Meet Our Team
At Rathmines Veterinary Hospital, our team is the heart of everything we do. From our skilled veterinarians to our dedicated nurses, reception staff, and support team, each member is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care for pets and their families. Get to know the people who will be looking after your furry, feathered, or scaled companions.
Dr David Clifford
Veterinary Director & Co-owner
Having graduated from University College Dublin, Ireland in 2014, David joined the Rathmines Veterinary Hospital team back in late 2018 after spending several years living and working in Australia. He spent his formative year working in a mixed (companion animal, equine and farm animal) practice on the New South Wales Central Coast where he began to ‘learn the ropes’ of veterinary practice prior to accepting a more senior position at a large, busy veterinary hospital in Gosford. This proved to be a great experience and was the first major step in a career working exclusively with companion animal species (primarily dogs and cats, with occasional rabbits, birds and wildlife also).
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With an almost six-month old baby (William) in-tow and with a Pep in their step, this young family has taken the challenge of practice ownership by the horns. From the ‘Get-Go’, Emma and David realised that there was a significant amount of work required to bring the practice up to the standard that they wished to provide to the wonderful and loyal clients of Rathmines and surrounds. This started from day-one with longer consultation appointment times; increased and improved staffing and support and recruitment of top-class veterinary professionals for what was to become the top-class general practice veterinary service we are so proud to offer today.
Away from work, David is the loving husband of the multi-talented and beautiful Emma, as well as the extremely proud and adoring father of William and baby Daniel. He is also the proud pet parent of three great dogs – ‘Penny’, ‘Seamus’ and little rescue dog, ‘Lily’; as well as five cats – ‘Dusty’, ‘Jackie’, ‘Meg’, ‘Dora’ and ‘Clarice Starling’, three horses – ‘Shrewdy’ a retired Racehorse and two miniature ponies ‘Creamy’ and ‘Coco’; Three goats – ‘Basil’, ‘Sybil’ and ‘Trevor’ as well as the star of the show, ‘Freddie Mercury’ a storm-rescued featherless baby bird who grew into a large, flamboyant Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo.
When not spending time with family/chasing toddlers or walking dogs, David is happiest meeting friends; travelling when he can and getting in the water for a Scuba dive – always hoping to spot a (non-aggressive) shark or two!
Dr Caitlyn Gallagher
Senior Veterinarian
Dr Alex Pan
Senior Veterinarian
Dr. Alex Pan joins us on a part-time basis after a number of years building his professional career in a well-established; very busy small animal veterinary hospital on the Central Coast; working his way through the ranks to senior veterinarian (and ultimately head veterinarian). It was at this practice where Dr. Alex met an Irish vet called Dr. David Clifford, with whom he worked for approximately 18 months.
Skip forward a few years and these two have been reunited under a different roof but with the same zeal and drive to deliver the best possible care and support to the pet population (and their owners) of the greater Lake Macquarie region.
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Aside from all the ‘fancy stuff’, Dr. Alex is equally fulfilled with the ‘routine’ cases and is often found in the consulting room performing health checks; vaccinations; medical consultations; lump checks and dermatology discussions with owners to ensure they and their pets achieve the most out of their journey through life together.
We are very excited to have Dr. Alex on our team and we hope that you and your fur-family have the pleasure of meeting him soon.
Dr Gaelle Butin
Veterinarian
Emma Clifford
Practice Manager, Veterinary Nurse & Co-owner
Emma brings a wealth of experience to our veterinary team after many years, working her way through the ranks from Animal attendant at a RSPCA shelter, followed by more than 11 years of practice as a qualified veterinary nurse working in a variety of areas of practice including companion animal general practice and mixed animal (farm animal, companion animal and equine) practice.
She has also dabbled in small animal emergency practice and specialist equine practice, but over the years has found that her invariable drawcard has been in practice management.
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Emma’s ‘other job’ is the full-time care of her and David’s family consisting of their young son, William as well as a menagerie of pets including two horses, four goats, five cats, their three kelpie-cross dogs ‘Penny’, ‘Seamus’ and the most recent addition ‘Lilly’. Last but not least is a an orphaned Sulphur-crested Cockatoo called ‘Freddie Mercury’. All of these pets, bar one of the dogs, the 19-year-old cat and the two horses are rescued from less fortunate situations and make a dynamic group of much-loved misfits.
