Meet Our Vets
Dr Fiona Starr
BVSc
Practice Owner & Veterinarian
Ever since I was a young girl growing up on the family farm in rural NSW, I always knew I wanted to be a veterinarian. Surrounded by a menagerie of pets and animals, my love for animals and an interest in their health and husbandry was ingrained early.
After completing a Bachelor of Science majoring in immunology at Melbourne University, I started working as a veterinary nurse at a small animal (avian focused) clinic. The dream was still to become a Veterinarian, and I enrolled in a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Sydney University in 2005, graduating in 2009 with first class honours, having completing a thesis on pain management. Throughout my degree I was fortunate enough to fill a live-in position at two separate veterinary hospitals, where I gained an enormous amount of experience dealing with the after-hours emergencies that came through the doors. I continued to work at the latter hospital for a further two years post graduation, before moving to Canberra, having met my now husband, Simon.
Fast forward 10 years and I am truly living the dream! I am incredibly blessed to be a part owner of Brudine, working with a team of fun and immensely talented colleagues (my second family!), helping the many fabulous clients and pets that visit us. I have a particular love of surgery (especially orthopedics), but equally love all the challenges and rewards general practice provides.
My first family: two gorgeous boys Finlay and Reuben plus hubby Simon, our dog and clinic mascot Jake, and cat Gecko fill my hours outside of work with laughter and fun. I am a self confessed plant-addict, which you may appreciate if you visit us at Brudine and take a peek at our waiting room! In any leftover time, I love exploring the great outdoors around and about Canberra. I can't wait to meet you and your fur-family - please pop in and say Hi!
Dr Gwen Shirlow
BVSc (Hons I)
Practice Owner & Veterinarian
I graduated Veterinary Science from Sydney University with first class honours in 2007. After graduation I worked in a rural small & large (mixed) animal practice in Wagga Wagga for a couple of years before returning to Canberra and focusing on my love of smaller animals. In amongst this I have been lucky enough to combine travel and work by locuming in a number of practices across England and Wales, Broken Hill and Queensland.
Being a vet allows me to be part of a beautiful bond between people and their animals. I enjoy both medicine and surgery and am always endeavouring to further my skills by undertaking post-graduate training in these areas. I do many of the ultrasounds at Brudine. I have also completed two years further study in feline medicine and enjoy being able to treat complex medical cases. I particularly like treating beautiful senior pets and helping them to age gracefully. I have my very own fur child, Olive (12 year old Kelpie) and in my spare time I enjoy quilting and gardening.
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I started working for Brudine as a locum once a week in 2016 before deciding that they are such a great team I would become a permanent fixture! I am so grateful to have found such a wonderful team of vets and nurses to work with and love being able to help and support you and your fur-family, so pop in and say hello, I can’t wait to meet you all!
Dr Karen Viggers
BVSc
Veterinarian
I grew up in the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley near Melbourne, riding horses, hanging out with cows and running around the paddocks with dogs. My love of animals led me to studying Veterinary Science at Melbourne University.
After graduating in 1987, I worked in mixed practice near Melbourne for five years. During this time I also worked at the Healesville Sanctuary where I developed an interest in Australian native wildlife. Since then I have worked with a wide range of domestic pets and native animals, including kangaroos in Canberra, quolls in the Snowy Mountains, and seals in Antarctica.
I moved to Canberra in 1992 to complete a PhD in Wildlife Health at the ANU while continuing to work part-time in small animal practice. I have been at Brudine since 2005. I consult one day a week (usually Fridays) and I love people, animals, children and stories.
I am also the internationally best-selling author of four novels: “The Lightkeeper’s Wife”, “The Grass Castle”, “The Stranding” and “The Orchardist’s Daughter”. I love bushwalking, skiing and camping with my family, and I also love walking with my little dog, Toffee, who is a regular visitor at Brudine.
I look forward to meeting you and your pet family on Fridays.
Dr Louise Grey
BVSc
Veterinarian
I grew up between Sydney and a farm in Jindabyne. I studied Veterinary Science at Sydney University, graduating in 2004. I worked for a couple of hospitals in Sydney before heading down to Canberra for love. I worked for Inner South Veterinary Hospital for nearly 8 years, and after some time off for my new bundle of joy, I am excited to become a new part of the Brudine team in 2017!
Previously, I have worked alongside our amazing exotics vet, Dr Arianne Lowe and we are excited to be reunited again at Brudine to treat all your funky little friends.
