Leeds Colton Vets4Pets

We both graduated from the Royal Veterinary College and following a short stint working in London we moved up to Yorkshire. David started working for Leeds Vets4Pets and Elsa in a multidisciplinary veterinary hospital. We left in late 2015 to travel the world visiting India, South East Asia and Australasia. After arriving back we both settled back into our jobs until our daughter joined us in January 2017. We became partners in Leeds Vets4Pets in November 2017 opening up Leeds Colton Vets4Pets in January 2018 alongside John, Hilary and Lauren. The time had definitely come for a new challenge and the opportunity to work alongside each other and the other partners seemed like the perfect antidote. David loves interacting with both clients and patients alike and carry interests in general surgery, ultrasound and physiotherapy into my job. He will be starting a surgical certificate in the near future to help in his daily work. Elsa has particular interests in dermatology and rabbit medicine so working with Pets at Home looking after their small furries has been particularly enjoyable. Out of work David finds sport a great release from the daily commute. He partakes in team sports and compete in triathlons against John (and others of course). Our canine buddy of many years Tiernan keeps him company on his training runs along with many walks in the great Yorkshire countryside. Elsa uses her time to practice Yoga, visit her friends and family and plan our next travels. The rest of our time is split between tearing around after our cat Worm and our highly active daughter.

I qualified from Glasgow University in 2001. I initially worked on the Foot and Mouth Epidemic, based in Ripon, and then went into mixed practice near John's home town of Sudbury in Suffolk. After a year of this John and I decided to see the world and work as locum veterinary surgeons as we went. This gave us a wealth of experience, not only in challenging medical and surgical cases, but working with animals and people from many different walks of life. Looking after donkeys in Mexico, and stray dogs in Thailand certainly made us realise how privileged we are to have the standard of veterinary care that the United Kingdom can offer. We settled in Yorkshire in 2004, having fallen in love with the countryside and the people during our time helping farmers during the Foot and Mouth crisis. I like all aspects of general practice and love the varied interaction with all of our patients and clients. My main interest is medical work ups, especially complicated cases! At home, I enjoy family time with our 2 young boys, and our little black and white 12 year old crossbreed Mali (who you may see scamper in behind mewhen we come to work). After starting and growing Leeds Vets4Pets, John and I have expanded our family to cover East Leeds with Leeds Colton Vets4Pets where we willassist in a lot of the behind the scenes work.

I qualified from Glasgow University in 2001. I initially worked on the Foot and Mouth Epidemic, based in Ripon, and then went into mixed practice near my home town of Sudbury in Suffolk. After a year of this Hilary and I decided to see the world and work as locum veterinary surgeons as we went. This gave us a wealth of experience, not only in challenging medical and surgical cases, but working with animals and people from many different walks of life. Looking after donkeys in Mexico, and stray dogs in Thailand certainly made us realise how privileged we are to have the standard of veterinary care that the United Kingdom can offer. We settled in Yorkshire in 2004, having fallen in love with the countryside and the people during our time helping farmers during the Foot and Mouth crisis. I became a partner in Wakefield Vets4Pets in 2006, and left to start up Leeds Vets4Pets in 2010. I like all aspects of general practice and love the varied interaction with all of our patients and clients. My main interest is Surgery and he will be completing his Surgical Certificate over the next 3 years. It`s likely that if your pet needs a broken leg fixing it will be me that performs the operation. At home, I enjoy family time with our 2 young boys, and our little black and white 12 year old crossbreed Mali (who you may see scamper in behind me when I come to work). After starting and growing Leeds Vets4Pets, we have expanded our family to cover East Leeds with Leeds Colton Vets4Pets where we will be seen but assist in a lot of the behind the scenes work.

I graduated from the University of Bristol in 1996, having also obtained a degree in Pharmacology. I then worked in mixed practice for five year before spending a year working and travelling in Australia – where I loved being involved in treating the native wildlife. In 2002 I moved to Leeds with my husband Fergus, and have worked for small animal practices and charities in Yorkshire ever since. My particular areas of interest are ophthalmology, emergency and critical care, animal welfare education, and rabbit and small mammal medicine.

