Meet The Newton Abbot Vet Team

Chris Hawkins BVetMed MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon and Joint Venture Partner

From a very young age I pursued my childhood ambition of becoming a vet. I grew up on a smallholding in Kent and later attended the Royal Veterinary College in London where I graduated in 2008. Following graduation I moved back to my ancestral roots in Devon where I worked in mixed practice for two years before focusing on small animals in a veterinary hospital for four years. I am interested in all aspects of veterinary medicine and surgery. I am passionate for a high standard of care and am proud to have been nominated twice for ‘Vet of the Year’ in the ‘PetPlan National Veterinary Awards’.

I got married to Natasha in September 2012 and am very proud to have her working with us in our nursing team. In my spare time I run a small farm and enjoy showing my pedigree cattle. At weekends I like walking my dogs, cycling and golf. At home I have a flat-coated retriever, a working collie, two cats, two rabbits and three guinea pigs.

Ninette Hamilton

Veterinary Surgeon

I graduated from the University of Sydney in 2005 and have spent some time working in both Australia and South Africa before returning to the UK in 2011. I moved to Devon in 2014 with my long-suffering and well-travelled little dog, Sophie, and two cats who all moved with me from Australia.

I love what I do and feel very fortunate to be able to work within such a great team here at Vets4Pets Newton Abbot. Having left the wildlife of South Africa behind, I enjoy all aspects of general small animal practice including soft tissue surgery, as well as cytology (looking down microscopes at cells). I have recently completed my Advanced Veterinary Practitioners Certificate in Small Animal Ophthalmology and am especially interested in anything relating to eyes!

Outside of work I love to travel, cook, swim, walk, ride and most of all, spend time with my amazing one year old son, Macaulay, as well as my original 'children' - Sophie the dog, and Eartha and Paris the cats.

Katie Cockburn

Registered Veterinary Nurse

More info to come!

Sam Tully

Registered Veterinary Nurse

My name is Sam and I have been a veterinary nurse for over 10 years and have worked for Vets4Pets since January 2016.

I have previously worked in small and large animal practices in Devon and have a keen interest in Orthopaedics. I have also seen practice in Africa when I volunteered for a month in Kruger National Park working for a wildlife vet and managed to assist in surgery on a wild cheetah.

I run the puppy parties at Vets4Pets Newton Abbot and can often be found out on the Moors with my dog Conker. I have a family and menagerie of animals including dogs, cats and horses.

Natasha Hawkins

Registered Veterinary Nurse

I have always loved animals and at 17 was lucky enough to get a work experience placement at Rosemullion vets in Falmouth and 2 years later offered a veterinary nurse training placement. In 2010 I made the hard decision to leave Cornwall and move to Devon and further my career in mixed practice where I met my husband Chris. We got married in September 2012 and I qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2013.

I love all aspects of my job but my keen interest is feline care and welfare. I also love getting to know pets and their owners.

We have nine very spoilt pets and one of which is our practice mascot Bailey, our loveable flat coated retriever. He loves coming to work with his mum and dad and especially loves all the attention from clients.

Kirstin Christmas

Registered Veterinary Nurse

I have worked as a Veterinary Nurse for the past 11 years and feel very lucky to do a job that I absolutely love.

I particularly enjoy nurse clinics where I get to meet owners and their animals and give advice on all aspects of pet care. I also have great fun running the puppy parties!

I love spending time with my family (my husband and my very active 2 year old!) and walking my Labrador Murphy. I also have a cat, rabbit, fish and a 99 year old tortoise!

Nicola Short

Registered Veterinary Nurse

Hi, my name is Nicola. I've been working in the veterinary industry since I was 16 years of age and qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2010.

Since then I've worked in various environments from general practice to referral hospitals and also overseas where I worked in a veterinary hospital in Australia for 6 months. I've also done some volunteer work in Africa working with various wildlife mainly cheetahs and leopards.

As much as I love to travel I also love my home here in South Devon where I mainly spend most of my time by the sea enjoying our beautiful coast with my Jack Russel Terrier. I've always had a passion and love for animals and look forward to meeting you and your pets

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Nicola Carrick

Registered Veterinary Nurse

My name is Nicola and this is my 20th year of veterinary nursing! I always remember as a child being surrounded by animals; we had litters of puppies and kittens in our home as well as a tortoise, Guinea pigs, finches, budgies and parrots. My brothers and I were lucky enough to grow up in a rural village and would enjoy making casts from footprints of wildlife, usually foxes and badgers.

After school I completed a Diploma in science, part of which led me to complete work experience at a veterinary surgery, before then taking on a full time trainee veterinary nurse position.

I qualified as a registered veterinary nurse from Bicton College in 2000 and have thoroughly enjoyed the challenging although equally rewarding career ever since.

At home I have three daughters and my own household of animals: two Norwegian Forest Cats, two Maine Coons, two dogs, two chinchillas, fish and chickens.

I am currently working towards a Certificate in Feline Nursing and also have an interest in anaesthesia.

Andrea Durham

Practice Manager

I have worked as a Veterinary Receptionist for over six years and love the interaction with owners and pets. I joined Chris and the team as I wanted a new challenge and opening a brand new vets with such lovely people ticked all the right boxes for me.

I’m married to John and have a grown up son Luke and a recent addition to the family ‘Freddie’ a blue Staffy that I rescued. We love nothing more than walking him on the beach or by the river and giving him the loving home he so clearly deserves.

Letitia Whyte

Receptionist

I have lived in Kingsteignton all of my life and love the countryside and animals.

I have worked as a veterinary receptionist for over four years and love it. My menagerie consists of two horses, two dogs, two cats and an African grey parrot and I don't really have spare!

Laura Farrell

Receptionist

My name is Laura and I am a veterinary receptionist here at Vets4Pets Newton Abbot. I have been working within the veterinary sector for three years now whereas before I was self employed working on yachts.

I am very pleased to have found myself working for Chris and Tash at Vets4Pets and to be working with a fantastic friendly team who have all become my friends.

I have a Border x Patterdale, she is called Sandy and is my best friend. We are both very keen walkers and love the beach. I currently live on a farm near Dartmouth set in a valley on the coast.

In my spare time I love to attend vintage working rallies, body board, walking, photography (mainly taking photos of sandy), BBQs with friends and family and my passion is travelling.

Charley Newall

Receptionist

Hello my name is Charlotte, although most people call me Charley. I am a receptionist at the surgery. My role within the practice is very varied and can include all different activities day to day.

I really enjoy my position within the practice mainly due to the variety of the work I do, as I am often assisting the nurses in busy periods.

On reception my role includes booking in new appointments and letting the vets and nurses know when their next client is waiting. The team here is lovely and I really like working at the practice. I am a new colleague member and still currently training.

From the moment I arrived I was made to feel welcome and part of the team.

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