In my free time I enjoy cycling, running, knitting, snowboarding, reading & gardening. I have a special interest in exotic pets, from the feathery to the small & fluffy, to the scaly, I love them all (Especially Rats!). As a new mum I am only working 2 days a week, but hope to meet as many of your special family members in that time, as well as your cats and dogs.
Dr Jessica Amos
BVSc/BVB
Veterinarian
I graduated from Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga in 2017 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and moved to Canberra to start work here at Brudine soon after! I grew up in South-West Victoria in Hamilton where I spent my entire childhood and teenage years competing on my horses. I was surrounded by a menagerie of animals from a very young age which started my love for animals and my passion for veterinary science. While finishing high school and throughout my veterinary degree, I worked as a veterinary nurse in Hamilton during my holidays which not only further increased my love for veterinary science, but gave me invaluable skills that I could bring into my career as a veterinarian.
Canberra life has been great for me and my beautiful Aussie Shepherd Narla, who enjoys brunching at cafes, dog parks and market trips. I have also quickly added to the fur family whilst being here at Brudine with the adoption of an orphaned kitten, Wesley, and the addition of a silver dapple miniature dachshund, Rupert.
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I have a keen interest in behaviour medicine and have my certification as a Fear Free Veterinarian.
I am so thankful everyday to work at Brudine Veterinary Hospital and I am very excited by the opportunities presented to me to further my skills in medicine and surgery here at the clinic.
Dr Crystal Mak
DVM
Veterinarian
I was born and raised in Sydney. Despite not having any pets growing up (apart from a few fish), I have always loved animals, and my experiences at my agricultural high school led me to pursue a veterinary degree at the University of Sydney in 2015. I graduated in early 2021, and moved down to Canberra to join the Brudine team soon after.
In my spare time I enjoy playing musical instruments, watching movies, exploring nature, and lazing around with my bearded dragon. I feel very fortunate to work with such a great team of vets and nurses, and love meeting our clients and their pets!
Dr Taryn Wakefield
BVSc (Hons), MANZCVS (Small Animal Radiology)
Veterinarian
I grew up in south east Queensland and graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Queensland in 2010. Subsequently I am a proud Queenslander! I love the challenges that working as a veterinarian brings (no two days are ever the same) and the wonderful pets and their people that I meet. I have worked in central New South Wales, Perth and Canberra (twice!) as my husband’s Navy career has given us plenty of adventures around the country.
I love to be continually learning and in 2019 passed the membership examinations in Small Animal Radiology with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. My special interests are radiology and clinical pathology.
I am excited to be back in Canberra as I love the bush landscape and exploring the many hiking trails through the beautiful national parks, as well as being an amateur bird watcher and an even more amateur gardener in my spare time. My fur family consists of a gentle German Shepherd cross called Eski and a cheeky ginger cat called Calvin. I am thrilled to be working with the amazing team at Brudine Vets!
Dr Shae Sadler
BVSc/BVB
Veterinarian
I have revolved most of my life around animals. Growing up on a hobby farm just outside of Bungendore, I have reared many animals, including Dogs, Cats, Sheep, Horses, and Pigs. It’s here I met my first true love, Henry the Horse, and my second love and the man who will always be in my heart, my Kelpie dog Glen.
After finishing school it was a no brainer moving my life to Wagga Wagga and continuing my education with an animal focus at Charles Stuart university. I therefore started studying the Bachelor of Animal Science, graduating in 2016, with an interest in animal behaviour. But I wasn’t going to stop there. The goal for me was to be a Vet! So I continued my education at CSU and graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/ Veterinary Science in 2022. After meeting the wonderful team here at Brudine during I jumped at the opportunity to join the crew.
I have a keen interest in dentistry and exotic animal medicine. I'm so thankful to be a part of this team and cannot wait to meet all your furry friends.
Dr Gary He
DVM
Veterinarian
Having graduated from University of Sydney in 2020 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, I moved to Canberra shortly after and have been enjoying the lifestyle since.
The diversity of work is what makes veterinary such a great profession. It's been wonderful working weekends with Brudine's excellent team, clients, and pets. Our work is rewarding and has allowed me to expand my skills in many directions. When not at Brudine, I primarily work for the Australian Government on international animal health matters.
Outside of work I keep myself busy through sports, cooking, music, and the latest tech.
Looking forward to meeting more of our clients and their pets!