Member testimonials

"Belonging to an association like NZVA means someone has your back. I've belonged to the NZVA since I graduated nearly 40 long and happy career years ago."

- Nicky MacLachlan, NZVA member

“I am part of the NZVA because I think the work they do is important – they are there to support veterinarians across New Zealand. I enjoy the collegiality my membership brings, as it provides me opportunities to connect with other vets in different parts of the country and in different disciplines, at the annual conference and regional meetings. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to volunteer for the Epidemiology, Food Safety, Animal Welfare and Biosecurity (EFAB) Branch, where we work to develop educational resources and representation especially for Government, Industry and Academia vets.”

- Dallas New, NZVA member and EFAB President

“I love being a vet and doing everything that I'm able to help animals, people and our environment.

Being a vet is so awesome, but it can come with a great diversity of challenges and situations that we have to navigate, and that's where having a fantastic team of professionals to help us comes so handy.

The Veterinary Association is an amazing organisation full of these professionals and a whole lot of our colleagues to give us all the support that we need. I've been involved with the Veterinary Association as the president of the Complementary Veterinary Medicine Branch since 2010 and I've watched the organisation evolve into a fabulous positive force that's there to help us all have fulfilling careers and to make a difference in our society in such a positive way.

If you're an employee, if you're an employer, if you're self-employed, and if you just need some help and support or some great CPD, become a member of the NZVA.”

- Liza Schneider, NZVA member and CVMB President

“I joined the NZVA’s Companion Animal Veterinarians Branch Committee in 2016 after working in clinical practice for approximately 20 years. I had been an NZVA member for most of my career but wasn’t sure what the NZVA actually did on my behalf, or even the difference between the NZVA and VCNZ.

I put my hand up for the CAV Committee after hearing then NZVA President Peter Blaikie talk at a Regional Network evening. Not only was I curious, I also had a desire to give back to the profession and connect with other companion animal vets. Well, joining the committee helped me achieve that goal and then some! I have been involved for close to 10 years and have volunteered in many different capacities within the association.

During my time on the committee, I have worked with some incredible people, who I am lucky to call my close friends. We have worked on some very important materials and relationships for our members, including:

• responsible dog ownership and reactive dog advice
• our 2021 puppy project
• vaccination advice for clients
• the 2024 Pain Roadshow with the Zero Pain Philosophy team
• and becoming an international partner of iCatCare.

I have also been involved in some important advocacy on behalf of our members, including:

• national cat management work
• seeing the docking of dogs’ tails (finally!) made illegal
• and developing a regulation to enable veterinary nurses and technicians to resume subgingival dental work.

Through the NZVA, I’ve been able to explore and develop my areas of passion, particularly feline medicine. I have also helped ensure that companion animal vets in New Zealand have access to valuable resources to help them provide better care for companion animals in Aotearoa.

Being a volunteer has meant that there have been nights and weekends where I’ve had to put in a few extra hours after my workday ends. But never have I regretted putting work into a project, because the work our branch creates is high quality and relevant for our members. And one “thank you” from you makes it all worthwhile.

The NZVA is your association. Becoming an active part of it – even if it is simply reading the emails or completing a survey – and getting to know the people involved is the best way for you to extract the full value of your membership.

The work we do may not always be evident when going about your day-to-day activities, but when things go wrong our work on your behalf can be critical. I can’t recommend enough talking to a SIB committee member if you want to truly gain an understanding of the work we put in alongside the NZVA team to ensure your membership remains relevant, valuable, and practical.”

- Natalie Lloyd, NZVA member and CAV Secretary

“Becoming a member of your professional organisation is a rite of passage: pass your finals, register with the Veterinary Council, start your first job, join the NZVA. Recent graduates get a reduced rate, and many employers pay for staff memberships; it's a no brainer.

I became an NZVA member around 1980, and I still rate them as punching way above their weight. Yes, we are a small country but the quality of representation by our Association never fails to amaze me. During my membership, I've helped reignite the Holistic Veterinary Society and seen it morph into the Complementary Veterinary Medicine Branch, which is still going strong today. 

