Our Nurses

	Fiona Richards: Fiona is our longest-serving full-time nurse, having been at Belmont for 16 years. Originally from Watchem in country Victoria, she moved down here to Geelong at the age of 19 to follow her Nursing career. She completed her VCE at Donald High School in 1993 followed by an introduction to Animal Nursing and Certificate 2 in Animal Studies at Box Hill TAFE. In 2011 she finished her nursing certificates, with a Cert 4 in Vet Nursing from Victoria Uni. Fiona enjoys live music, comedy, travelling and the company of her much-loved pets Buster, a loveable, and two cats Rani (trouble in a fur coat) and Conargo. Conargo has needed a life-saving amputation since the photo at left, but that hasn't stopped him ruling the roost and beating up Buster if needed. Fiona was the pioneer of Photonic Therapy in our clinic and also has a keen interest in Proper Pet Nutrition.
	Laura Hayden: Laura is one of the Newer faces in the clinic having been with us since December 2010. Whilst working in hospitality and doing her Certificate 2 in Animal Studies, she discovered her true passion was working with. Perhaps her greatest ambition in life at the moment is to own a Pug, but for now she has settled for being a temporary mother to all the Pugs that come through the clinic! She is a Qualified Veterinary Nurse after recently completing her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing at Vic Uni. Laura is our Community Outreach liason, and loves to get all the clinic out and about and involved/supporting local charity events and causes. She shares her house with a Staffy x Jack Russell, 'Zeus', a Maltese x Shih Tzu, 'Reggie', and her new additions 'Jada', a Staffy x Border Collie and has a special place in her heart for pets of the Guinea Pig Variety.
	Shelley Farman: Shelley is one of our most experienced nurses, having been with us for the last 10 years. She now works part-time so she can spend time looking after her two young children, Frankie and Oliver. Her other family members are Splinter a energenic Jack Russell Puppy, two cats Brainy and Olive, two guinea pigs Tree and Boneshaker and her husband Anthony. Shelley grew up in Point Lonsdale and has lived in Geelong for four years. Outside the clinic, she enjoys any free time her children will allow.
	Tanika Butler: Tanika has been working at the Belmont Vet Centre since 2006. She is now working part time with us so she can look after her little boy Lincoln. She has an interest in dogs and horses and owns a Kelpie called Ellenor and a short-haired Border Collie called Flick. Tanika is a very highly-trained nurse, having completed both her Certificate 2 in Animal Studies and Certificate 4 in Veterinary Nursing at Vic Uni, gaining the title of Qualified Veterinary Nurse, which we are all very proud of. She will be going on maternity leave as of May 2012, and we wish her all the best with her second child. Of course we can't wait for her return to the clinic with all her valuable nursing knowledge and experience.
	Aimee Begg: Aimee has been with Belmont Vet Centre since May 2009 and has recently completed her Certificate 4 in Veterinary Nursing at Victoria University joining our team of Qualified Vet Nurses.. She grew up in Geelong and was a client with BVC before starting work here. Aimee is keen on all companion animals, particularly cats, dogs and horses. She has two Golden Retrievers, Jay and Mya, and two cats, Licorice and Atheena. She even remembers coming to the opening of the current clinic as a child and doing the colouring competition. She has a special interest in Behaviour and is the face of our nurse run Puppy School Program run on Tuesday nights.
	Christie McKinnon: Christie grew up in Geelong. After working for 6 years at the Geelong Race Centre she joined the team here.She finished Certificate 2 in Animal Studies in 2009.And recently completed Certificate 4 in Veterinary Nursing at Victoria Uni. Christie's main companion is her dear dog Bentleigh, an enthusiastic Boxer she loves to take for walks and spends most of her spare time with him. Bentleigh came to puppy classes here during March 2011, so you might have seen him around the clinic. She is also our go-to-girl when it comes to your parasite dilemmas.
	Aimee Kelynack: Aimee came to us from a background as a farm girl in late 2009. She has a menagerie at home including two turtles, three horses, cows, several dogs (Millie and Daryl, the Border Collies, Bundy the Cattledog and Billie the loveable Crossbreed) and a cat Bailey. Aimee has recently became a Qualified Vet Nurse after completing her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing at Vic Uni and is working her way through a Microchipping short Course like a trooper. Much of her time outside the practice is spent in the outdoors, camping and dirt-biking. In addition, never being one to turn down a baby animal in need she often spends her spare time caring for orphaned animals that come her way. She is also our resident Labratory Guru and Grief Program Manager.
	Laura Martin: Laura graduated from Grovedale Secondary College and from there went into hairdressing, After that she wanted something else and worked two casual jobs while completing her Certificate 2 in Animal Studies. In April 2010 she started working here, and in late 2010 she adopted Hughie our previous clinic cat. He joined the rest of her furry family of Tilly the labradoodle, Lenny, an Indian Ring-neck Parakeet, and her other cats Fudge and Evie. She has recently completed Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing joining the ranks of the other Qualified Veterinary Nurses in the Clinic. She is our Dental Program manager extraordinaire.