The team you would want for your family.

Alan joined the practice in 1987 after graduating from Edinburgh University and quickly developed a passion for companion animal medicine and surgery. He became the first full time companion animal partner in 1991. He has a dog, two cats, several guinea pigs and fish, as well as a family.

Fran graduated from the Royal Vet College in 2007. She worked in various mixed and small animal practices before joining The Vale small animal team in September 2015. She is interested in all aspects of small animal medicine and surgery, but has a special interest in dog training and behaviour. She also recently completed her training in veterinary acupuncture. Out of work she enjoys walking on the moor and coast with her two dogs, and has recently started training her young dog in agility.

Hailing from Cork in Ireland, Eva studied at the University of Nottingham. She worked in mixed practice for several years, including time spent working in New Zealand. She loves to travel and has spent time travelling and volunteering in the South Pacific. Eva originally came to us as a locum and we convinced her to stay. With a shared belief in the importance of being an independent practice, the value of an excellent team and providing brilliant care to pets and clients, she is a now a partner at the Vale. Eva loves the variety of the job, particularly surgery and imaging and is currently completing a certificate in Cardiology, having a previously completed a certificate in Diagnostic Imaging. When not planning trips, she loves walking the coast path and sea swimming with Bryher, her Bernese Mountain Dog.

Val joined the Vale team as a companion animal locum in 2014 and never left! She comes from South Wales originally but has lost the accent over the years having worked in Derbyshire, Cumbria and now Devon. Having spent 7 years as a mixed vet whilst ‘up north’ she now enjoys a much warmer life focussing on companion animal work with her main interest being medical cases. She lives near Exmoor with her husband, son, and their dog Tegan and naughty Talisker – adopted as an orphaned kitten.

Qualified in 1995 from The Royal Veterinary College Kathy Spent 8 years in mixed practice mostly in Somerset and Devon before concentrating on companion animals where her main interests are medicine and small furries. Kathy now works part time to make room for her chaotic life of small children, dogs, cats and a horse.

Louise completes our international team being from Northern Ireland. She combines a busy family life alongside working part time, having a great depth of experience on the farm side. Lou is also a keen hockey player and can often be found wielding a hockey stick on a Saturday afternoon!

Molly came to the Vale having previously worked in Kent, and has been truly converted to Devon life. A keen cyclist, she spent a month touring across Europe before joining us, and is looking forward to exploring more of the local area on two wheels. Molly has a Springador called Ludo, and a very naughty cat called Oscar, who she brought home from work as a malnourished stray in 2014, and who now rules the roost! At work she enjoys surgery, with a particular interest in dentistry, and loves getting to know clients and their pets.

Jenny graduated in 2001 and worked in mixed practice and then was a locum before going backpacking around Australia for 6 months. She joined the Vale in 2006 and worked here until she had her first Son in 2014. She returned to the Vale in 2016 and after having her daughter, she came back to us as a permanent member of staff in 2018.

Jenny enjoys all aspects of animal medicine, and she currently runs our evening clinics which is a service she and the Vale are very happy to offer.

When not at work Jenny lives at home with her family and pets. As a family they enjoy days out at the beach and walking the dogs, and when she has the time, Jenny can be found windsurfing, surfing or mountain biking.

Jess is our new graduate small animal vet who is very excited to be joining the Vale. She graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2022 with the original plan to go back home to London to start her veterinary career. However, after visiting us during the summer, she was hooked by the gorgeous Devonshire countryside and everything it has to offer. She has a keen interest in surgery, medical cases and the more exotic species and can’t wait to explore these areas further with the Vale team.

Despite being a city girl, Jess enjoys going on long walks and will often be found wandering the countryside exploring new places. She also regularly bakes, and home cooks and loves to share her creations with friends and family. She is eager to begin her veterinary career with us and can’t wait to meet all the Vale’s lovely clients and their pets.

Graduating from the University of Bristol in 2023, Iona has spent her first six months in practice on the Isle of Wight.

Iona loved seeing Practice with the Vale as a student and is really looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Outside of work, Iona loves to sing with a local choir and spend time milking cows!

Jenny graduated from the RVC in 2002 and has been in Devon ever since then. She has rejoined the Vale this year after many years working in other small animal practices. She is interested in dental x-ray and in her free time enjoys the parkrun. She has 3 boys, 4 cats and 2 guinea pigs to keep her busy.

Sophia graduated from Nottingham in 2019 and has worked in small animal practice ever since. She and her husband left the Midlands in early 2022 and decided to make Devon their new home.

She enjoys most aspects of the job but especially emergency and critical care.

In her spare time, she enjoys hiking on the moors with their rescue dog Regis and baking.

Originally from Exeter, Ally trained at the Royal Veterinary College in London before returning to Devon to join the team at the Vale. Ally splits her time between our Cullompton and Honiton branches, and has a particular interest in clinical neurology. In her spare time Ally can be found dancing, running or with her head in a book!

Inge (full name Ingeborg) is a part of our Honiton Veterinary Surgeon team.

Having met her now husband at vet school, Inge opted to stay in the UK, and the first years in practice were spent in a mixture of small animal and large animal work. After having her two daughters, she opted to concentrate on small animal work.

On days off she enjoys walking the two-family Labradors, tending to a big garden as well as helping out with her daughters’ horses. She also has a cat, as well as free roaming chickens.

Inge’s favourite holiday destination is the snowy mountains of Norway, where she enjoys any form of skiing.

Jonathan has been part of The Vale Team since qualifying from The Royal Veterinary College a good few years ago becoming a partner in 1990. During this time he has built up a wealth of experience in both the farm and companion animal side of the practice. He now spends his time in the companion animal department and loves all aspects of surgery, in particular orthopaedics.

Kate graduated from the Royal Veterinary School in 2010 and moved to Devon to pursue a career in mixed practice for six months. Twelve years later she is still here having married a farmer and settled in beautiful north Devon. She is now a full-time small animal vet and has completed post graduate certificate in small animal medicine. She has a keen interest in all aspects of small animal practice especially cardiac ultrasound scanning and soft tissue surgery. Outside of work she can be found running a local choir, jogging and playing the piano.

Donald is the founding father of our present practice, having the vision to embrace both progressive small and large animal work since way back in 1965 when he graduated. His absolute commitment to the practice, and quality veterinary care, is largely responsible for the excellent standards found at “The Vale” today. His immense kindness, patience and boyish sense of humour have been appreciated by clients, staff and business contacts for many years now.

Donald would spends his spare time walking his dogs, gardening and watching/supporting Somerset County Cricket.