Where animals come first

Operations Manager Trish Cowman with Serina Thompson, Head Nurse & Practice Manager.

If you've been hearing a Queensland lilt around the Animals First veterinary hospital lately, that's Trish Cowman, whose operations management company has been looking after the business side of the practice since June, writes Brian Byrne.

Trish came to Ireland 11 years ago after qualifying as a veterinary nurse, with a view to taking a year away from home. "Instead of going the traditional route to London, where I'd be mixing with other Australians, I came to Dublin where everything was at, as far as I was concerned." She got a job in UCD in the Large Animal Surgery Department, moved up to Head Nurse in Equine Surgery, and the years rolled by. "I was getting great experience, including lecturing, and generally having a lot of fun. I really loved Dublin."

Then she moved to Cork, met her husband, and took on a job that combined animal nursing and management of a number of practices in the area. The arrival of the recession meant her job, and salary, was trimmed back to just the nursing role. But instead of seeing that as a downer, Trish took it as an opportunity.

"Most vet nurses actually do a bit of practice management as well, and I had been doing it since I was 17. So I set up my own company to handle the business side of veterinary practices for their owners. Like any small business, they normally had to deal with the paperwork and administration side of their operations at home after finishing work. I provide a management service which allows them to concentrate on the clinical aspects of their business."

Conor McMahon.

Her company now manages three practices in Cork, with a fourth coming on stream shortly, as well as one in Meath, another in Naas, and, since the summer, Animals First. Set up originally in 2005 in Kilcullen's Link Park by vets Rachael Gordon and Conor McMahon, it is now owned by Cornelie Kennedy and Edward Gillick of the MOSS practice in Naas.

No less than any business, Animals First has had to navigate through the doldrums and fickle winds of the recessions. Since Trish's company took over the operations management a number of initiatives have been developed. These include lower services costs to the consumer, and, from January next, a budgeted health scheme for pets under the banner Best Care Health Plan. "This is a fixed cost for the year, payable on a monthly basis, which provides for the routine care of pets. Three visits, all vaccinations, normal checkups which will include blood tests for older animals. There's also an insurance plan that we can recommend, which takes care of anything else that might arise."

A Community Sports Programme launched in November provides for five percent of whatever a member of a sports club spends being given directly to the relevant club. It's not a discount for owners, but a way of giving financial support to the club, and there can be a two-way benefit because if it encourages a pet owner into sports, both they and their pets are likely to have a healthier lifestyle. "That means we do more preventative medicine rather than just dealing with illnesses."

School visits are another popular way of interacting with the community, and are carried out mostly to junior classes level. "It's letting the little ones know early about being aware of what their pets need, and looking after their safety — especially with dogs — in public places. We also support regular community fundraising, and we pick a charity for ourselves for the year, for which we will fundraise." This year, that charity is Autism Assistance Dogs, and there's currently a Coffee & Mince Pies promotion in the reception area of the hospital for it.

A new Dog Training service is being established, with local trainer Phil Wilson, who formerly trained police dogs. "He lives in Kilcullen, and he's very mild and gentle in his techniques and dogs really respond to him."

During the year, Animals First will also offer free nurse clinics where pet owners can come in for advice on matters such as nutrition and behaviour. Just like people, animals can have lifestyle issues in the areas of eating and weight management. Especially dogs, who tend to eat anything put in front of them. "One problem is giving them human food as a treat — a single Hob Nob for a dog is the same as a full packet for a human." The onset of arthritis can also mean a dog not getting proper exercise, and at the hospital there's a treadmill where this can be done under a carefully supervised regime so there's no damage because of the arthritis.

For any veterinary practice, the bottom line is trust. "Just like going to a doctor for themselves, pet owners want to know that entrusting their pet to a vet will mean it will get similar treatment to at home, that it is going to be minded, talked to, patted and generally have a stay that is as comfortable and stress-free as possible."

Like, Animals First.

(This article was first published on the Kilcullen page of the Kildare Nationalist.)