About Us

Dr. Sunil Kakarla, an experienced and compassionate veterinarian in Cary, NC, grew up in India. After graduating from the College of Veterinary Medicine in India, he practiced as a companion animal veterinarian for five years in a metropolitan city in India. He moved to the United States in 2005 with a passion for practicing high-quality veterinary medicine in an advanced setting. During that process, he pursued his MS and Ph.D. in a renowned lab at Marshall University in West Virginia.

As a graduate student, Dr. Kakarla performed cutting-edge research and had several high impact publications to his credit. While pursuing graduate studies, he simultaneously completed the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE) in 2010.

Soon after this accomplishment, he began volunteering at several local animal hospitals. He completed his clinical experience program and obtained his license to practice in the US the same year.

In 2011, after graduating with a doctoral degree, he joined a small animal practice in Durham/RTP where he established a huge clientele and treated about 6000 to 7000 pets per year.

With his continued passion to provide the best quality veterinary care, he joined the state-of-the-art Walnut Street Animal Hospital in June 2016. As a veterinarian in the RTP area of NC, he strongly believes in quality care for pets and in being available to his patients when needed.

Sunil Kakarla is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and has special interests in dermatology and soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, as well as emergency medicine. Dr. Kakarla is married and has a son and a daughter. He enjoys spending quality time with his family, including his 1-year-old Golden-Doodle, Brownie, and a 4-year-old Poodle, Milky. He enjoys serving his community by actively helping rescue groups and shelter pets, and in his free time, he plays volleyball.

After graduating from the College of Veterinary Medicine in India, he practiced and managed a companion animal hospital for twenty years. He moved to the United States with a passion to work as an associate in advanced-setting animal hospitals. His main aim is to cultivate a positive, happy, and inclusive working environment for the staff, providing a friendly and welcoming environment for all the clients. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his better half, Jyotsna, and their two children, Bhuvan and Rutvi.

Dr. Brennan completed both his undergrad studies and veterinary school at Virginia Tech. After graduation, he practiced in North Carolina before deciding to join us here in California. Dr. Brennan loves hiking, golfing, kayaking, and going to live music events. He owns a pit bull named Trixie and a small cat named Darwin. He can’t wait to take care of all the dogs and cats that live here in Pacific Beach!

Bio coming soon!

I had always hoped to grow up to be like Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone who were my heroes in the 50’s and 60’s – eons ago. Instead of making friends with Native Americans like they did, I try to make friends with animals and help them when they need it. I grew up in Miami, Florida with lots of wildlife around. I loved alligators, crabs, turtle, snakes… you name it, I would watch it! School was always fun for me, as was ballet, tennis, orchestra, Honor Guard, French club, and various other activities and sports in high school. I attended college at Florida Institute of Technology to study Oceanography with plans to be like Jacques Cousteau with my own 2-man submarine and TV show.

After moving to California, I switched to pre-veterinary studies at SDSU upon the realization that I could combine my two interests of nature and medicine into my career. Then, after graduating from UC Davis in 1983, I worked in emergency for 10 years before purchasing Grand Animal Hospital. I spend my free time with my animals and enjoy swimming and hiking with my husband of 16 years. I appreciate all my wonderful clients and their furry families, who are the best part of my busy days. Thank you. If you would like to find out more about my background, please ask!

Sarah is an NC State graduate with double majors in Animal Science and Applied Nutrition. She has lived with animals her entire life and has always had a special place in her heart for them. She has been with the company since 2019, and she loves her job. Not only does she have the opportunity to meet new people and pets on a daily basis, but she also gets to help those fur babies stay happy and healthy with their families. Her favorite things to do outside of work include spending time with her furry kiddos; two dogs named Ochi and Denali, and two cats named Juniper and George. When she’s not at work, you can find her hiking with her dog, or taking part in any other activities in which she can include them.

Hello! My name is Caitlin, and I have been with Walnut Street Animal Hospital since 2017. I started out as a receptionist and after being with this practice for a year, I was promoted to Manager and transferred to our sister location, Capital Boulevard Animal Hospital. I absolutely loved the experience of opening a new clinic and getting acquainted with all of the rescues. I am excited to start my new role as Client Coordinator with the company. I have always loved working with clients and making sure the owner and furbaby have a positive experience. In my free time, I am with my 2 human kiddos as well as my own furbabies.