Carolyn
Head Veterinary Nurse
Carolyn has been a part of the fabric of the team long before any of the current staff. Starting off as a veterinary nurse work placement student way back in 2012, she has been a central part of the Rathmines Veterinary Hospital team for a full generation of our much-loved patients and their pet-parents.
Having been a local of the area for many years and having seen the full spectrum of what can come through the door of your local veterinary hospital from cute puppies to emergency life and death situations, we feel like Caz is ready for any challenge at any time of her shift.
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As well as her extensive experience in general practice, Carolyn holds a certificate in Animal behaviour and training which has helped her to design an up-to-date Puppy Pre-school curriculum which she teaches to puppies and their pet parents interested in maximizing their puppies early behaviour development, dog-to-dog social skills and human-animal bond. Those who have attended puppy school will attest to this.
Carolyn’s home-life is just as busy as her work life. Along with her son, Layken, they’re kept busy with two Large-breed dogs – Echo, the diabetic Rottweiler and Lacey, the naughty Irish Wolfhound cross who LOVES eating naughty things… so much so that Carolyn and David spent Easter Sunday 2021 in theatre removing a school sports sock from her small intestine!
Vas
Veterinary Nurse
Vas is a long-time vet nurse who has come full-circle from her days as a full-time veterinary nurse and practice manager at a busy veterinary clinic on the Central Coast.
Having worked with a mix of ‘normal’ domestic pets as well as lots of greyhounds from a local rehabilitation and re-homing centre as they transitioned from racing dogs to family pets. From here, she decided on a change of career path within the animal care industry, and moved in to full-time work and management on an equine agistment, reproductive and rehabilitation facility where she has been able to apply her skills and knowledge from her veterinary nursing background with her other four-legged love – Horses.
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Vas shares her home with her horse ‘Yogi’ as well as a Gentle Giant, Jordon, the Rottweiler x Boxer who is never far from Vas’ side. She keeps threatening to get a puppy though, so…watch this space.
Lucy
Veterinary Nurse
Lucy joined us in early 2022 after gaining experience working in two multi-vet practices both in the Central Coast and Newcastle regions.
After being offered a full-time position by Emma and David, she decided it was the right time to jump ship and join the close-knit team at Rathmines veterinary hospital, where she has fitted in immediately.
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Lucy is a true local, having grown up in Lake Macquarie. In her spare time away from the clinic & Vet nurse life, she teaches children and adults dance at a local dance studio. You may also find her at the beach going for a walk or a swim.
Lucy shares her two dogs, Jasper and Dixi and a cheeky kitten named Cal with her partner, Sam.
Hayley S
Veterinary Nurse
Bio coming soon
Hayley T
Veterinary Nurse
Hayley has been with the team since 2017 and in that time she has worked her way up through the ranks to be the knowledgeable & friendly face we know and love today. While Hayley enjoys the daily challenges that first-opinion general veterinary practice entails, she has also been known to do some shifts with our awesome colleagues at the Animal referral and emergency centre at Broadmeadow.
Hayley is involved in all aspects of the day-to-day work of the practice and is not shy to admitting she is a true cat lover. So much so that if ever she can’t be found in the veterinary hospital, she has likely nipped next door to our cat boarding facility to check-in with our fabulous feline friends.
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When not at work, Hayley is kept busy at home with her husband, Jordan and their fur family consisting of two cats – ‘Sammy’ (aka Bam) and Sebastian and their adorable rescue dog, Soku who ensures Mum and Dad are kept fit with his demands for regular walks on the edge of beautiful Lake Macquarie.
Charlotte R
Veterinary Nurse
Bio coming soon
Sammy
Veterinary Nurse
Sammy is a highly experienced Veterinary Nurse, and we’re thrilled to have her join our team. With 17 years of nursing experience across general practice, specialty, and emergency and critical care, she brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to our clinic.
Her favourite animals are cows and dogs, and she shares her home with two much-loved pets — Poppy, a lively standard poodle, and Jarrah, a gentle older cavoodle.
Outside of work, Sammy and her husband are busy with their two children and enjoy transforming their house into a beautiful family home. She’s excited to meet all our wonderful clients and their pets.