Dr. Robert D. Hawkins Jr. grew up watching his father build Troy Animal Clinic into a practice the community trusted. He went to Auburn, earned his veterinary degree, and returned to Troy to be part of it. That was 1990. He has been here ever since. In 2011, when Dr. Doug Hawkins retired, he became the practice’s owner.

Education and Early Career

Dr. Hawkins completed his undergraduate studies at Auburn University, where he studied animal science and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He went on to earn his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990, where he was a member of Alpha Psi, the professional veterinary fraternity.

After graduating from Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Robert spent six months in Jacksonville, Florida, gaining essential clinical experience before returning to Troy to join his father’s practice. He has been a part of Troy Animal Clinic for more than 35 years.

Rooted in Troy

Dr. Hawkins and his wife Melanie are lifelong supporters of the Troy community. He and Melanie are members of First Baptist Church of Troy, and he has served on the board at Pike Liberal Arts School. He has served as president of the Troy Rotary Club, continuing a tradition of Rotary involvement that his father maintained for 52 years. He has also served as president of the Auburn University Alpha Psi Alumni Association.

Fifteen Years on the Sideline

Outside of veterinary medicine, one of the defining chapters of Dr. Hawkins’ life has been coaching. For more than 15 years, he coached women’s basketball at Pike Liberal Arts School, building a program that competed at the highest level of Alabama private school athletics.

Under his leadership, the Patriots reached the state championship game on multiple occasions, winning the state title once and finishing as state runner-up once. For a program in a small school competing against larger institutions, those results speak to the kind of commitment and culture he brought to the gym.

His reputation in the local athletics community reached beyond his own sideline. When Troy University conducted a coaching search for its women’s basketball program, Dr. Hawkins was asked to serve on the hiring committee, a reflection of the trust the community places in him beyond the walls of the clinic.

Family

Dr. Hawkins and Melanie have three children: Douglas, Mary Kane Walters, and Haley Edwards. Their son Douglas followed the family path to Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine and joined the practice in 2020, making Troy Animal Clinic a three-generation family business. Robert and Melanie are the proud grandparents of seven: Duke, Hawkins, and Bobby Edwards; Fin and Nix Hawkins; and Margaret and Elinor Walters.

When he is not at the clinic, you are most likely to find him on his bike. Dr. Hawkins is an avid cyclist and has logged countless miles on the roads in and around Troy over the years.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Hawkins, call us at (334) 566-3356 or request one online.

Dr. R. Douglas Hawkins III grew up in Troy watching his father and grandfather practice veterinary medicine at the clinic his grandfather founded in 1959. He went to Auburn, earned his degree, gained valuable experience on the Carolina coast, and came home. In 2020 he joined Troy Animal Clinic as its third generation of Hawkins veterinarians.

Education and Training

Dr. Hawkins grew up in Troy and, like his father and grandfather before him, headed to Auburn University for his education. He studied animal science with a pre-veterinary focus during his undergraduate years, where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He went on to earn his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2019, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He was a member of Alpha Psi, the professional veterinary fraternity, and served as its president for two years.

As a third-generation Auburn veterinarian, he put it simply: “My grandfather and father were and are veterinarians who graduated from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a veterinarian.”

Professional Life Before Troy Animal Clinic

Before graduating, Dr. Hawkins completed his preceptorship at Grand Strand Animal Hospital in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A preceptorship is a supervised clinical rotation that gives veterinary students hands-on experience in a working practice before they enter the field independently. He had worked at Grand Strand two summers earlier and chose to return specifically because of the volume and variety of cases the facility handled.

After graduation in 2019, he accepted a position as an associate veterinarian at Ocean Isle Veterinary Hospital in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, where he gained additional experience in small animal medicine and surgery. In 2020, he returned to Troy and joined Troy Animal Clinic, becoming the third generation of his family to practice here.

Clinical Interests

Dr. Hawkins’ clinical focus is small animal medicine, surgery, and preventive care. He enjoys the full range of what a general practice offers, from routine wellness visits to more involved surgical cases, and he brings a particular interest in staying current with advances in veterinary medicine that benefit patients in a community practice setting.

Rooted in Troy

Dr. Hawkins is an active deacon at First Baptist Church of Troy, where he currently serves as Chairman of the Welcome Committee and Chairman of the Membership Committee.

He has served on the board of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce and the Pike County Young Professionals, and is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Like his father and grandfather, he has found ways to give back to his community.

Outside the Clinic

Dr. Hawkins and his wife Anna have been married for nine years and have two sons, Finlay and Nix, as well as three dogs: Bella, Bentley, and Livy. When he is not seeing patients, Dr. Hawkins can be found on the golf course, at the gym, following Auburn athletics, or traveling with his family.

Three Generations

Troy Animal Clinic has been a Hawkins family practice for more than 65 years. Dr. Doug Hawkins founded it. Dr. Robert Hawkins grew it. Dr. Douglas Hawkins is the next chapter. For patients who have been coming here for decades, that continuity means something. For new clients, it means you are walking into a practice with deep roots in this community and a team that plans to be here for a long time.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Hawkins, call us at (334) 566-3356 or request one online.

In Memory of Dr. R. Douglas Hawkins

April 15, 1935 – September 5, 2015

Troy Animal Clinic is what it is today because of one man’s decision. In 1959, a young veterinarian fresh out of Auburn University moved to Troy with his wife Rachel, purchased a small animal clinic on South Brundidge Street, and got to work. Dr. R. Douglas Hawkins practiced veterinary medicine in Troy for 52 years. The clinic he built is now in its third generation of family ownership.

From Luverne to Auburn to Troy

Doug Hawkins was born on April 15, 1935, in Luverne, Alabama. He graduated from Luverne High School in 1953 and enrolled at Auburn University, where he threw himself into campus life. He edited the freshman handbook and served as editor of the Glomerata, Auburn’s yearbook. He earned his degree from the Auburn School of Veterinary Medicine and, not long after, he and Rachel were putting down roots in Troy.

He was 24 years old when he bought the clinic. He would practice there for more than five decades.

52 Years of Practice

Dr. Hawkins treated the pets of generations of Troy families. His clients grew up, had their own pets, brought in grandchildren with puppies and kittens. He retired in 2011, by which point his son, Dr. Robert Hawkins, had been practicing alongside him for more than 20 years.

That continuity was not accidental. Dr. Hawkins built something he clearly intended to last, and it has. In 2020, his grandson, Dr. Douglas Hawkins, joined the practice. Three generations of Hawkins veterinarians have now cared for the animals of Troy and the surrounding area.

A Life Beyond the Clinic

Dr. Hawkins gave as much to his community as he did to his profession. He was a Rotarian for 52 years. He was a charter member of the Troy Jaycees and served as president. He served as president of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. He was a charter member of the Pike County Pioneer Museum board and served on the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center Board of Directors.

He was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Troy State University in 1980 and served in that role for 35 years. He organized the Greek system at Troy University and chartered the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, serving as chapter advisor for 25 years. The university named him Greek Man of the Year in 1969.

That breadth of involvement tells you something about who he was. The clinic was central to his life, but it was never the whole of it.

His Legacy

Dr. Hawkins passed away on September 5, 2015, at the age of 80. He is remembered by his family, by the Troy community, and by the many clients who trusted him with their animals over the years.The clinic he purchased in 1959 still stands on South Brundidge Street. His son and grandson practice there today. We are proud to carry his name forward.