and I joined the team of Creekside Animal Hospital for my first job as a Veterinarian. I worked for Creekside which turned into VCA Creekside during my first year, for a total of almost 7 years. I grew professionally and personally during my time there, and we were blessed enough to bring our first two kids Banks and Hazel Claire into the world. I learned a ton from Dr’s Kinnard and Delffs and other associates during that time, but it was always my dream to own my own clinic. I started the process in the fall of 2024. During which time I had an event in my life that caused me to fully appreciate my Faith, Family, and Life in general. This event reinforced it was time to start my journey as a practice owner, live my life intentionally and through hard work and dedication we realized this dream on June 23rd, 2025. We named the clinic Acres Veterinary Clinic from the first letters of animals names we have saved/adopted/rescued throughout the years.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Outside looking in, yes it has been smooth. If you ask my wife the same question, a resounding “No” will most likely be her answer.
My main struggle was the confidence to just start. Start the process of taking a leap of faith and opening a business. If I just talked about it, then no real faith was tested, and no results required. In short, I could complain about things I did not like about our current situation because it was not me making the decisions. My wife Marlie was the biggest reason this changed. She believed in me and empowered me to start.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a small animal general practice Veterinary Clinic. We offer services ranging from Wellness exams and vaccines, Surgery and Dentistry procedures, endoscopic foreign body removal, as well as diagnostic imaging services (radiographs and ultrasound).
Our motto is “A thoughtful approach to heartfelt care”
We realize everyone is coming to us perhaps in a different stage of life, so we try to meet you in that stage and formulate treatment options that work best for you and your pets.
ACRES came from animals in our past and present who affect our future.
A=Athena: Anatolian/Bernese mix who came to me for a euthanasia appointment, we amputated her leg, and she has been with us happily ever since.
C=Chappy and Carlisle: Chappy was my Heart Dog and Carlisle was Marlie’s Heart Cat. We call them this because they were unlike any other animal we have had. They were completely a part of our family. When we lost them, they left a void.
R=Ranger and Rufio: They still live with us; Ranger is Border Collie/Lab mix and Rufio is a one-eyed long-haired tabby/Maine coon mix. Rufio struggled with a bad URI infection as a kitten causing the loss of the eye. Ranger came to us rehomed due to energy requirements.
E=Elam: He is a Great Pyrenees mix, dumped at our current home at 4 months old, covered in ticks and fleas, with a congenital heart murmur/defect that is non-surgical.
S= Sparky and Sister: Sparky was my childhood rat terrier who had nine lives and was a constant reminder of my dreams to be a vet. Sister is one of our current outside cats, that may be the best animal we have. She has moved with us three times from Vet School in Alabama to our current home in Murfreesboro TN.
How do you think about luck?
I have had my share of both.
Good luck, meeting my wife who when we married turned out to be my second-best decision of my life. 1st was giving my life to Christ.
Good luck: first job at independent owned clinic, perceived bad luck when he sold to corporate but then realized I have seen both sides of Vet med in that sense. So, I am better prepared for my career moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://acresveterinaryclinic.com
- Instagram: acresveterinaryclinic
- Facebook: Acres Veterinary Clinic
