All Aboard for this week’s feature highlighting the entrepreneurs and innovators who drive The Platform at Greer. This week, we’re getting on board with Dr. Christy Belcher, founder of Vet Chat Mobile Veterinarian service. As you’ll read here, Dr. Belcher is the quintessential example of the innovators in our Platform community. While Dr. Belcher’s primary business offers personalized mobile care, her innovations go well beyond that, making her a veterinary trailblazer in South Carolina.
Dr. Belcher says The Platform at Greer helped her launch Vet Chat when she presented at IGNITE Greer in 2023. Since then, she says, she’s learned a lot about business, finances, and networking at Platform events. Most recently, Dr. Belcher attended the Bootcamp 15 pitch event to hear about Tom Ostrowski’s business, Tech Pet IQ. After Bootcamp, the two have met and have even talked about collaborating to strengthen each other’s businesses and help beloved pets enjoy healthier and longer lives.
Through Vet Chat, Dr. Belcher cares for her clients in Upstate South Carolina – in places like homes, schools, businesses, assisted living facilities, and farms. She offers well-visits, vaccinations, bloodwork, and minor sick appointments. Dr. Belcher has a breadth of education, training, and experience caring for animals around the world. Check out her website for some cool videos of her work – including some behind-the-scenes action at the Greenville Zoo!
Dr. Belcher is one of only two forensic veterinarians in South Carolina. If you’ve never heard of such a thing, you’re not alone! Dr. Belcher says the FBI, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and veterinary experts from across the country have helped train her for this role. She attends monthly meetings to collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement.
Dr. Belcher says in many ways, the role of a forensic veterinarian is similar to a human medical examiner with a broader scope. She examines animals who have died from abuse, provides urgent care of live victims, and helps analyze crime scenes. In her role as a forensic veterinarian, Dr. Belcher often interacts with first responders, animal control, code enforcement officers, environmental protection teams, and the Department of Social Services.
Dr. Belcher says she is often the first person to offer care to the animals and even the humans involved in her cases. “I represent the animals who don’t have a voice,” Belcher says. “I feel like I have learned so much and have offered care and compassion to those on both sides of the leash.”
Check out the Platform at Greer’s social media feeds to get Dr. Belcher’s expert advice on purchasing or adopting a pet.