Veterinary surgeons

Steve qualified from Cambridge Vet School in 1989 and worked for the next 12 years doing mainly small animal and cattle work in Oxfordshire before moving to Devon. Steve became a partner at Gabriel, Grills and Associates in Ivybridge, and developed his small animal interests particularly in orthopaedic surgery and reptile medicine. In 2013 he sold the practice to CVS and took on the role of clinical director at Filham Park, as well as here at Woodlands in September 2015. Since then Steve has enjoyed working with the staff at both sites and trying to integrate the best parts of both practices to provide the best quality service that we can to all of our patients. Steve's leisure time is spent as much with his family as possible, walking two Terriers, coaching his youngest son’s football team at Ugborough Football club and practising Taekwondo.

Luke graduated from Bristol University in June 2012 and then worked in a small animal practice in Torquay. He joined the team here at Woodlands Vets in April 2015. Luke enjoys many aspects of both canine and feline medicine, but particularly the clinical pathology and cytology (interpreting blood results and looking at small tissue samples down the microscope). Whilst to many it may sound dull, he likes to think of it as being a detective - using all the clues to reach a diagnosis. Luke has a particular soft spot for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. When not at work, he enjoys cycling, playing the piano and going to the gym.

Eleni joined the Woodlands team as her first job in September 2020 after graduating as a Veterinary Surgeon in Greece. She is a Greek citizen born in Athens, and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Eleni’s unconditional love for all animals big and small made her quick to turn an eye to animal welfare and volunteering.

Shortly after enrolling in Veterinary School, she became an active member of the Greek Action of Volunteer Veterinarians (EDKE). Since then, she has attended many missions trying to save the stray dogs and cats all over Greece. She has come to the UK seeking new adventures in the veterinary profession, joining the company’s internal continuing professional development program.

As travelling has been an inseparable part of her identity since a young age, she spends most of her free time planning her next trip. She has five dogs; Bella, Laika, Rocky, Mulan and Timy and a pet sheep Haroula - which means ‘little happiness’ in Greek.

Jane qualified, with honours, from the University of Bristol in 1983 and has been passionate about animals since she was old enough to catch them and cuddle them. She spent 12 years in mixed practice in Worcestershire and the Isle of Wight, enjoying the farm and equine visits. Since 2004 Jane has worked solely in small animal practice. She is experienced in all aspects of first opinion practice and has a special interest in rabbit medicine and surgery. Jane lives in Ivybridge with her family's rescued rabbits, cat and dog. Benji, who is a rescue dog that no one else wanted, has definite delinquent tendencies and has educated Jane in problem canine behaviour.

Justine qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Bristol Veterinary School in 1995 and then joined a mixed practice in Newquay, spending three and a half years there. She did a mixture of small animal and farm work which also involved dealing with the animals at nearby Newquay Zoo, seeing with various cases ranging from darting monkeys to suture their wounds to treating anorexic pumas. Justine joined Woodlands Vets in 1998 and her particular interests are anaesthesia and small furries. Her hobbies are spending time with family, especially walks on Dartmoor and swimming in the sea.

Kerry graduated from Bristol in 2000. She began work in mixed practice, but after 2 years decided to move to small animal practice. It was then that she began to develop a keen interest in surgery. She joined Woodlands in 2003 and has since become the senior surgeon here. She completed her certificate in 2016, having had some time off to have her two children, and gained her advanced practitioner status in 2018. She enjoys both soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery, regularly taking referrals of more challenging surgical cases from the large first opinion practice. She is interested in fracture repair and stifle disease, and has been key to the increasing use of laparoscopic techniques both for neutering and other procedures within Woodlands.

Originally from the states, Kendall first graduated from Miami University with a degree in microbiology. He then travelled to the United Kingdom and attended the Royal Veterinary College, qualifying in 2015. He spent his first 2 years as a mixed animal vet in mid-Devon. He then had the amazing experience of traveling around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia before joining the veterinary team here at Woodlands. Outside of work Kendall enjoys all things outdoors, traveling and American football. He and his wife are also busy renovating their first home.