I was born and raised on a farm in Maungataroto, Northland. That is where my love for animals stems from. I went to secondary school at St. Kents in Auckland and had a year as an AFS student in the USA in 1972 (doesn’t seem that long ago!). After graduating from Massey University in 1978, I spent a year in mixed practice in Matamata before going overseas for a year doing locum work. On returning to NZ I worked for Ivan Fuyala at Red Beach for 3 years before shifting to the Waikato for almost 20 years working in mixed practices. The love of overseas travel reared its head again so Jenni and I took our family to Jersey in the Channel Islands off the coast of France for three years.

In 2004 we purchased the Orewa Veterinary Centre from Ivan Fuyala. We absolutely love living and working on the Hibiscus Coast and are here for the long haul! My partner in business and life is my wife Jenni, who is a real estate agent in Orewa. Jenni used to regularly take our Labrador Elle to visit local retirement homes to brighten up the residents through contact with animals. She worked under a program called Outreach Therapy which we strongly believe in. Unfortunately Elle has passed on now. 

We have three children, Cameron, Leah and Gabrielle who are all well on their way to doing their own thing now. We have a Miniature Schnauzer called Phoebe and a Maine Coon cat called Stella, they are real characters! I love my work, I enjoy the bond that exists between pet owners and their “best friends”. It is very satisfying to provide a one-stop shop for the care of our patients, from the initial consultation to lab tests (most can be done at the clinic), radiographs, surgery, medical treatment and nutritional advice.