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 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’ve been working in the veterinary industry since 2010 and qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2017. You never know what to expect in our job and it is really rewarding when you can be a part of nursing a poorly pet back to health and with a happy owner as well.  I really enjoy the practical aspects of being a nurse such as taking and processing laboratory samples but enjoy having a chat with owners and fussing their pets the most.

I don’t have any of my own pets at the moment but I’m sure when my daughter is a bit older we’ll start to build a collection of small furries, preferably crazy haired guinea pigs!

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.

I have been working for Colton Vets4Pets since July 2020 as a Student Veterinary Nurse and am hoping to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse on completion of my studies at Askham Bryan College. Previously I completed an Advanced Technical Diploma in Equine Management. Whilst studying I had the opportunity to volunteer for 2 weeks at a veterinary practice and donkey sanctuary in Aruba which made it clear that veterinary nursing was the career for me.  

I have always loved all animals and enjoy meeting various pets each day at the practice. Outside of work and studies I enjoy riding and caring for my Horse as well as walking my cockapoo Poppy.