Brian Sheahan
Brian was Brisbane born and educated. He graduated from the University of Queensland as a Veterinary Surgeon in 1974. Brian then went as far away from Queensland as possible to starting his first job in Hervey in Western Australia. Hervey Veterinary Clinic catered for predominately dairy cattle and trotting horses. Brian’s next appointment was closer to home at Beaudesert, south of Brisbane in a very busy mixed rural practice. On Christmas Eve 1976, Brian started at Samford and has practiced here ever since. In that time, the practice has had four homes. Firstly, under the Farmers Hall and then the practice moved to the rear of the old ES&A Bank, Main St, Samford. In 1985, the practice moved to the purpose built “Skeldale House”. In 1998, the practice moved next door to the very modern hospital facilities in “Herriot House”. In 2000, the horse surgery and stables were added to the practice facilities. From 1976 until now Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital has grown from a small rural practice to a large modern veterinary hospital employing 8 veterinarians and 15 lay staff. Brian’s particular areas of interest are equine & small animal surgery, medicine of competition horses and obstetrics. Brian is a 4 star rated FEI Endurance veterinarian officiating at international events throughout the world. He was Chef d’Equipe for the Gold medal performance for the Australian Endurance team in France 2000 and for the bronze medal for the World Equestrian Games in Spain 2002. Brian’s main hobby is losing money farming much to his wife, Christeen’s disgust.
Judy Law
I was brought up locally in Keperra.
I’ve been horse crazy for as long as I can remember all I ever wanted to do was be a veterinarian.
Graduated in 1992 from the University of Qld.
Then in 1992 started at Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital as a mixed practitioner.
My professional interests lye in equine behaviour, lameness’s, reproduction, dentistry, equine medicine, foal medicine, camelids.
My hobbies include bird watching, camping in outback remove areas.
Contact Judy by email here....
Leigh Hanlon
I’ve wanted to be a vet for as long as I can remember.
On a careers form when I was 11, I wrote that I wanted to be a :-
1. A Vegetarian (It was meant to say Veterinarian)
2. Opera singer.
So much for the Opera, though I do sing up a storm while doing surgery much to the delight of the cringing staff.
I left Mitchelton High School in 1982, completed Bachelor of Science in 1985 (Majoring in parasitology & zoology) and after another 5 years, in 1990, graduated with a Veterinary Science Degree at University of Queensland.
The following April I commenced employment at Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital with Dr Brian Sheahan when Samford still had a significant dairy community. As the community changed my interest in small animal surgery and medicine grew, and in 1999, I became a Member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, my Special interest being canine and feline medicine.
I feel privileged to have worked in such a warm caring community for all these years and I adore all of my patients.
My hobbies are:
1. Dressing up my brothers Staffy, Georgie (She loves it!.... really she does)
2. Fashion – I wear my uniform everywhere
3. Sport– I regularly walk from the office to my consult room and back again.
I truly love all creatures great and small and love being in this profession.
Contact Leigh by email here.....
Erin Swan
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to care for animals. I needed to when growing up in Toowoomba as I kept everything from mice and rats, to dogs, cats and horses. After completing my schooling in Brisbane, I ventured off to South Carolina, USA, to enjoy a year riding horses and working in a hunter/showjumper barn. Travelling enabled me to gain many experiences, and helped me focus on completing my veterinary science degree after returning to Australia. In December 2007, I graduated from the University of Queensland with first class honours in Bachelor of Veterinary Science. It was during these veterinary studies that I met my husband, Daniel, and after we had graduated, we were married in Brisbane. After working in the New England tablelands as a mixed animal practitioner for some time, we decided to move our menagerie back up to sunny, warm Queensland. Now we are settled in the gorgeous Samford region with our dog ‘Scout’, cat ‘Sully’, and ‘Guapo’ the cockatiel. In the back paddock are “Gypsie” and “Daddy Cool” (pictured), with ‘Delilah’, ‘Wilhemina’, and ‘Molly’ ruling the chicken roost. I love the variety seen in any one day as a mixed animal practitioner. However, my special interests lie in equine dentistry, having just completed my Advanced Equine Dentistry course, equine medicine, and small animal surgery.
Daniel Swan
I have always had a strong passion for working with animals which I have attributed to growing up surrounded by nature in a small town in New Brunswick, Canada. I began volunteer work at my local animal hospital when I was 13 years old and continued until my second year of university where I was studying Science with a major in marine biology. While volunteering at the vet clinic I also pursued my second passion which was helping people. I studied in Pastoral care and volunteered at aged-care facilities as well as the Saint John Regional Hospital. In 2003 I moved to Brisbane to study veterinary Science at UQ. I met my wife Erin on the first day of vet school and by working together have both achieved our BVSc (Hons). I have developed a special interest in small animal internal medicine and diagnostic imaging. I love my job as I get to satisfy both my passion for helping animals and people. I believe that laughter is the best medicine even in veterinary science and I apply this every day at work. At home we have a very large and equally ugly great-dane cross named ‘Scout’,a cat ‘Sully’, a cockatiel ‘Guapo’, three chickens which I only pretend to know the names of in front of my wife as they are hers, and two horses ‘Daddy Cool’ (aka ‘the Fats’) and ‘Gypsy’.
