VETHELPDIRECT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Principle Product Manager
Job Titles:
- Head of Veterinary Content
Originally from Dartmoor in Devon, David graduated from Bristol Vet School in 2005. He has spent several years in equine, farm and small animal practice, developing a particular interest in pharmacology and anaesthetics. Following an injury in 2009, he moved out of large animal practice and after several years in small animal practice and industry, currently splits his time between lecturing on Veterinary Nursing and Animal Health degree and vocational courses at Cornwall College, and working with the VetHelpDirect team as our Head of Veterinary Content. He lives on a West Devon smallholding, and enjoys walking and studying archaeology.
Jenny qualified from Edinburgh University and spent the first four years working full-time as a small animal vet in Somerset, gaining general experience in a large first opinion practice. She then moved to East Devon and has worked part-time there ever since, whilst also running a boarding kennels and cattery with her husband, and bringing up their three children. During this time, Jenny took part in a trip to Cyprus to help neuter large numbers of stray cats and improve their welfare, work which has continued since with the help of other volunteers. Jenny currently works as a part-time locum vet in a number of practices in Devon. The family has two boxers and three cats.
Job Titles:
- BVSc, MRCVS, Principal Veterinary Surgeon, Donkey Sanctuary
- Principal Veterinary Surgeon, Donkey Sanctuary
Qualified from Bristol 1994 and worked in equine practice for 4 years before undertaking a PhD in equine allergic airway disease at The Royal Veterinary College. Carried on working in this field as a post doc before taking up a lectureship in pharmacology at King's College, London. Started working at The Donkey Sanctuary in 2007. Main interest has always been lower airway inflammatory disease and the pharmacology of inflammation. Since working at The Donkey Sanctuary a new area of interest is pain recognition and its management in donkeys.
Neil Forbes Neil Forbes graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1983, after a short period in Herriot country he settled in the SW. Neil became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (avian) in 1992. He gained his FRCVS in 1996 and became a European College Diplomate and Specialist in 1997. He is currently President of the European College of Avian Medicine and Surgery. Neil is head of the exotic animal department at Great Western Referrals, where he treats first and second opinion cases. The case load at the practice includes rabbits, ferrets, other small furries, raptors, parrots, waterfowl, exotic zoo species, back yard poultry, reptiles - in fact anything apart from cats, dogs, horses and farm stock.
Richard grew up in James Herriot country in North Yorkshire, graduating from Cambridge University in 2001. He initially worked in Morocco and his native North Yorkshire before completing an internship in equine medicine and surgery in Belgium. He then spent a short time working in first line equine practice in Kent before moving to the University of Liverpool, where he completed a residency in gastroenterology and soft tissue surgery in 2006. Since then he has worked as surgeon in York and Shrewsbury before a stint as assistant professor of equine surgery at Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. He started working at Cotts Farm Equine Clinic, an ambulatory and referral practice in West Wales, in March 2008. There he now accounts for the majority of the surgical caseload of the practice. He passed his European Diploma in Equine Surgery in July 2008, gaining European specialist status in the process. He is currently enrolled for the RCVS diploma in equine soft tissue surgery. He is interested in all aspects of equine surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery, gastroenterology and the management of wounds. In his spare time he enjoys cycling and mountain walking.
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing Director
Job Titles:
- Director of Corporate Strategy