Our compassionate and diligent vets are committed to ensuring that your pets receive the best treatment.
Our compassionate and diligent vets are committed to ensuring that your pets receive the best treatment.
Matt arrived as a fresh-faced graduate in August 2000 and never left. He fell in love with the practice, and after supportive mentorship from John Cattell, was offered a partnership in 2004 and in 2006 took over ownership.
Away from AVG, Matt is a devoted Dad to his 4 daughters and an interesting fact about Matt is that he was once offered the opportunity to trial for Manchester United Football Club but decided to focus on becoming a vet. Thank goodness he did!
“Arun Vet Group is a very special place to work. It is a practice steeped in history and tradition and I view my tenure as a form of guardianship. I am driven to provide our clients with the highest level of service where excellent communicational skills are paramount, enabling strong, trusting relationships to be built. I am extremely proud to lead such a wonderful team and work with such devoted pet owners.”
After graduating, Katie spent a few years developing her passion for emergency and critical care and achieving her certificate. She loves the challenge of treating very sick or injured pets and guiding their owners through this scary and upsetting situation.
Katie has held various leadership positions within the practices she’s worked at, most recently running a 24/7 Small Animal Hospital on the South Coast. After this hospital was bought by one of the big corporate groups, Katie decided that corporate practice wasn’t for her. She is delighted to have joined the passionately independent team at AVG.
Outside of work, Katie enjoys spending time with her husband, toddler, terrier and 2 cats, mostly in a state of barely-organised chaos! She likes good vegetarian food, good music and exploring the beautiful South Downs countryside.
Jenny qualified at Glasgow University in 2011. She joined AVG in February 2018 and is one of our clinical directors at our Storrington hospital
Jenny loves her job and meeting all sorts of animals and their owners. In particular Jenny has a passion for feline medicine and in 2020 achieved her certificate in medicine.
Out of work Jenny is owned by a 10 year old cat called Myrtle!
Christian qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 2013, he joined the Arun family in November 2017. Christian has a lot of experience within the surgical field, he leads our laparoscopic key hole surgery based at our Storrington hospital. In 2020 gained his surgical certificate. His favourite part of his job is seeing sick pets make a full recovery, he enjoys carrying out diagnostic work ups to ensure the best possible care can be given and a smooth recovery. In 2023 Christian was promoted to Clinical Director at our Storrington hospital.
In his spare time Christian is very active, he does a lot of running and cycling and is partial to a few hours gardening.
Claire graduated from Cambridge University in 2012 and has worked in small animal practice across West Sussex ever since. She joined Arun Veterinary Group, bringing with her a strong clinical background and a particular passion for internal medicine.
In 2018, Claire completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine, and the following year she was awarded RCVS Advanced Practitioner status in the discipline — a recognition of her advanced knowledge, clinical skill, and commitment to veterinary excellence.
Claire is deeply passionate about getting to know each patient as an individual and tailoring treatment plans to suit their specific needs and circumstances.
Laura joined the AVG team in March 2021 and is now one of our clinical directors at our Chichester hospital.
Laura grew up locally in Chichester and went on to graduate from the Royal Veterinary College in 2011. Laura then achieved a surgical certificate in 2017 and became an advanced practitioner the following year. Laura has experience in orthopaedic surgery and has a passion for all knee conditions.
Out of work, Laura lives locally with her young family, enjoying not only family time but trail marathons, gardening and generally being outdoors.
Laura has a cat called Bramble and also a small flock of hens.
Tom graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2016 before working at a busy Veterinary hospital in North Devon for 3 years. He then locumed all over the country including many out of hours and emergency clinics, before deciding to settle with AVG. Tom enjoys the varied caseload and challenges of being a primary care GP vet but has a particular interest in internal medicine. He hopes to undertake a medicine certificate in the near future. Tom is based at our Chichester hospital
Outside of work, Tom enjoys all things outdoors with his Labrador Wilson. They are both at their happiest by the coast and in the sea.
As of June 2023, Tom is currently Clinical Director at our Chichester hospital.
Dru graduated from the RVC in 2014 spending his first few years with a large animal/safari practice in the West Country and then later the Peak District. Following this, Dru then relocated to Leicestershire where he worked in a busy independent hospital and completed a certificate in emergency and critical care. Dru has a passion for soft tissue surgery and dentistry.
Dru shares his time between our Worthing clinic and also mentoring some of our more recently qualified veterinary surgeons. He is currently acting Clinical Director at our Chichester hospital alongside fellow vet Tom.
Dru lives locally with his wife (also a vet) and outside of work they are both keen travellers, always looking for landscape and wildlife photography opportunities. Dru loves anything to do with the outdoors, from hiking and climbing to cold-water swimming – with the occasional skydive thrown in!
Dru has a soft spot for American Bulldogs and Staffies and hopes to adopt one in the near future.