Contact Daniel by email here....
Paula Williams
I decided I wanted to be a vet when I was 8 years old as a result of growing up on a farm in England surrounded by animals.
I qualified from Liverpool University in 1993 and went straight onto equine practice. I have been lucky to work in some of the top equine hospitals in the UK and to learn form some of the best clinicians. I worked at Liverpool University, Rossdale and Partners in Newmarket and Peasebrook Equine Practice in the Cotswolds. This enabled me to gain experience in all aspects of equine practice.
I came to Australia in 2002 to work a stud season for 6 months and ended up getting stuck here because of the great climate and lifestyle! I worked at Oakey Veterinary Hospital for 6 years and have been at Samford for the last year.
My professional interests include – the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in the equine athlete, skin conditions, foals, wounds and internal medicine. I have a reputation for liking my diagnostic toys so don’t be surprised if I offer to X ray, scan and endoscope your horse!
I have an interest in the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries in the equine athlete and like to use a team approach involving veterinary surgeon, farrier and physiotherapist to tailor a programme specific to your horse’s individual requirements.
In my free time I am a part time mermaid with a passion for scuba diving and marine wildlife particularly turtles. I have also been known in the past to actually ride horses too!
Contact Paula by email here....
Angela Willemsen
Working with animals was something that I always wanted to do. I grew up where pets were considered members of the family and was surprised that not all families felt this way. I first told people that I wanted to be a vet from when I was about 5 years old. No animal was safe when I was out – I would wander over to each and every animal, much to my mother’s dismay. Despite every well laid plan, I first had a foray into human health and worked as a Registered Nurse for a number of years. My desire to be a vet always remained strong and well, you can see the rest! Working with animals is certainly the right path for me – I really enjoy working with animals every day and feel very privileged for this opportunity. My interest lies in small animal medicine and I am completeing further studies in this field. I live at home with my husband and young son who has no fear of any animal. My dogs and cat allow us to share their home with them!
Contact Angela by email here....
Helen Wilson
My life started like most people’s lives, I think? A stalk brought me to my house and I became a Wilson. My childhood was littered with all sorts of animals, though I especially remember our family’s cocker spaniels. It was looking after them and the horses that gave me a real connection with animals.
Even though I travelled when I was younger to different exotic locations around the world, I’ve always called the greater Brisbane area home.
I went to both primary and secondary school locally and it was in years 11 and 12 I found that I really enjoyed anatomy and biology. Coupled with my love for animals and a desire to work outside, I applied to do psychology. I got in! And it only took me three years to realise that I had read the bio for a psychologist incorrectly and that a love for animals, anatomy and a desire to work outside was in fact the synopsis for becoming a veterinarian, I quickly fixed the issue and started Vet in 2005.
In five (what seemed endless) years I had graduated from the University of Queensland Veterinarian program and was ready to take on the world.
With desires to work abroad I started to scour the job advertisements to find somewhere that tickled my fancy.
With little to no success I requisitioned the awesome knowledge sets of friends and family and after much deliberation I decided to apply for the job at Samford Valley Veterinary Hospital. Since you are reading this you may have guess by now but I got the job! When I am not here at Samford saving all your beloved animals you can often find me riding horses, speed reading any and every book known to man or going for the occasional kayak.
I hope that while I am a Vet that I can reduce unwanted pet problems and continue research into bat related viruses especially the Hendra virus. “Or maybe discover something really cool!!”
Contact Helen by email here....
Lara Bondigo
Everyone dreams about getting to play with animals all day, for me it’s a reality. How did I come to be a vet? Animals were a fundamental part of my childhood so naturally in my senior years at The Gap State High School I thought outside the box and decided I would be a veterinarian. The allure of an outdoor lifestyle and helping animals was what finally twisted my arm.
On finishing school I was accepted into the University of Queensland, did two years of a science degree, promptly upgraded into a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and graduated in 2009. Half way through my degree I discovered that mixed practice was for me. In 2010 I find myself excited to be working with an enthusiastic team who share my love for animals and look forward to meeting all of your animals great and small.
When not at work the rest of my time is taken up playing with, dreaming about and training horses and dogs. I also enjoy cycling on the weekends, going camping and it’s not unusual to find me around a BBQ on a Sunday afternoon.