I am one of those vets who always wanted to be a vet right from my early school years. I graduated from Liverpool University in 2002 and spent 3 years working as a mixed animal vet in Dorset. I then moved to Weymouth and became a small animal vet working at a neighbouring practice.

l joined Dave Cumber vets around seven years ago now, which felt like coming full circle in a way as I had seen practice regularly there before getting into university.

What motivates you to work in the veterinary industry?

It’s simple really - I love being able to help improve our patients and their owners’ lives. I love the contact and variety this job has, the fact that two days are never the same. I have a personal bias towards surgery, but I also thoroughly enjoy consulting too. I love the team aspect of our world; we support and uplift each other.

Can you tell us more about the practice and the team, and what it’s like to work there?

The practice was founded by Dave Cumber who has left an awesome legacy. He had a clear vision for the veterinary practice and what he wanted to create. He devoted many years to creating an amazing, well-equipped surgery with great working conditions and facilities. He also fostered an environment where every member of the team knows they are valued and important, which is still very much the case. There’s also a strong belief in support for CPD and personal progress. This ethos is still a big part of the practice, and our current leadership team does an excellent job of sustaining it.

Most importantly I am proud to work here. For me that is vital. I live locally, my friends and my family bring their pets to us. It matters to me that I feel proud of our practice and that we always do the best we can for each of our patients.

What kinds of cases do you see at the practice?

We are a great front-line general practice. We see mainly cats and dogs, some rabbits and other small furries.
We do have lots of equipment and skilled staff that allows us to investigate a little further than some other practices such as endoscopy, a state-of-the-art scanner and excellent lab nurses. We also have an excellent dental suite with dental x-rays, and physio and hydrotherapy on site.

What are your favourite things about working at the practice?

People. The people you work with are so important, and everyone here is fantastic.
Premises and equipment are also important but what makes me love working here most is my colleagues. We have an excellent, skilled and supportive team. (The premises are pretty awesome too though!)

What do you feel the practice has to offer that someone thinking of joining might not know about?

This is a busy practice and we all work hard, but it’s also a happy practice. You will never be alone or unsupported. If you want to study to progress in a particular direction we will always try to facilitate that.

Weymouth has a beautiful harbour and surrounding countryside. If you love the outdoors there is much here for you. Water sports of every sort, climbing, and hiking amongst other hobbies are all readily available.

If you love the arts and culture Dorchester has a lot of activity and if you need bigger and bolder sometimes there is a direct train line to London. We are an awesome practice with lots to offer. If you’re curious, come and see for yourself!

Can you share a memorable story from your time at the practice?

The one that springs to mind was endoscopically removing a 15cm squishy bright green dinosaur from a cocker spaniels' stomach!

We didn't quite believe it when they told us what the dog had hoovered up whole, we were sure it must be in pieces! But no, it really was all intact, just very squishy. So when it came out it felt just like pulling a rabbit from a hat.

What advice would you give to aspiring veterinarians or vet nurses?

Ours is an industry in flux, we are discovering how we can best move forward in a changing landscape. However, everyone in the veterinary industry has the same aim; to care for the animals under our care to the best of our ability. As things change it also means we can offer our clients so much more depth and skill to help their pet's health and that is a wonderful thing.

But the fundamental skills you need are the same as those 20 or 40 years ago; passion for the job, the ability to listen to your owners, properly, and address all their concerns, the ability to observe your patient, examine your patient, empathise with your patient.

The ability to judge your patient's problems and come up with treatment options to suit every individual situation Just because something is a gold standard doesn’t always mean it can or perhaps should be done, the quality of life for your patient is key.

And perhaps finally, for your own survival, the ability to care, to continue to learn, to be responsible BUT to learn to go home and put work on a shelf ready for the next day. To love this job the(delete this) long-term you need to be able to have a good home life. To do that you must leave work at work. You cannot look after your patients unless you look after yourself.

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?

I am a big outdoors fan. I love running, sea swimming, climbing and hiking. Portland is our family playground. My family all sail and climb.

What are you proudest of in your veterinary career so far?

I really think for me it is quite a small answer in a way: still loving my job and being able to give my best to my patients every day, and to enjoy it too!

Tell us about your pets!

I very recently lost my golden girl. I was lucky enough to spend 16 years with a wonderful cocker spaniel. She was just perfect. I will never replace her. But I'm hoping I will find a new friend. We’re about to welcome a young Labrador to our home! Life may never be the same again!