Medivet Exeter Cranbrook

Chris Vogt

Lead Veterinary Surgeon

Chris qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 1981 following on from having completed a BSc in Zoology and Botany. In 1985 he went into partnership in Johannesburg and owned and ran three veterinary hospitals. In 1993 having decided to leave private practice before the age of 40, he became Chief Veterinarian at Johannesburg Zoo. This proved to be his dream job and he was instrumental in undertaking some world firsts in the veterinary world including diagnosing and treating an aortic aneurism in a 44 year old female chimpanzee called Josephine. He also acted as veterinary advisor when the zoo rescued all the animals from Luanda Zoo in Angola that were dying from neglect and starvation. In 1997 Chris moved to the UK and was welcomed by the Medivet group in North London. In June 1999 he and his wife, Diana moved to Exeter and bought Polsloe Veterinary Clinic and later (along with their family) established Cranbrook Veterinary Centre. All things came full circle when Chris sold his practices to Medivet - now known has Medivet Polsloe and Medivet Exeter Cranbrook. Chris’s life and passion has been Veterinary medicine. This is why he has put full retirement on hold - meaning he is able to guide and mentor younger Veterinary Surgeons & be a source of knowledge and support to them.

BSc BvSc PGcertSAS MRCVS

Onneile Reid

Veterinary Surgeon

I was born and raised in a small town called Mahalapye, Botswana. I moved to the UK in 2011 to pursue my bachelor degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. After completing my degree in August 2017 I moved back home for a few months where I worked in a mixed practice with some volunteering work in the shelter. I had an opportunity to travel the country and educate many people in rural areas and do practical work that built my surgical skills. I moved back to the UK in May 2018, when my husband and I decided to move to England. I love all aspect of veterinary medicine with my main interest being soft tissue surgery. Outside work I enjoy sewing, spending time with my husband, son, cat Pula and travelling back home to see my loved ones and have a good time.

Ipek Eldemir

Veterinary Surgeon

Ipek is a dedicated and passionate veterinarian who graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2019. After completing her degree, Ipek's commitment to animal welfare and conservation led her to volunteer with sea birds and sea turtles in Turkey and Malta, gaining valuable experience and an understanding of the importance of conservation efforts. Currently, Ipek works as a small animal veterinary surgeon in the UK. She approaches each day with enthusiasm and a thirst for knowledge. For Ipek, every day is an opportunity to learn and grow, continually striving to provide the highest quality of care to her patients. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, swimming, travelling and discovering different places and cultures.

Ingrid Hunt

Head Veterinary Nurse

Ingrid is a registered qualified nurse and the Head Veterinary Nurse at Medivet Exeter Cranbrook and Polsloe. She has worked for the practices since 1999, which started out as a family run business before joining the bigger Medivet family in 2021. She has been training nursing staff in practice for many years now, helping others to nurture and strengthen their own passion for providing the very best care and treatment to the animals. Ingrid also has a BSc in Zoology and Botany and an MSc in Wildlife Management, Conservation and Control. Growing up in South Africa, she has loved wildlife all her life. She and her family have had the privilege of interacting with creatures great and small from elephants to bush babies, and she has learnt to care for and respect them all, no matter what their size. She attributes a lot of her passion for wildlife, conservation and animals to her father, Chris, who is a veterinarian, who has been caring for all creatures his entire life. She is proud that her son has also learnt to love and respect all creatures and how important they are in our lives. Her talkative cat Lufi, brings such happiness to the household. There is nothing like the love of a cat.

RVN

Karen Beeson

Student Veterinary Nurse

Hello, my name is Karen and I have been with the practice since November 2020. I am a late bloomer in the profession, but Covid inspired me to follow my dreams of becoming a Veterinary Nurse. I started as a Animal Nursing Assistant and once I finished the qualification, I started my Veterinary Nursing Diploma and am currently due to qualify in 2024. There are many aspects of the job I enjoy however I’m never happier when I’m delivering inpatient care, lab work, and Radiography. I have a keen interest in Nutrition, prescriptive diets, and all things exotic. When I am not at work, I’m generally found spending time visiting family with my husband, twin boys and Peppa my rescue dog. Keeping us company at home I have Ollie my cockatiel, Houdini the guinea pig and Squeak the Tortoise and there is nothing better to finish the week off than spending time with some of my closest friends attempting the quiz at the local pub.