I have two school aged children (Anna and Archie), two dogs (Jimmy the Jack Russell and Alvin the bull lurcher), two gerbils and a goldfish! In my spare time I like walking my dogs, playing the cornet, socialising and reading.

I qualified from Liverpool University in 2001. Initially I worked in mixed practice treating "All Creatures Great and Small" including dairy cows, sheep, dogs, cats and horse. After two years I decided to focus down my clinical work to small animals so I could improve my knowledge and skills in one area. In 2010 I decided to further my study and attained the Certificate in Small Animal Surgery. Having worked at various practices in the Yorkshire area I joined Vets4Pets Leeds In November 2015 as a locum vet. I enjoyed working here so much I decided to make it my permanent home also joining the Colton team when it opened. My main clinical interests are surgery, particularly soft tissue surgery, ultrasound and ophthalmology. I also enjoy the challenge and rewards getting to bottom of those tricky cases and seeing my patients recover and the joy this gives to their owners.

I enjoy the type of travelling that broadens the mind and have volunteered as a visiting veterinarian at both WVS India training centre for vets in surgery and at a Peruvian rescue centre for street dogs. Out of work my hobbies include walking (sometimes long distances!), running, cooking, Spanish and meditation.

I have worked at Leeds Vets4Pets since it opened in July 2001. I became a partner here and at Leeds Colton Vets4Pets in November 2017 assisting the other partners in growing the practice from the design stage through to the daily running of both practices. The best part of the job is nursing animals back to full health following their illnesses and surgeries. This allows me to build great relationships with clients and their pets. I have a particular interest in feline behavior and am currently working on my ISFM Diploma in Feline Medicine. At the moment, I have a sulky black & white moggy named Mrs Norris, a guinea pig named Bambi and a Labrador called Sammy.

In 2008 I decided to retrain completely and studied an Advanced National Diploma in Animal Management at Sparsholt College in Hampshire.  After receiving my Diploma in 2010 I joined the Pets At Home team and within the year I was offered a Kennel Assistant position at Companion Care Vets in Winchester, I qualified in Veterinary Nursing in the summer of 2016. Following five and a half years at Winchester I decided to move up to Leeds and join the Leeds Colton Vets4Pets team.

My passion is for all things feline; I have completed an ISFM Certificate in Feline Nursing which I thoroughly enjoyed. My aim is to make the overall experience for cats in the practice much less stressful and raise welfare awareness.

At home I have three black cats, Theo and Demetrius and Nyx. Back in Winchester I also have a Golden Retriever called Cedric, a Lab x Collie called Florence and two more cats, Wispa and Pandora

I have worked in the veterinary industry since 2014 and qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2019.

From a young age I knew I wanted to work with animals, and so gained experience in many different establishments, including a zoo, wildlife rescue centre and veterinary referrals laboratory. During my nursing studies I volunteered with elephants in Thailand, providing veterinary care to help with their rescue and rehabilitation. I plan to use my nursing qualification to help at more animal charities in the UK and abroad.

I love meeting everyone’s pets, especially cats and small furries. I have owned cats throughout my life, as well as rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters. One day I hope to own a Dalmatian.

I am a dedicated ballerina and can often be found surfing in the freezing North Sea at the weekend.

I started working for Leeds Colton Vets4Pets in January 2018, the practice has many opportunities which I’m excited to be a part of. I have previously completed an Extended Diploma in Animal Management where I was able to gain experience with a wide variety of animals. I am currently completing an apprenticeship in Level 3 Veterinary Nursing which I hope to complete in 2020.

Since being a child I have always had a passion for caring for animals. This is carried out on a daily basis within the practice which is my favourite aspect of my job; seeing the ill and injured animals being nurtured back to health.