Valerie

and her small friends Misty, Alfie & Aiko

I have loved animals my whole life and decided from a very young age that I wanted to have a career with animals. During college I did work experience here at Small Friends Vet, and after a gap year, I decided to enrol in the Certificate IV in Vet Nursing at the Canberra Institute of Technology to get myself straight into working with animals.

Animals have always been a huge part of my life, and I’ve had pets since I can remember. Throughout my childhood I had rabbits, chickens, a bird, fish, mice and rats. Despite me and my sisters’ desperate efforts, we never had a dog or cat until 2013, when my family (finally!) decided to adopt our gorgeous black and white border collie, and we named her Misty. She was the greatest addition to the family. In 2018, my partner, Austin, and I adopted a mini lop rabbit. His name is Alfie, and his colouring is called broken harlequin — patchy brown and black. We later adopted another bunny as a friend for Alfie, a mini lop x mini rex, and her name is Aiko. She is a speckled grey and white colour with a touch of brown. They are both indoor rabbits, and have access to (almost) our entire house when supervised. It took a few months for them to bond but now they’re the best of friends!

I was born and raised in Canberra, and I have one older sister. My family heritage goes back to Switzerland, which is where my mum grew up. We travel back to Switzerland every so often to visit my mum’s side of the family who still live there. I love to travel, especially to experience new cultures and to do volunteer work. Some of my hobbies include playing piano, sewing and knitting, and photography. I also love going hiking and trekking, and I take my small friend Misty with me whenever and wherever I can.

I love working as a veterinary nurse at Small Friends Vet as it is a job that I’ve always wanted in a field I’m passionate about. It’s rewarding and always interesting, with something new every day to look forward to.