Sophie Stollery

Patient Care Assistant

My name is Sophie and I work as a Patient Care Assistant. I lived in the West Midlands until a few years ago, when I moved down to Devon. I used to live in Shaldon, but have now moved to Exeter, to be closer to work and have a better work life balance. I have worked at Medivet Exeter Cranbrook and Polsloe (formerly Cranbrook Veterinary Centre and Polsloe Veterinary Clinic) since September 2021. I originally pursued Veterinary Nursing but soon discovered that I was better in an assistant capacity. I am really attracted to the variety that this type of work offers especially working as part of a team. My other favourite part is keeping things tidy and organised! My main interest relating to the veterinary industry is dog behaviour. I became very interested in dog behaviour after taking on ownership of a crazy Cockerpoo called Ruby. I loved doing obedience school and agility classes with her. When she is not being looked after by my mum and dad, Ruby and I enjoy daily beachside walks and regular swims in the Teign Estuary. When we are not at the beach, we both really enjoy our walks up on Dartmoor or in Haldon Forest, exploring all this beautiful county has to offer.

Ellie-Grace Phillips

Patient Care Assistant

My name is Ellie, and I am employed as a patient care assistant at the Medivet Exeter Cranbrook practice. I joined the team 2 years ago when I was 16 which was a surreal experience for my first job. Starting as work experience to gain knowledge on the veterinary world, I then progressed to get to know the team and now work every Saturday. This only made my passion for animal care grow stronger and will heavily support me in my career with animals in the future. I have always been utterly obsessed with animals from an early age, telling my parents how I was always going to strive to be a vet. I grew up with my family having houses full of dogs and cats until I eventually got my own little Dachshund who is adored!

Jasmine Tomlinson

Student Veterinary Nurse

I’m Jasmine and I graduated with a degree in Animal Science in 2021 and shortly after joined the team at Medivet Exeter Cranbrook and Polsloe. I am currently studying at Bicton College, working towards qualifying as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. Having grown up in a household full of pets ranging from chickens, horses, and tortoises through to cats, dogs, and many other small furries, I always knew a career working with animals would be for me and couldn’t imagine doing anything else! I have a keen interest in theatre nursing and inpatient care and cannot wait to develop my skills further. In my spare time I enjoy walking my dogs on our beautiful beaches and spending time with my pets, family and friends.

Lesley Mutema

Registered Veterinary Nurse

I am a veterinary nurse who qualified in Zimbabwe in 2016 with a veterinary nursing diploma. I also have a Bachelor’s degree in animal Science and Technology attained in 2022, just before I moved to the UK. I worked at Veterinary distributors from 2017 up to my relocation. I have always loved working with animals and found the veterinary profession to be very rewarding in terms of interaction with both animals and people.

Haydn Hayes

Patient Care Assistant

Haydn joined the team in November 2022 and whilst new to the veterinary industry, he has worked with animals for a long time. Animal husbandry and welfare are his two main fields of interest, especially for reptiles, as they are two ways in which a large number of issues can be prevented. Haydn has a background in zoology and science education, having a BSc in Zoology with a particular interest in evolutionary biology. Haydn has also run an explorer scout group local to where he lives for a few years. In his previous job of zookeeper, he interacted with a large variety of exotic and farm species. At home, he has a border collie, named Fern, alongside a couple of snakes and a leopard gecko.

Laura Beresford

Patient Care Assistant

Laura Joined us over a year ago as a Patient Care Assistant. She has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and a postgraduate diploma in Zoo Conservation Biology. Laura has a passion for working with animals, previously working as a zookeeper with many different species. Laura has enjoyed getting to know our clients and their animals and is due to start her Veterinary Nursing qualification in 2024. In her spare time, she loves to go on day trips with her family, read and look after her two Lionhead rabbits called Olaf and Snowy.

Georgina Taylor

Registered Veterinary Nurse

My name is Georgina Taylor, I am a Registered Veterinary Nurse. I started my nursing journey in London as a Patient Care Assistant with Medivet in 2019. I was then enrolled to the College of Animal Welfare to complete my nursing diploma, going on to qualify in 2022. I have since moved back to the South West, with my husband and rescue cat, Nala.