Our Story
Originally, we were the Zillmere Vet Surgery and for over 25 years we have been providing exceptional care for our wonderful patients and clients. Our commitment to high Standards of Care, compassion, and excellence in healthcare delivery saw our practice expand to the extent that our little building near the train station was bursting at the seams. Parking became a major challenge!
Thus began the search for a new home, and after several years, we found the perfect location in Virginia. A 12 month journey with council and contractors ensued and in March 2023 we saw our last patient in Zillmere. With great excitement (and some tears) we reopened in our beautiful, purpose-built facility as Virginia Family Vet.
Our facility has been designed to make visiting the vet as stress free as possible for both pets and people. We have a spacious reception area and lots of consult rooms so anxious pets can be quickly moved to a quiet area. There are cat exclusive consult rooms and hospital wards and a separate cat waiting area. We have two sterile surgery suites, advanced dentistry capabilities, in-house radiology and lab, and closely supervised hospitalisation runs and recovery areas.
We have been awarded Silver Cat Friendly accreditation by the International Society of Feline Medicine and our team is working towards achieving whole practice Fear Free accreditation.
We are proud of our low staff turnover (Dr Karen has been with the practice since 1998!), our excellent Standards of Care, and our beautiful low stress hospital design.
We look forward to welcoming you to the VFV family.
MEET THE TEAM
Our dedicated team is always here for your pets.
At our Veterinary Clinic, you’ll be fully supported with sound advice first and foremost. We know that helping our clients starts with providing a good understanding of health care issues and treatment options. With good advice and professional recommendations, you’ll be well equipped to make the best ongoing health care decisions for your pet.
Dr Louise Michie
I grew up in semi-rural Victoria and the Sunshine Coast hinterland before attending the…
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Dr Dion Woodborne
Being born and raised in South Africa, Dion had the kind of introduction into…
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Dr Liyunqian (Jolly) Xu
I am originally from southwest China, a city called Chongqing, and moved to Australia…
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Emma
Hi! I’m Emma, I was previously the Practice Manager and Client Relations officer here…
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Dani
My journey in the animal industry started in 2018 with my first volunteer placement…
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Emma
Hi! I’m Emma, I was previously the Practice Manager and Client Relations officer here…
Learn More
Dr Louise Michie
I grew up in semi-rural Victoria and the Sunshine Coast hinterland before attending the…
Learn More
Dr Dion Woodborne
Being born and raised in South Africa, Dion had the kind of introduction into…
Learn More
Dr Liyunqian (Jolly) Xu
I am originally from southwest China, a city called Chongqing, and moved to Australia…
Learn More
Dani
My journey in the animal industry started in 2018 with my first volunteer placement…
Learn MoreVirginia Family Vet is a Silver Cat Friendly Accredited Clinic
We have been awarded Silver Cat Friendly accreditation by the International Society of Feline Medicine and our team is working towards achieving whole practice Fear Free accreditation.
What is a Cat Friendly Clinic?
An accredited Cat Friendly Clinic has reached a higher standard of cat care in that our team:
- Understand the needs of cats and have made visits to the vet clinic more cat friendly
- Understand how to approach and handle cats gently and with care
- Have good knowledge and equipment to manage the care of cats
Achieving Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation involves all team members, from receptionists, nurses and technicians, through to vets. Each accredited clinic also has at least one ‘Cat Advocate’ – someone who ensures the cat friendly standards are adhered to, and who would be happy to talk to you.
At Virginia Family Vet, we have two cat advocates in our practice – Dr Karen Koks and Dr Leonie Thom.
What does it mean for my cat and me?
Attending a Cat Friendly Clinic gives you peace of mind and reassurance, letting you know that:
- Our clinic has achieved certain rigorous accreditation standards
- Our clinic and team understand and utilise gentle handling techniques
Team members at every accredited clinic have promised to handle and treat cats with understanding, gentleness and respect, and to make every effort to make the visit to the clinic as stress-free for you and your cat as possible. Team members are required to maintain and update their knowledge on clinical matters and continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain our Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation.
Some cat friendly features of our practice are:
- Our separate cat waiting area is equipped with blankets to cover cat carriers, a carrier resting area to keep cats off the floor and Feliway Spray to use inside their carriers. Feliway is a cat pheromone used to reduce stress and anxiety.
- We have two cat exclusive consultation rooms well separated from the dog consultation rooms so that cats are not needing to deal with the scents left by our canine patients. Each consultation room has cat treats and wall perches to allow cats to find a “safe space”. We have Feliway diffusers running in each consultation room.
- For hospitalised cats, our cat ward has fiberglass cages to minimize frightening noises and dimmable lights to reduce stress. The cat ward is well separated from the dog ward and has a treatment table so that cats can be handled away from the stress of the main hospital. Feliway is also used as a diffuser in the cat ward.
- Hospitalised cats have soft, comfortable, bedding and will have a place to hide inside their cage.