Cherie has been with Our Vet Maribyrnong since 2022, with several years of vet nursing experience prior to joining the team.  Working in a vet clinic and with animals has always been a dream of hers, since the age of 3!! Almost fully qualified, her next goal is to complete a zoology course with the hopes of one day working with giant pandas.  

Her favourite part of vet nursing is having regular patients that she forms special bonds with (and all of the slobbery kisses that comes along with this). 

At home, Cherie lives with her hubby, 3 children, 2 staffies, Chief and Hunter, 2 budgies and 2 Guinea Pigs. 

The new dream is to buy a farm and open an animal sanctuary to provide a place for unwanted senior and unwell animals from rescues & shelters to live out their days surrounded by love. 

During her childhood Deb would frequently encounter stray animals in need, which lead her passion for animal welfare and advocacy. Starting off as an animal attendant in a Melbourne based shelter over 20 years, she aspired to have the skills and knowledge to do more and in 2007 become a qualified vet nurse.   

Since then, Deb has worked in welfare, emergency, small and large animal practices and is always in awe of the dedication and hard work of the team she works with.   She strives to support clients and staff to give our patients access to the best care possible.   

Deb is raising 2 animal lovers of her own. They like to drop in to work from time to time to see all the great work being done. At home they have a cat and 2 dogs of their own. A recent rescue, Axolotl, the jack russell likes to shadow Deb when he comes into work. With the help and patience of the clinic team, he has come on leaps and bounds in his confidence.   

When needing a bit of down time, Deb loves to visit her local animal sanctuary and will volunteer there from time to time. In the near future, she hopes to be able to learn more about exotics care and nursing.   

Esther joined the team in 2022 and has always wanted to be a vet since she was young. After graduating from the University of Melbourne, she developed a special interest in exotic medicine after working in various small animal practices. In 2018, she furthered her studies and gained membership with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Avian Health. She is fond of her feathered patients but enjoys treating all kinds of exotic  species and of course dogs and cats too! 

Having grown up in Singapore she is fluent in both English and Mandarin. Outside of work, you can find her cooking, reading or catching up on her TV dramas. Esther shares her home with her husband, 2 boys and Yuzu the cockatiel.  

Dr Hong Tan is a University of Melbourne graduate that has been a part of our team since 2020. She enjoys small animal surgery and looks forward to meeting your rabbit, cat, or dog.  

She has a particular love for and interest in Greyhounds and their quirks, as both pet and patient. She owns a beautiful greyhound of her own, Tora, who likes to go with mum to cafes and the beach. She would love to look after your own Greyhound whilst in the clinic. 

In her spare time Hong also enjoys her home aquarium of tropical fish and shrimp, her ever-growing plant collection and tries to travel whenever possible. 

Tonia began working as a veterinary nurse after volunteering abroad at a veterinary-run animal shelter in Fiji back in 2020. Tonia has a strong passion for working with small animals and Australian wildlife. She did her nurse placement here and became cert IV qualified nurse in 2021 and officially joined the team as a vet nurse straight after. Tonia is fond of establishing positive interactions with her furry, scaly and feathered patients by giving them time, cuddles and treats! 

Eventually, she wants to further her studies in exotic animals and zoology and has completed a course in first aid for Australian wildlife. She would like to pursue volunteering in a Serengeti sanctuary in Tanzania by working with endangered African species and eventually work alongside with rehabilitating Australian wildlife sanctuaries.  

In her spare time, Tonia enjoys spending time at the beach, visiting local sanctuaries,  watching movies, travelling abroad and being with her friends and family. Especially her fur family which includes her cat Chia, and dogs Eddie and Mya.