The NZVA is not a stuffy body full of pompous individuals; it's made up of vets, just like you and I. Their staff members care about the job they do for us. They listen, they consult, they support, and they look after us. From my perspective, as a not-quite-your-standard practitioner, they allow free thinking within balanced guidelines. The NZVA is at the forefront of change, responding to the emerging global patterns that are already affecting the way we work. I’m proud to be an NZVA member.”

- Rose Unsworth, NZVA member

**Content warning: Medical content, bullying, mental illness, suicidal ideation**

“Several years ago, I had a bad fall at home. This fall resulted in a disc prolapse severely compressing the width of my spinal cord, causing severe pain and neurological deficits to my leg. It took about two years to get the pain under control, and I narrowly avoided spinal surgery.

During this time, I continued working with one simple accommodation: I was not to lift more than 7 kgs at a time. I experienced significant discrimination as a result of this restriction, and my employer even used it as evidence that I was not entitled to a pay rise for four consecutive years.

The chronicity of my injury led me to experience significant mental health issues. I felt stagnant, invisible, and unappreciated in a job I had been at for a decade. The bullying became so much that one day I started contemplating suicide.

Thankfully, the NZVA was there to support me. I received counselling from Vitae (funded by the NZVA and VCNZ), and had a lengthy conversation with NZVA CEO Kevin Bryant, which helped me gain clarity and realise that it was time to move on to a new chapter. Kevin's comment that "anybody can lift, but not everyone can be a vet" hit home and made me realise that a small physical restriction imposed by medical specialists had been blown out of proportion by my practice. When I had a panic attack after receiving an email from a former colleague, NZVA’s then-President Kate Hill also helped me make a phone call into work to take sick leave.

I am in a much happier place now, with what I can actually call a work-life balance. I’m working with a passionate team for a company with great values – from management down to employees. Most importantly, I’ve realised that I had given all of myself to my previous job and had nothing left for myself.

It has been a few years in this new role and not once have I heard a snide remark about my inability to lift. Rather than being in permanent recovery-mode, I now have time and energy to spend with loved ones, pursue hobbies, and travel.

Thank you NZVA for saving my life. You were there in my darkest hours and helped me navigate the stormy waters to find the light again. This is the exact reason why I insisted that my NZVA membership be part of my contract when I signed with my new employer. Thank you ❤️”

- NZVA member (submitted anonymously)

“I graduated from Sydney University with a particular interest in dairy cattle practice. One of my lecturers suggested I go to New Zealand for a few years to get practical experience in the dairy industry, so of course, I joined the NZVA. Fifty years later, I’m still in New Zealand and still living in the same town!

There are many reasons I stayed in New Zealand, but one of these was the amazing connection with other veterinarians, hearing their ideas and the exchange of knowledge being gained in our everyday work.

An important source of this information exchange was being connected through NZVA conferences, the New Zealand Veterinary Journal and other NZVA publications that were developed over time.

All of these sources allow both academics and veterinarians in practice like myself to not only receive information, but also share ideas and discoveries gained in everyday practice.”

- Neil Chesterton, NZVA member

“I have been a proud member of the NZVA for 37 years and, for many of those years, an active member of the Complementary Veterinary Medicine Branch (CVMB). Throughout this time, I have greatly valued the ability to reach out to the NZVA with questions and have found their support to be truly invaluable.

In recent years, I have had the privilege of serving on the CMVB Committee, which has given me a deeper appreciation for the extensive work the NZVA undertakes behind the scenes. In particular, I commend their commitment to initiatives such as SustainaVet and their recognition of the CMVB as a credible resource for supporting animal companions when clients seek holistic care.

Having practised conventional veterinary medicine for 36 years and integrated complementary medicine into my practice over the past decade, I have found it incredibly rewarding to belong to an organisation that embraces open-mindedness and prioritises the welfare of veterinarians, without being constrained by rigid belief systems.

I strongly recommend NZVA membership, regardless of the path your career has taken. The support, shared knowledge, and sense of community you’ll find within this organisation can profoundly enrich your journey as a veterinarian, helping you grow both personally and professionally.”

- Jacqui Snell, NZVA member