For 30 years, Kate Goodes has been a lifeline for pets and their owners at St Peter’s Vets in Hampshire. The dedicated veterinary professional began her career at just 17 as a trainee nurse in 1995, and over the decades has risen through the ranks to become Practice Manager, overseeing four surgeries across Petersfield, Liss, Horndean, and Farlington.

Kate, who lives in Petersfield with her family, cats Leia and Remy, and dog Margo, says her long career is down to the people she works with and the pets she cares for.

“I have loved every minute at St Peter’s Vets,” she said. “It’s due to my amazing colleagues and our lovely clients and their pets that I have enjoyed such a long career here. The practice is like a family and everyone is so caring and we all look out for each other.”

Kate’s passion for animals began in childhood and her most memorable experiences include helping seriously ill pets recover, like Toby, a dog with dangerous diabetes, and even assisting in surgery on a lemur.

“Being Practice Manager brings different responsibilities to nursing but I’m still focused on providing the highest levels of care to patients and I do that by supporting our team members so they can be the best they can be. I’m really proud to work alongside a dedicated, skilled and caring team and it’s also really nice that we have clients who have been trusting us to care for their pets as long as I’ve worked here.

“So much has changed in terms of facilities and equipment. We can do so much more now to help pets when they’re unwell or injured, and that’s what makes this job so rewarding.”

St Peter’s Vets is part of VetPartners, a veterinary group dedicated to caring for pets, people, and each other, with a network of some of the UK and Europe’s most respected veterinary practices.