Vets4Pets Merry Hill

I qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 2003. I worked in the Birmingham area in small animal practice for two years before I began working as a locum all over the UK to gain experience. I then worked and travelled around Australia and New Zealand for 2½ years - this was an amazing experience which allowed me to gain invaluable insight into differing clinical practices. I enjoy being a vet general practitioner, especially the close interaction and relationship between vet and patient. I love providing an excellent service to all my clients and patients - both old and new. Outside of work I am a sports enthusiast, love to read and I am also a movie buff. My rescued Rottweiler, Beyonce, enjoys coming to work with me regularly!

I graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Iasi Romania in 2015. During my studies I’ve completed internships for both small and large animals. I became a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in London in March 2017 and soon I have the opportunity and pleasure to be employed with Companion Care Vets and their extraordinary team. Being a vet surgeon is the best challenge for me because I have to consult patients who do not speak, who can’t say in which area there are dysfunctions, patients who often react simply instinctively; so I must be able to "read" the clinical signs of the patient, interpret, diagnose, and intervene for solving the disease. With every happy owner I feel like I’ve achieved my purpose. I have my best friend Tasa, a 7 year old boxer, here in the UK with me. She is a lovely companion, the best partner for outdoor activities and my constant source of joy.

I am Ilias and I am happy to have recently joined the team at Companion Care & Vets4Pets. I qualified as a vet in Iasi, Romania in 2013, and worked as a vet in Greece gaining experience in both small animal and larger farm animal environments. I have been a registered vet in the UK since 2016 and have been looking to broaden my professional horizons and further develop my skills, and I have also worked in quality control services. My main interest is small animal surgery, and I am committed to ensuring that the best possible treatment and medical care is provided. I grew up in the countryside, and a cat or a dog were never missing from my house, so it did not take long for me to realise my interest in the field. I consider myself lucky to be doing what I love and to provide care and treatment to animals who mean so much to their owners. After work I enjoy playing football, which I am a big fan of, and spending quality time with friends, which always helps me to wind down after a long day I am very happy to be a member of the team at Companion Care & Vets4Pets, and I am excited to meet my four-legged patients!

I completed a BTEC National Diploma in Animal Management at Halesowen College in 2011 & am now at Solihull College studying veterinary nursing. I have worked between our 3 clinics (Oldbury, Merry Hill & West Bromwich) since 2014. I feel very privileged to be working with such an amazing team of individuals & I thoroughly enjoy interacting with the clients and their animals & maybe having a cuddle or two! I have a particular soft spot for larger dog breeds such as Saint Bernard's and Mastiffs. I volunteered in the equine industry for over 5 years before getting horses of my own - I currently own 3 horses & a naughty Shetland pony! I have also previously owned a wide variety of animals including rats, gerbils, and hedgehogs, but currently I have a black cockapoo called Milo, 2 guinea pigs, and 3 ferrets! In my spare time I enjoy having a relaxing day down at the stables with my horses, and playing pool or watching films on the weekend with friends.

I graduated from the University of Northampton in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Applied Animal Studies, and then started working at Companion Care/Vets4Pets in early 2013. During my time at the practice, I have been involved in a variety of roles - from reception to nursing - and I have now progressed to my current role as the overall manager of our 3 branches. My role largely involves administration duties, overseeing insurance claims, and the general running of the practice. I was present during the opening of both our Merry Hill & West Bromwich branches, and I am very proud to see their success and see all our happy, regular clients! I am always striving to improve the care & service provided to all our patients & owners. I have a keen interest in dog behaviour & training, I have a particular soft spot for both spaniels and collies, and am also guinea pig mad! I have previously owned several spaniels & currently own a rescue dog called Molly who is a 6 year-old Springer Spaniel cross Collie (pictured with me here). I also own a very fluffy, Norwegian Forest Cat called Cleo, and a whole herd of guinea pigs!

I have recently joined the practice and am thoroughly enjoying my time here. I am very animal orientated and have always aspired to work in the veterinary sector. I have completed a Level 3 diploma in Animal Management and hope to further my education & qualifications in the future. Throughout my childhood I owned a large variety of pets including rodents, birds, cats and dogs. I particularly have a soft spot for the larger dog breeds. I thoroughly look forward to meeting all the clients and their pets!

After years of working for a corporate company and then being made redundant I decided to use my redundancy money towards a long time passion of mine to work with animals. I entered into college as a mature student and obtained my National Diploma in Animal Care and then went on to start my HND in Animal Management at Solihull College. During my college time I entered into many work placement experiences which included Hoo Farm & West Midlands Safari park which just fuelled my passion all the more. After college I secured my first full time paid animal job at Brockswood animal sanctuary where I looked after animals and students. Currently I work as a Dog Groomer part time, and at Vets4Pets/Companion Care on weekends, which I have enjoyed so much that I am hoping to return to college to train as a vet assistant or vet nurse, so 'watch this space'

I am a new addition to the Companion Care and Vets4pets team. Having been a veterinary receptionist for just under two years I have found it a very rewarding job. I really enjoy meeting our clients and getting to know them and their pets.I find the brachycephalic breeds very interesting having seeing a lot of the breed in my previous job. When I'm not working I spend time with my daughter and our Staffy cross Presa Canario Dog called Ruby, and I have five cats, Koko, Mika, Luna, Tashy and AmbeR. Two of my cats are rescue cats. They are all crazy characters and are full of love which is always great to have at the end of a long day. I am excited about the variety of species that attend our surgeries and I am looking forward to getting to know everyone too.

I have recently joined the practice as part of the reception team. When I left school I went to Halesowen college for 3 years to study a BTEC National Diploma in animal management & animal care. Working with animals has always been a career I wanted to be part of. I would eventually like to progress to become a veterinary nursing assistant. Since a young age I always had family pets, such as dogs, cats, and hamsters. I currently have a little hamster called Poppy! I do have a big fear of spiders, so if I do see one…I’ll be gone like the wind! I’m looking forward to meeting all our clients & their furry companions.

I have recently joined the Vets4Pets team as a receptionist. I have gained a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Animal Management and also a Level 2 Diploma in Horse Care. I have loved all animals from a very young age and I am very excited to start work at the practice. I have previously worked at a livery yard looking after horses and have also spent some time in Newmarket at a racing yard. I have always had family pets and currently I have a Chocolate Labrador and a Netherland Dwarf Rabbit who has recently reached her 12th birthday! I am very excited to get to know all the clients and their lovely pets.