Kate King - Veterinarian
I grew up in the bush in north western NSW with sheep and cattle, and a tribe of working dogs, mousing cats and our beloved family Labrador, Tao. I spent my first 12 years on bikes and horses and making cubbies in the scrub with my sister, brother and whichever cousin had been sent out west to run wild with us. After six years of boarding school and five at university in Sydney I couldn’t wait to get back to the plains. I spent a couple of years in a mixed practice in Dubbo and then another 2 years with the NSW Department of Agriculture before moving onto my husband’s beef cattle farm at Coolah. Two years, one daughter, 50 kilometres of fence, 100 Murray Grey cows, 4 dogs, 3 cats and 15 chooks later we sold ‘Glenayr’ and set up a Veterinary Clinic in Gilgandra.
As the only vet for 100 kilometres around I had to tackle any animal in any condition at any time of the day or night. I have had adventures with ostriches, kangaroos and cockatoos as well as less than sedate cows, alpacas and rams in mud and dust, flood and fire, in the middle of paddocks, up in the Warrumbungle Mountains and deep in the bed of the Castlereagh River. My favourite job has always been delivering baby animals into the world – kittens, pups, calves, foals, lambs, kids – but I drew the line when my friend had her baby girl in the carport 70 kilometres from town. I let her husband cut the cord that night!
After 20 years I decided I needed a change and made the move to Hall. My older two children were already well established in Canberra and my youngest, Harriet, is enjoying city life now, too. My Golden Retriever Maggie, Labrador Salvatore, and Beagle Lily, miss the rabbiting and wide open spaces, but the three Burmese cats still have staff and their queen sized bed and have hardly
noticed the change. George, my elderly rescue cat (sadly recently deceased) took his role as Hall Vet Surgery co-welcomer (with Dorothy) very seriously and had no fear of dogs at all, rubbing against Rottweilers’ faces, Jack Russells’ flanks and Boxers’ noses with equal care.
I am enjoying the pets and people at Hall and my proximity to the theatre, music and cafes of Canberra and look forward to meeting you soon.
Kate
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