Blackwood Vets4Pets

Originally from Barcelona, when I was a kid I always wanted to be a vet. After obtaining my degree in my home town in 1993, I dedicated 7 years to work for Nature conservation as the Director of a Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital in Madrid (Falcons, eagles, vultures, owls, wolves, tortoises, snakes...you name it). in 2001 I moved to the UK to help with the Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak and worked for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for 3 years. Then I changed my career back again to my passion which is caring for all kinds of small companion animals. since 2011 I hold the General Practitioner Certificate of Exotic Animal Practice (ESVP) and I have worked as an OOH (out of hours) emergency vet for more than a year before opening the Vets4Pets Blackwood surgery where I am truly free to implement the high standards of pet and owner care I always wanted to. In my spare time I am a keen traveller, nature photographer, rock climber and DIYer. I also love humour, reading a good book and cooking. My second job is being a full-time servant of Mixu and Poochie, my feline masters. I really hope to see you at the clinic soon, where you will be assured to receive a warm and personal welcome from me and our fantastic team of professionals.

Hi there, my name is Barbara Zukow.  I did my veterinary degree at UPWr in the city of Wroclaw, famous for its multitude of ice cream cafes.  The university was 340km from my home town in South East of Poland. I joined Vets4Pets in July 2022 after spending 3 months working for a bird and reptile clinic in Leipzig, Germany.

I am currently living in Cross Keys and I love the views from my house, the area is very similar to my home town of Kielce. The team here at Blackwood and the clients have made me very welcome and I love the variation in animals that we see here on a weekly basis.

When not in work I like to explore the local area and I enjoy walking and being out in nature.  I am also a fan of science fiction and love to immerse myself in a good book or film.

Although I don't have any pets in the UK yet, my favourite dogs are whippets and dachshunds and I love all type of cats, I also have a keen interest in birds and reptiles.

My Name is Ludovica and I am a vet here at Blackwood.  I joined in August 2022 and I am really enjoying my time with the team here.  I completed my training in Padua University in Italy, which is 400km from my home town in Roseto in Abruzzo.

I really love living in Wales, it is very green an beautiful and everyone is very friendly.  The team here at Blackwood has been so welcoming and has quickly become my substitute family.

I love hiking in the Welsh countryside, my favourite place so far is the Brecon Beacons. I also enjoy surfing and climbing and I am looking forward to riding the waves on the Pembrokeshire coast as soon as I am able. 

At home in Italy I have 2 Labrador Retrievers, One black one who is a Halloween Moon called Weny and her son who is Yellow and called Mojito (he is named after the cocktail).

I really look forward to meeting all of the pets to come to Vets4pets in Blackwood.

 

Hi My name is Mickey and I joined the team here in Blackwood in October 2021.  I completed by Veterinary Training in Turin University in Piermount, Italy.  The area the there is very mountainous.

I live close to the practice with one of my colleagues, my dog Emerald and my sphinx cats Bed & Breakfast who came with me from Italy.  I like Wales because it is green and beautiful and reminds me of home.  In my spare time I enjoy hiking, studying and learning more about this amazing country that I now live in.

I love being part of the team her at Blackwood, they are my extended family and they have all made me very welcome, I feel this is where I belong. We have some lovely clients who are very kind and a huge variety of beautiful pets to look after.

Hi My name is Elaine and I am very happy to be part of the team here in Blackwood. For as long as I can remember I always wanted to become a Veterinary Nurse and have spent my life looking after animals. Many years ago when I left school it was very difficult to find a training practice and I instead went to work with horses gaining my BHSAI in 1980.

After settling down and having a family I returned to work as a Veterinary Receptionist and was fortunate enough to be offered a training position and finally achieved my dream in 2013 and qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse.

My spare time is spent looking after my many animals which include Snakes, Frogs, Lizards and Tarantulas as well as some furry ones; cats, dogs and a Guinea Pig. A lot of my animals have come to me as rescues or strays. The rest of my time is spent walking my dogs in the hills around my home. I also enjoy photography and crafts.

Hi I'm Becci, I'm an RVN here at Vets4Pets. I finished my degree in 2012, where I studied behaviour & Welfare. I started here on reception and then became a VCA before completing my training as a registered nurse.   Previously I worked in doggy day care, as a dog walker and pet sitter. I also volunteered on an elephant rescue project in Thailand. I love animals!

I've had pets all my life and currently live with 3 house rabbits (Sketch, Duck & Rocket) who love to eat my furniture. I like to teach my rabbits tricks, they are very clever. I enjoy hiking with my parent's dog Bryn who is a Cavalier King Charles.  They also have 2 cats that I grew up with.

I always wanted to be a vet nurse, when I was little I used to pretend to make my soft toys better.

I love working here, everyone loves animals the way I do and there is a great family atmosphere.  Everyday is different and there are lots of opportunities for pet cuddles.

