Friendly country vet surgery, Proserpine Vets, is a sanctuary for animals all over the region. Saving the lives of our most favourite furry companions is something Faye and her team do every day.
“We have so many positive stories that happen every day,” said Faye.
“Bringing babies into the world safely is a big one. Another would be saving the life of a beloved pet. Performing lengthy surgeries to remove a cancer or a blockage in the bowel like a corn cob or peach seed are others. There are so many different things, we save lives! There is, however, a very sobering side to what we do such as helping people farewell their beloved pets, something we take extremely seriously.”
Faye and her husband Clay have owned Proserpine Vets for ten years, prior to that they worked alongside the previous owner, Dr Bill Bowman, and his main nurse Billye Jean Stevens for seven years.
“We enjoyed this partnership. They had a great work ethic and passion for helping the community. They also had a good sense of humour whilst being very professional,” said Faye.
Every day is different at Proserpine Vets and all the staff need to be prepared for anything, ready to perform under pressure while keeping a smile on their face. It is important to Faye that her team are as passionate about the people as they are about the animals. To Faye, this is an integral part of working in a small rural surgery.
“I love the closeness of our Community. We have a colourful mix of primary producers, hobby farmers, retirees, travellers and all that is linked to being in one of the most beautiful places in the world to live and holiday in, we are very lucky!”
Faye is very proud of her team and recognises how each person is a vital component.
“Our catch phrase: ‘We are a friendly country service you can rely on.’ This is something we endeavour to uphold. We have each other’s back, and we strive, each day, to be our best.”
With a young daughter diagnosed with the chronic degenerative illness Cystic Fibrosis, Faye needs more flexibility as a business owner than most and having an amazing team behind her allows this freedom to care for her daughter.
“We now have four vets working at the surgery; Melissa who is a local girl and married to a Prossie guy. She graduated with our Jason Mansfield “The Big Fella”, 5 years ago. Alycia, who hails from Elimbah, near Caboolture and recently graduated from JCU Townsville.”
In addition to this, Proserpine Vets has two core nurses; Tegan King (Talbot) who has worked at the surgery for 13 years and her cousin, Georgia Plemenuk for 4 years. They both share Faye’s drive to serve the Whitsunday community and recognise the importance of the work they do.
Over the last 17 years Proserpine Vets has steadily incorporated a diverse range of “add on” services including hydrobathing, grooming, a cattery, puppy preschool , quality food and merchandise. In the next 12 months they also will be extending the floor space in preparation for the decade ahead .
“We are well placed to provide an excellent service, ever growing and ever caring about the people and the animals, large and small, within the Whitsundays and surrounds” said Faye.
Please follow the Proserpine Vets on Facebook and Instagram to learn more. Look out for their regular posts to keep you informed.