Lisa joined the team in May 2017, as the first vet at Westergate, and has played a pivotal role in growing the clinic to the thriving practice it is today. As lead vet she loves managing the team and creating lasting relationships with clients and pets.
Lisa qualified from the RVC in 2001, and spent four years in mixed practice, before deciding to mix business with pleasure and so spent the next three years alternating travelling with locuming, and volunteering. She spent 2 weeks in Greece, island hopping and neutering cats, two weeks at the Rhino Reserve at Lewa in Kenya with the duty vet and a week treating strays in Thailand.
Now firmly settled in West Sussex, Lisa still enjoys travelling, but is happiest pottering in her garden, or walking in the beautiful Sussex countryside with her family.
“I’ve always been impressed by Arun Veterinary Group’s independent, family-style practices. Compared with some of the more corporate practices in the local area they strike a really nice balance between commitment to quality and consistency of care and showing real value when it comes to client costs. I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
Kathryn graduated as a veterinary surgeon from University of Melbourne in 2014 and joined AVG in 2022.
Kathryn is based full time at our Worthing clinic and in December 2022 was promoted to lead vet.
Out of work Kathryn loves to travel, cook and get creative in the kitchen cooking for friends and family.
Elena graduated in 2009 from the University of Camerino.
Shortly after graduating, Elena completed an internship-gaining significant experience and started to pursue her interest in Diagnostic Imaging and Internal Medicine. Elena then decided to broaden her experience across all aspects of veterinary medicine by working in general practice whilst still maintaing a focus on ultrasound.
After moving to the UK, Elena gained further experience helping to solidify her skills and develop her knowledge in CT and MRI.
Elena has been working on the South Coast since 2015 and is currently studying towards her Postgraduate Certificate in Diagnostic Imaging.
Elena joined us at AVG in March 2019.
Elizabeth graduated from the Royal Vet College in 2017.
Deciding to stay in London, Elizabeth initially spent 3 years working in a small animal clinic before deciding to move to Sussex to join the AVG team in late 2020. Elizabeth is based at our Storrington hospital.
Elizabeth has a dog called Sol and a cat called Gremlin and she spends any spare time out and about with her dog, playing tennis and practising yoga.
Gabby qualified from the Royal Vet College in 2017 and has worked in small animal practice ever since.
Gabby joined the team in 2021 and has a passion for small animal medicine. In 2021 Gabby achieved her certificate in medicine and is based at our Storrington hospital.
Out of work, Gabby lives with her family in Surrey, including her rescue dog Alan who makes the perfect partner for a walk in the country and a pub lunch!
Eleanor graduated from University College Dublin in 2014 after which she moved to the UK. She has worked in Hampshire for several years in small animal practice before venturing across the border into West Sussex. She is currently working towards her certificate in Small Animal Medicine but enjoys work as a general practitioner. Eleanor is based at our Chichester hospital.
Eleanor lives with her partner in addition to a feline companion called Purcy. Eleanor treated Purcy as an injured stray and he has had her wrapped around his paw ever since. In her spare time, Eleanor enjoys gardening, baking and exploring the local countryside.
Hannah graduated for the University of Liverpool in 2004 and has been working in small animal practice ever since. She spent many years working at a Hospital practice in Surrey, latterly as a Clinical Director, before joining AVG in March 2022. She is based at our Chichester hospital.
Hannah has a passion for building long standing client relationships and loves all aspects of caring for pets. Currently, Hannah is studying towards her certificate in Small Animal Medicine.
In her spare time, Hannah loves to spend time with her young family and her Whippet. They enjoy trips away and adventures in their campervan.
Emma qualified in 2012 from Liverpool University and has been working as a small animal vet ever since. Emma joined the team in August 2022 and is based between our Westergate clinic and Chichester hospital.
Emma is a huge cat lover and holds a certificate in Feline Practice. Emma also loves being a GP vet, getting to know owners and their pets and enjoys building good relationships.
Outside of work, yoga loving Emma loves being outside – especially the beach. She can often be found waking her Cocker Spaniel alongside her young family and husband.
As well as a dog, Emma also has a small flock of chickens at home.
Alice is based at our Chichester hospital and joined the practice in 2023.
Alice graduated in 2018 from the University of Nottingham, a bit later in life than most after having previously done a science degree in London.
Alice worked in Leicestershire for the first few years in practice, for a independent vets in a large team. After this Alice attempted to go travelling for a year but this got a bit side tracked due to the Covid pandemic. She has worked on and off for AVG since then in between travelling as a locum. She has now finished her travels and is now looking forward to staying with us permanently.
Alice enjoys all parts of practice both consulting and surgery and particularly enjoy looking after the in patients in the hospital. Alice is a big fan of Staffies and will always gravitate to one in exchange for a cuddle!
Outside of work Alice likes cooking baking and also hiking and travelling – particularly to see wildlife.
