We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have a group of people at Pittwater Animal Hospital who not only enjoy their work but also get on with each other wonderfully well. You and your pet should sense the positive vibes as soon as you walk though the door.

The practice employs five veterinary surgeons. Our two men, Dr Bryn Lynar and Dr Eamon Grattan-Smith, both work full time. Their shared interest in orthopedic surgery and their qualifications as AQIS veterinarians mean we are particularly well prepared for pets with needs related to these more complex areas.

Our three lady vets, Dr Jillian King, Dr Heidi Furber and Dr Evelyn Woods, work part time, combining professional careers with family commitments. Jill's interest in dentistry and rabbit medicine, Heidi's background in cardiology and internal medicine and Evelyn's post-graduate training in surgery mean that we can offer your pet benefits from extra expertise in these areas.

Dr Bryn Lynar - Bryn is our princial veterinarian and holds degrees in both Agricultural and Veterinary Science. Since purchasing Pittwater Animal Hospital in 1992, Bryn has strived to develop a world class hospital with an exceptional team of vets and nurses capable of coping with most pet problems with quality care and compassion. Bryn has worked in a variety of veterinary practices in Australia and overseas including spending 10 happy years as a partner in a large veterinary hospital in Bathurst. Bryn's main areas of interest are Bird Medicine and Orthopaedic surgery of dogs and cats.

Bryn is married and has three sons. Pets have always been in his family and currently he has two Jack Russells, Bella and her daughter Millie, and a black and white moggy called Pud. These days his spare time is taken up by golf, mountain biking, remote bush walking, canyoning and sailing.

Dr Eamon Grattan-Smith - Medicine is in Eamon's blood - his dad and four brothers are all doctors (of the people rather than pet variety). A member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists with a particular interest in small animal medicine, Eamon has been practicing for some 13 years. A touch of wanderlust led to his working in both the UK (Cambridge) and the US (Georgia). While hitch-hiking through Africa, Eamon also had the chance to accompany a group tagging rhinoceros. And in Indonesia he and his wife did some volunteer work at the Bali Street dog foundation. While studying at Sydney Uni, he would occasionally adopt a stray from the pound there. Their names - Basil, Sybyl, Polly and Manuel - might give a clue to some favoured TV viewing. Sybyl, by the way, is still with him and has the interesting habit of recycling her food. Eamon's outside pursuits include ball sports that don't necessarily require too much fitness, i.e., baseball, cricket and golf.

Dr Jillian King - Jill has always wanted to be a vet. She graduated from Sydney University in 1988 and went to work in the country to learn about cows and horses. After a year up in the North Coast (near the beach of course) Jill travelled to England gaining a variety of skills working in the English countryside. After three years away it was time to come back to her home town to look for the perfect job. Jill found it at Pittwater Animal Hospital. Jill has worked here since 1994. Jill is an excellent general practitioner with interests in problem solving medicine, soft tissue surgery and dentistry. Jill and Heidi have become our rabbit, ferret and small furry animal practitioners, getting some excellent results with new treatments. After teaching Puppy Pre School at PAH in the early 90's Jill is passionate about the need for good early puppy advice, training and guidance to really raise a happy dog. In 2009 Jill embarked upon extra studies in behaviour medicine and uses these new skills to give guide guidance in how to have a happier, calmer and more settled pets. Jill Loves being part of the Pittwater Community. Her three children have gone to Newport Public and belong to a huge variety of local sporting clubs. When not at home, Jill is busy playing soccer, surfing (not so well but enthusiastically) or painting the house. The rest of the time she spends socialising in the community.
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Dr Heidi Furber - Heidi was born in the North of England and spent time living with her aunty, surrounded by creatures great and small. At the age of 12 she got the first pet she could call her own, a West Highland terrier cross called Willow. Later, when at Cambridge University studying Veterinary Medicine, Heidi shared her room with Snuggles, a rabbit in the habit of eating her stereo wires. After earning her Veterinary Degree, she spent three years working in England, taking time out for an overland trip through the heart of Africa where the most impressive creature she encountered was an Aussie bloke named Richard. After moving to Sydney with her new husband some seven years ago, Heidi has continued to to practice, developing a strong interest in cardiology and internal medicine while completing a counselling course. Aside from two Domestic Shorthair cats (Mops and Bam) and a terrier cross (Millie), Heidi dotes on three-year-old daughter, Zoe, and brand new son, Max.

