Companion collection - Interviews

David Doughty joined BSAVA as its Governance Consultant at the end of 2015. A physicist and engineer by training, David has been involved with a number of businesses, particularly in the IT sector, and was one of the first people in the country to become a Chartered Director. David discusses why he took on the role at BSAVA, his veterinary experiences and his aspirations at BSAVA.

Jerzy Gawor is a Polish vet who because President of FECAVA. He’s the first practitioner from eastern Europe to fill the role.

Simon Luxmoore did his MBA at Bath and is Chief Executive of the Royal Aeronautical Society. This interview follows his appointment as Chairman of the Kennel Club.

Debra Bourne is an experienced writer, editor and researcher and studied veterinary science at Cambridge.

In 2013 Nick Bexfield became Associate Professor in Small Animal Medicine and Oncology at the University of Nottingham. He is also Chair of the Scientific Programme Committee for the BSAVA Congress.

Simon became companion’s editor in 2015.

John Bonner interviews Nicola Beaney who works at the Pet Emergency Treatment Service (PETS) at Newnham Court Veterinary Hospital in Maidstone. She was one of the first to be awarded the BSAVA Small Animal Medicine Certificate.

Mathew has worked as a small animal vet since qualifying in 2007 and is now studying for a Diploma in Garden Design. How does he find the time?

Caroline Yates studied Russian at Exeter and while working as a metal trader in Moscow volunteered her language skills to the IFAW. She’s worked in animal welfare ever since.

Martin Alder is Editor of Veterinary Record and In Practice.

After a period in general practice James Anderson moved to the University of Glasgow Veterinary School where he is now responsible for direction the veterinary professional programme. He has broad clinical and research interests.

Colonel Neil Smith is President of the RCVS, Director of the Army Veterinary and Remount Services, Head of the RAVC, and the Queen’s Honorary Veterinary Surgeon.

Koen Van Rompay works as an HIV/AIDS researcher at the California National Primate Research Center and is founder of Sahaya International, a charity supporting women and children in developing countries.

Mark is President of the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons and has co-authored a number of books on alternative medicine.

Arlo Guthrie’s eclectic career has included everything from cake factory worker to commercial pilot and PR consultant. It was the latter that brought him to the company that set up VetNurse.co.uk and VetSurgeon.org.

Virginia McKenna is a highly successful stage and screen actress. Since starring in Born Free she has devoted herself to the Born Free Foundation.

Mark was born in Portland, Oregon, grew up in Saudi Arabia and went to vet school in Budapest. He currently runs the CPD programme at The College of Animal Welfare where he is Short Course Manager.

Mike Guilliard is one of the few practitioners to have been granted fellowship of the RCVS.

Kimberly originally studied Animal Science and Chemistry at Texas A&M University. Later she became a vet at Edinburgh and after a period in equine referral and small animal practice now works as Clinical Development Manager and in-house vet for BCF Technology.

Born in Seattle, Aimee is the Genetics and Health Information Manager at the Kennel Club.

After working as a journalist and presenter, following the death of her Samoyed dog ‘Bella’, Jill Moss went on to found the Bella Moss Foundation in 2005 to improve knowledge of MRSA and other serious infections in companion animals.

Lennon Foo grew up in Singapore and qualified from the RVC in 2004 as the first vet in his family. He now works in Devon and is Chairman of the South West Regional Committee.

Since 1994 Andrew has worked with The Donkey Sanctuary where he is Director of Veterinary Services.

Cecilia Gorrel is both a Doctor of Dental Surgery and a veterinary surgeon and as such has been very well-placed to develop veterinary dental care at her Petdent referral service.

Richard Saunders has worked in small animal, avian and exotic practice and has just completed his Training Scholarship in Zoo and Rabbit Medicine at Bristol Zoo.

Jerry Davies was inspired to become a vet by an uncle in the profession and a constant stream of rescue animals that found their way into the family home. Jerry graduated from the RVC in 1974 and established Davies Veterinary Specialists in 1998. Jerry received the BSAVA Simon award in 2004 and in 2011 was elected as RCVS President.