Hi my name is Helen and I am a Registered Nurse here at Blackwood. I have been with the team here since 2021 and I have been a nurse since 2001.  This is the 4th Practice I have worked at and I love everything about working here , the staff, the clients and of course the pets.

I share my home with my 2 amazing children who I am very proud of and they keep me very busy.  We share our home with Maggie who is a Border Collie Cross and although I don't have any at the moment I absolutely love cats and have hand reared many an abandoned litter over the years. 

Although I haven't travelled outside the UK for a while I really love to travel.  I have been to America many times and my favourite state is New York.  My favourite attraction is  Mount Rushmore.  I also like going to the cinema and watching films with my children.  My favourite series is Greys Anatomy and I also love Walking Dead.

Hi, I'm Jamie and I've worked here at Vets4Pets in Blackwood for over four years.  I began my veterinary life as a member of the reception team, but a year later I was offered the role of  'Veterinary Care Assistant', which I gladly accepted!  Now, at the ripe old age of 42, I am studying to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse.

I live (and work!!) my wife Clair, and 2 of our daughter who also work in the practice. We also have another 2 daughters and a son. Our fur baby is a Border Collie called 'Piper', and we have four guinea pigs called Nessa, Stacey, Gwen and Pamela that live in a shed in our garden.  I also have hundreds of tropical fish, so as you can imagine, my life is pretty busy!

I love performing on stage in an annual Christmas pantomime with members of a local amateur dramatics society.....OH YES I DO!!!!!  I also enjoy holidaying in West Wales and Scotland, walks along the beach, reading, listening to many genres of music and socialising with friends and family.  I can also play the flute, shear a sheep, and can use a longbow.

 

My name is Clair and I am the Practice Manager here at Blackwood Vets4Pets.  I joined the practice in 2019, shortly before COVID 19.  I haven't always worked in a vets but have been in people management in a customer service environment for more than 30 years. 

I share my home with my husband who also works here at the practice and our Border Collie, Piper .  When not in work I love to spend time gardening, walking on the beach and I enjoy going to see musicals.  I am also a member of a local theatre group and love being on stage as well as helping to design and paint scenery and props.

My job here is to look after our clients, our staff and our facilities, ensuring that everyone has the skills, resources and equipment to look after all our patients.  My job is challenging but very rewarding and I feel very at home.  The staff are all very skilled and knowledgeable and I am very lucky to work with an amazing team of Vets, Nurses and Receptionists. 

 

 

 

 

Hi my name is Sian and I the Practice Administrator here at Blackwood, I also work on reception as it can get very busy out on the desk.

I haven't always worked at a vets, I took early retirement from the civil service after 32yrs and became a vet receptionist.  In 2016 I joined the brand new team here in Blackwood and I can't imagine ever wanting to work anywhere else.

We have always been a family of animal lovers and at the moment in charge at our house is my fabulous cocker spaniel Murray also know as 'The monster' and our Puppy Maverick. I really enjoy spending time with my family and friends and I particularly like shopping!

I love working here as we are like one big animal loving family, the team all call me 'Mama Sian'  and many of our clients also know me by that name.

Hi, I am Nadene,  I have been here in Blackwood for 2 years but I have worked as a Veterinary Receptionist for 17 years and also worked for 4 years in the Out of Hours Emergency Hospital.

At home, I currently have 2 cats, Pablo who was rescued from an attic and was hand reared and Hobbsie who is blind. In my spare time I am an avid reader and I love reading psychological thrillers.

I love working with the team here, everyone is friendly and I love coming to work, we also have some lovely clients.

My name is Lara and I am a Trainee Receptionist and I am currently doing a Business Administration Apprenticeship. I have been here since September 2021 and my course finishes in August 2022.

I live with my parents, my 2 dogs and my guinea pigs, who have a whole shed in my garden. I always wanted to do a job that involved helping people and the reception team is a great place to do that, we have some lovely clients and some amazing pets to look after.

In my spare time I like to to watch films and go to the theatre, I also like spending time with my friends.

The work here can sometimes be very tiring and there is lots and lots to learn, but the team here have been very welcoming and there isn't a day that goes by, when I don't learn something new.

 

 

 

I am Sharon, the team here also call me Shaz.  I have worked as a Veterinary Receptionist for 8 years and i have been here in Blackwood for a year.

At home I live with my little 7 year old Shihtzu, Coco Pops,  she is the biggest Diva I know and is definitely in charge, I also have a black & white cat called Beatrice who is a Maine Coon cross.

I have recently become a grandmother to a little boy called Myles, in my spare time I like to go to the theatre and I am also partial to Formula 1.

I love being part of the team here, they made me so welcome from day one, I am very much a people person and love the variety of pets we meet on a daily basis.