Dr Evelyn Woods - Evelyn was born in Scotland and at the age of seven emigrated to Western Australia with her family. Her mother had her lined up to do Fine Arts at university but she completed her degree at Murdoch University School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences instead. Following graduation she headed overseas to travel and work in England. Evelyn met her husband, Rupert also a vet in the same year at university. After moving from Perth, to Hobart, to Africa, to England, to Sydney, they eventually found themselves in Dubbo, where they finally had enough time and space to have pets of their own. All of their pets have been abandoned animals that have turned up at their place or were likely to be sent to pet heaven. From Dubbo Evelyn and Rupert moved back to Hobart then to Sydney once again. Today, they have two cats, Memphis and Larrs, and two dogs, Black Dog and D.C. (D.C. was born deaf but former stray Black Dog acts as the ears for both of them). They also have two young children, Kaelen and Jade. At work Evelyn particularly enjoys surgery and ophthalmology. At home she likes being outdoors, exploring new spots, hiking and camping, painting and sketching. Evelyn has also completed a year-long post-graduate course in surgery.
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And now, Your Nurses:

Caroline Mashman - Twenty rabbits. Two cats. Four mice. Two budgies. Ten fish. Three snails. Two dogs. When Caroline says she's always loved animals, she isn't kidding. Right now she looks after a pair of kittens, Munchie and Snoopy, who supplement their diets by eating the flowers Caroline's husband, Stuart, brings her. Snoopy, probably because of his name, also thinks he's a dog. He retrieves toys so that Caroline can throw them again. And again. Along with certificates in Animal Studies and First Aid, Caroline has a BA in Psychology. Plus five years experience working in pet shops, as an animal walker/carer and, most recently, with us, first as a veterinary nurse and now in a managerial/administrative role. Away from the clinic, this Northern Beaches native likes bushwalking, the beach, movies and books.

Soula Varoutsos - Ever since she was a little girl, Soula has been an animal lover. Over the years her menagerie has included many dogs, cats, assorted fish and a bird aviary. At the moment Soula has three dogs (Nelson, Roy and Dexter) and one cat (Napolean). Needless to say, her career choice didn't exactly stun friends and relatives. Soula has a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing and has been working at Pittwater Animal Hospital since 2001. For the past year or so she has combined her personal experience with her what she's learned with us to teach our Puppy Preschool. Soula also acts as our in-house photographer. Some terrific examples of her work can be found on the Pet Gallery and Puppy School Graduates pages. Although she is getting married next year, Soula assures us she won't be leaving PAH for some time to come.
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Louise Colombari - After teaching high school music classes for 10 years, Louise decided she needed a change. The problem was, she had a B.Mus.Ed. and nothing else in the way of formal qualifications. But she loved dogs. She got her first one when she was around four and has owned five since then. So, to go along with her music degree, Louise now has certificates in Veterinary Nursing, Animal Attending, Canine Behavioural Training, plus Delta accreditation as a Canine Behavioural Trainer. She also accumulated seven years of veterinary experience along the way. After work Louise goes home to Tara and Murphy, a pair of Staffordshire bull terriers; Lucy, a cockatiel; Flipper, a budgie; a three-foot tank of tetras; Mushu, a Siamese fighting fish; and Neil, her husband. To relax Louise reads crime novels, watches movies and plays an assortment of musical instruments. Besides jamming with members of her family, she also plays bass guitar in a band and the organ at church.

Genevieve Uren - Gen was born and brought up on the Northern Beaches, where she began developing her love of animals at an early age; she was only one when the family got a poodle named Sally. Then came rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, peach-faces and numerous cockatiels. Currently, Gen has a ferret named Febee, a Border Collie-Cross named Brodie, and two cockatiels named Tubby and Spike. Spike has a problem though: he's obsessed with Brodie. Whenever he's out of his cage, he'll follow the dog all over the house. If he can't find her, he'll squawk at the top of his lungs until Brodie is located. Brodie's forbearance lasted a couple of years, but she has now outgrown the attention. Gen has earned a certificate in Animal Studies and graduated from TAFE with a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.

Alexis Seaton-Sykes - Currently studying for a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of New South Wales, Alexis works with us weekends acting as receptionist, assisting our vets and looking after hospitalised animals. She was born in New Zealand and has always had a variety of animals around her. At the moment she owns two bantams, Miss Tiggywinkle and Beatrix. Two Siamese fighting fish, Fabio and Roberto. One cat, Keisha. And the newest member of her little family, a dog. A self-confessed "soccer nut," Alexis used to play for for both her high school and local club and now plays indoor soccer at uni. Other than that, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. And going to the movies.
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