Dr. Craig Staehle earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois in 1996. He began his career in the Chicagoland area, where he gained invaluable experience treating a wide range of exotic species. Later that year, he moved to Tampa, Florida, where he spent several years practicing predominately small-animal medicine while still caring for exotic pets.
In 1998, Dr. Craig and his wife, Dr. Kimberly, relocated to the Saint Louis area. Before founding Best Friends Animal Hospital, he practiced in the Saint Peters and O’Fallon communities, building a reputation for compassionate care and medical excellence.
Dr. Craig says the greatest joy of his work comes from helping animals and embracing the incredible diversity that veterinary medicine offers. His areas of special interest include orthopedic surgery, dentistry, and exotic animal medicine. He is also PennHip certified and particularly enjoys treating reptiles.
Outside the clinic, Dr. Craig loves spending time with his family. He and Dr. Kimberly have two children, Kyle and Cassidy. Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Dr. Craig grew up in a highly athletic family—his father played professional baseball for the Chicago White Sox and several other Major League teams, and he and his three brothers were deeply involved in sports.
His passion for animals began early. “I always wanted to work with animals,” he says. “In college, I had a moment of clarity and just knew I wanted to become a veterinarian.” Over the years, he has cared for a wide range of pets, including dogs, cats, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.
Today, he is the proud pet parent of dogs Piper and Goose, and cats Kibble, Ellie, and Ash.
Dr. Craig considers himself blessed to have what he calls “the greatest job in the world”—one that challenges him to learn, grow, and provide pets with the best possible quality of life. In 2019, he was honored with the PetPlan Veterinarian of the Year Award, selected from more than 2,000 nominees across the United States and Canada—an achievement the entire team is incredibly proud of.