Tim Nuttall qualified from Bristol in 1992 and went into small animal practice after a short stint in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. He’s become heavily involved in tackling the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Barbara studied veterinary nursing at Rodbaston Agricultural College before joining Liverpool Veterinary School where she became Head Nurse, eventually returning to Rodbaston as a lecturer. She established the College of Animal Welfare, has been President of BVNA and was the first VN to chair the RCVS VN Committee.

Clare Rusbridge started at Glasgow Veterinary School when she was just 16. She worked at the University of Pennsylvania, spent time in general practice in Cambridgeshire and then specialized in neurology. She was presented with the J.A. Wight Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the welfare of companion animals at Congress 2011.

Sue Shaw grew up and trained in Australia before moving to the post of senior lecturer at the University of Bristol. She set up the Acarus Unit for investigating arthropod-borne infections and has been chairman of the BSAVA Scientific Committee.

Philip Lhermette took 6 years to get a place at veterinary school, finally graduating in 1982. He has since pioneered many minimally invasive techniques and is Editor of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endoscopy and Endosurgery.

Professor John Cooper graduated from Bristol in 1966 and after a postgraduate qualification in tropical veterinary has worked in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean including a period in Rwanda working with mountain gorillas.

Sandy graduated from Edinburgh in 1969 where he returned as a researcher at the Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine. In 1980 he moved to Liverpool as a lecturer and stayed there for the rest of his career. He was elected president of the RCVS in 2009.

Rob Thomas graduated from Bristol in 1974 and after a brief period of mixed practice in the Channel Islands moved to Barton Veterinary Hospital. He’s still there and has cultivated an interest in cardiology leading to a steady referral case load. He’s now the chief examiner for the Certificate of Veterinary Cardiology.

Freda Scott-Park grew up in Kenya and went to vet school at the Royal Dick. She now lives on the banks of Loch Lomond; she became President of the BSAVA in 2003 and went on to become BVA President.

John bought his first practice in Plymouth in 1969; by the time he retired in 2007 it was a 12 vet, 5-centre practice with a veterinary hospital base. He was President of the BSAVA in 1984/5 as well as holding many other representative positions in the profession.

Carmel Mooney spent many years as a BSAVA volunteer before becoming President of the Association in 2006.

John trained at Liverpool where he returned to start a period of work on Veterinary Anaesthesia before returning to Halifax, where he was born, to take over a mixed practice. He’s been President of the BSAVA and received numerous awards.

Noel Fitzpatrick graduated from Dublin in 1990 and after working in the USA and in large animal and mixed practice he set up Fitzpatrick Referrals. He received The Simon Award at the 2009 BSAVA Congress.

Born in Toronto, Bruce Fogle graduated from the University of Guelph before moving to London to work as a veterinarian at London’s Regent’s Park Zoo.

After graduating from Cambridge in 2000 Kate worked both in private practice and at the RVC and has always traveled the globe, often volunteering her skills in the communities she visits.

Duncan Lascelles graduated from Bristol in 1991 where he remained for a PhD in analgesia. He’s worked in Cambridge, Colorado and Florida and is now at North Carolina State with research interests in acute and chronic pain.

After graduation from the RVC, Pip worked at a London referral practice before settling on ophthalmology and neurology as his chosen disciplines. He established the UK’s first dedicated small animal referral practice in 1990 and has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers and abstracts.

Nick Henderson just about qualified as a vet before turning his talents to PR and publishing; he was the BSAVA’s first PR Officer and helped organize the first Congress.

Dick White graduated from the RVC in 1975 and his long career culminated in the start of Dick White Referrals. He is now Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Nottingham vet school.

Marc Abraham qualified in 1995 and went into a mixed practice. He became a well known face on television and is busy writing books.

Victoria ran a pure breed visitor attraction and breeding programme before attending Liverpool vet school, following which she’s become a leading avian expert.

Chris Laurence graduated from Bristol in 1968 and after 30 years in small animal practice became head vet at two of the UK’s leading animal welfare charities. He was awarded the J.A. Wight Memorial Award this year.

Luke Gamble qualified from Bristol in 1999 and now runs a number of enterprises including the international animal charity, Worldwide Veterinary Service.