“To be able to come back to serve this community really means a lot,” Dr. Melillo said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “It’s been incredible. It’s a dream come true to open a clinic in this specific location.”
Heart + Paw CEO Dave Lasus said Melillo was exactly the type of veterinarian the company hoped to partner with as it expanded into Florida.
“We’re beyond excited to partner with Dr. Melillo and bring Heart + Paw to Florida,” Lasus said in a press release. “Our joint-venture model is built around partnering with excellent veterinary professionals who want to lead their own practice with real autonomy. Dr. Melillo is exactly who we had in mind.”
The clinic opened Monday, June 29th, and will offer limited appointments over the next several weeks.
Melillo’s specialties include preventive medicine, soft tissue surgery, and dermatology, an area of veterinary medicine that is especially important in Florida’s hot, humid climate.
“In Florida and throughout the entire Mississippi Delta area, the field of dermatology is really important because of the allergy burden and the environment in general,” Melillo said. “Dogs and cats commonly deal with issues like skin allergies and infections in our area, so I really enjoy helping with those cases in particular.”