Courtesy Trace Crossings Veterinary + Pet Wellness
A new mobile veterinary practice in Hoover brings expert pet care directly to where pets are most comfortable — their home.
Pet owners in Trace Crossings and surrounding neighborhoods now have a new option for compassionate, personalized veterinary care — and it’s coming straight to their driveway. Trace Crossings Veterinary + Pet Wellness is a mobile veterinary practice founded by owner and veterinarian Dr. Melissa Joseph Miller, a Hoover native with deep roots in the community she now serves.
Dr. Miller grew up in Bluff Park and is a proud graduate of Hoover High School. From a young age, she knew she wanted to work with animals, a passion that led her to Auburn University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in Zoology in 2010. She went on to attend the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating first in her class in 2014. After veterinary school, Dr. Miller practiced small animal medicine and surgery in Montgomery before returning to Auburn as a clinician at the Wilford & Kate Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital. In 2015, she and her husband returned to the Birmingham area, where she has practiced in small animal general practice ever since.
Now living in Trace Crossings with their two daughters and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Maple, Dr. Miller felt called to build something different — a practice centered on connection, trust, and comfort.
Photo courtesy Trace Crossings Veterinary + Pet Wellness
Dr. Melissa Miller and practice manager/veterinary assistant Kelsey Stevens standing with their mobile veterinary clinic.
Trace Crossings Veterinary + Pet Wellness blends in-home veterinary visits with a fully equipped mobile clinic. Many appointments take place inside the pet’s home, where animals tend to be calmer and more relaxed. These visits are ideal for wellness exams, vaccinations, consultations, senior care, and thoughtful conversations between veterinarian and pet parent.
For more advanced medical needs, the mobile clinic can be parked just outside the home. Inside, it functions much like a traditional hospital, featuring a dedicated exam, surgery, and dental suite, in-house laboratory equipment for same-day diagnostics, digital X-ray and ultrasound, full anesthesia and monitoring, and therapeutic laser treatment. When hospitalization or complex procedures are required, Dr. Miller works closely with trusted local brick-and-mortar veterinary practices to ensure seamless referrals and continuity of care.
“I realized my passion wasn’t about seeing more appointments or meeting production goals,” Dr. Miller said. “It was about slowing down, truly listening, and creating space for thoughtful, compassionate care.”
The practice plans to be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon. After-hours and emergency needs are supported through a strong working relationship with Steel City Vets.
Photo courtesy of Trace Crossings Veterinary + Pet Wellness
Dr. Miller and her assistant, Kelsey Stevens, examine a dog inside their mobile clinic.
Dr. Miller is intentional about keeping the practice focused on Trace Crossings and nearby neighborhoods. Staying local allows her to spend more meaningful time with pets and families, provide unrushed care, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It also allows her daughters to see firsthand what it looks like to build a business rooted in purpose and service.
More information is available at tracecrossingspets.com, or by calling (205) 509-1499.