Meet Dr Belinda Stancombe We have all heard about ‘cat ladies’ but isn’t it fitting to meet one who is also a vet? Meet Dr Belinda Stancombe, the self-confessed cat lady who can’t help take home the kitty’s who need rescuing. With hopes to set up a cat rescue, Belinda lives locally, in Mt Gravatt, has 3 children and is passionate about veterinary medicine. We chat to her about chickens, cats and her infectious passion for animals. Do you have a specialty? I have a keen interest in animal behaviour and am involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of kittens for a welfare organisation; I often hand rear, treat any medical issues and socialise them prior to rehoming. What is your background as a vet? I studied at the University of QLD and graduated with honours in 2009 and I have worked in a number of small animal clinics on Brisbane’s Southside. I now work at the Mt Gravatt Veterinary Clinic. What do you enjoy most about being a veterinarian? I enjoy getting to know my clients and patients and making a real positive influence in their lives; I love that you can really feel like you are helping people. How do you spend your non-clinic days? I have 3 children, so they occupy most of my spare time. On my non-clinic days, I am running kids to school, appointments and after-school activities;
catching up on domestic duties. When I have spare time, I like to take my dog for a walk or swim, catch up with friends or cook. Tell us a little known fact about you? I am actually allergic to cats, which is sort of ironic given my line of work. Antihistamines are my best friend some days! But I absolutely love cats and kittens. Tell us about your own pets - their story? I have 2 cats- Houdini and Fatty; they were surrendered as 1 week old kittens and I raised them and kept both of them as pets. Houdini was named this because as a tiny kitten he would escape from the box all the time. Fatty is named after.....well you can probably guess, the fact that he ate a lot as a kitten! Fatty has an amazing bond with one of my daughter’s who has autism and has become her companion cat. He sleeps with her every night and helps to calm her down when she gets upset. Louie is my 3yr old Hungarian Vizsla dog. We bought him from a breeder as a puppy and he is a fun loving and energetic companion. We have had a lot of medical issues with him and he spends lots of time going to and from the specialists. He is a good example as to why everyone, even vet’s, should have pet insurance for their dogs. I also have 5 chickens for pets and laying eggs. What made you decide to become a vet? I have wanted to become a vet for as long as I can remember! l o v e y o u r p e t s m a g a z i n e . c o m . a u
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