Francesca graduated in 2013 in Italy. Staying in Italy, she initially worked as a small animal vet for five years before moving to the UK.
Francesca has been working in West Sussex and Hampshire since 2018 before joining the Westergate team in May 2023. Francesca has a passion for feline medicine and is about to finish her certificate in this discipline.
Francesca takes pride in treating all her patients as if they were her own and feels compassion and empathy are some of her best qualities as a vet.
Out of work, Francesca has a cat that keeps her busy and entertained. She also loves to travel and explore new, exciting places.
Rosanna or Rox as she is sometimes called, joined the team in November 2023 and is based at our Storrington hospital.
Rosanna graduated from Cambridge university in 2017 and has enjoyed working in small animal practice ever since. She has special interests in dentistry (and holds a certificate in this field), small animal medicine and pain management.
Outside of work Rosanna has two cats and a Yorkshire terrier crossbreed to look after, and is looking forward to all the wonderful running, wild swimming and cycling the south coast has to offer.
Aiden joined the team in December 2023 and is based between our Worthing clinic and Storrington hospital.
Aiden qualified from the RVC in 2021 and has spent the first two years of his career working in a small animal hospital in the south of England. Aiden has an interest in medicine and diagnostic imaging and intends to pursue a certificate in the future.
Outside of work Aiden lives with his partner and their Cocker Spaniel called Manny. He also enjoys cooking, reading and exploring with Manny
Helen graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2001 and started in mixed practice with an open mind to where the veterinary passport might lead. Originally from Hampshire, an initial desire took Helen to travel to South Africa and New Zealand working in mixed practice and welfare facilities. Finally in Bristol, an interest in ophthalmology developed and Helen achieved the RCVS ophthalmology certificate in 2011. She has since spent the last 10 years working at referral level ophthalmology in Hampshire, and is now keen to raise the level of ophthalmology in general practice and make this important service more accessible. We were absolutely delighted to welcome Helen in January 2023 when our new service, South Downs Veterinary Referrals was launched.
In her spare time Helen enjoys yoga and spending time in the water, either windsurfing or SUP surfing.
Christina graduated in 2017 from St George’s university in Grenada.
Swiftly moving away from the sunny shores, Christina begun her career in a mixed practice in North Wales. She then moved on to Surrey where she worked nights and this is where her love for emergency work begun.
As well as nights, Christina also does some day shifts and divides her time between our two hospital sites.
Christina is passionate about critical care cases and in her spare time loves to go hiking on the beautiful South Downs.
Lara qualified with distinction from Milan University in 2015. In the same year she won a Leonardo Da Vinci scholarship and completed an internship in Small Animal Surgery and Anaesthesia at a referral centre in Germany.
Lara moved to the UK in 2016 and after initially working in first opinion practice, quickly moved to a busy hospital where she found her love for managing emergencies and critical care cases. Lara achieved her Postgraduate certificate in ECC in 2022, joining the SDEV team later that year. Lara is based at our Chichester hospital.
Out of work, Lara enjoys spending time with friends and family including her beloved dog ‘Asia’ who she found during a volunteering experience in Italy. Lara also loves to travel and to try lots of different types of cuisine.
Charlotte graduated from the RVC in 2018 and since qualifying has been working in a busy small animal hospital working a combination of day and night shifts. Charlotte quickly developed an interest in emergency and critical care and completed a certificate in Small Animal Emergency Medicine and Surgery in 2022. She joined the Chichester night team in November 2023.
In her spare time, she is mainly found at the beach with her dog Bramble or playing with new kitten Misty. Charlotte enjoys playing the piano and keeping active through spinning and playing tennis.
Ana recently joined the team at Storrington Hospital as a Night Veterinary Surgeon. She is an Advanced Practitioner in Emergency and Critical Care (ECC) and is currently working towards a certificate in Diagnostic Imaging, with a particular focus on ultrasound.
Ana enjoys the variety and unpredictability of emergency work, and finds it especially rewarding to see critically unwell patients improve and recover under her care.
Outside of work, Ana enjoys travelling and has a soft spot for toy poodles, having grown up with them and hoping to have one again in the future.
George is a Veterinary Surgeon who recently joined the team at our Worthing branch.
He really values the strong team dynamic within the practice and enjoys working collaboratively across branches to provide the best possible care for patients. Being part of a supportive and close-knit team is something he finds especially rewarding.
Outside of work, George enjoys making music and exploring the South Downs on long hikes. He also has a cat called Merlin, who is never short of personality and keeps life entertaining at home.
Hannah is a Veterinary Surgeon who joined the team in September 2023 and holds a certificate in Emergency and Critical Care.
She has a particular interest in managing emergency cases, inpatient care and performing soft tissue surgery, and enjoys the variety and challenge that these areas bring.
Outside of work, Hannah loves spending time dog walking with her rescue Cocker Spaniel, Bella.
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