The team you would want for your family.

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Thought leaders. Pioneers. Animal lovers. The small animal Vets at The Vale provide an unmatched level of patient care. Because your pet is family to you. They are to us too.

Small Animal Vets

Alan Benson

Practice Owner, BVM&S, MRCVS

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 Newman

Practice Owner, BVetMed, MRCVS

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.

Eva Kenny

Practice Owner, BVMedSci, BVM BVS, CertAVP, MRCVS

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.

Kate Stevens

Practice Owner, BSc Hons, BVetMed, Cert SAM, MRCVS

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.

Val Allsup

MA VetMB, MRCVS

Val joined the Vale team as a Small 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 several years as a mixed vet whilst ‘Up North’ she now enjoys a warmer life focusing on Small Animals with her main interest being medical cases and managing chronic illnesses. She lives near Exmoor with her husband, son, and an adorable troupe of guinea pigs.

Kathy Clist

BVetMed, MRCVS

Kathy qualified in 1995 from The Royal Veterinary College. Kathy spent time working in mixed practice mostly in Somerset and Devon, before concentrating on Small Animals. One of Kathy’s interests is managing musculoskeletal conditions, and she enjoys putting into practice long term pain management to make pets more comfortable. Kathy works part time, busy juggling work in the family business at home, supporting her children playing rugby and a menagerie of dogs, cats and horses!

Louise Findlay

BVetMed, MRCVS

Louise graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1992. She joined Vale Vets as a new graduate and has worked extensively across both the farm and small animal departments. A few years ago, Louise started working solely with the Small Animal team and enjoys a long-standing relationship with lots of our clients.

In her spare time, Louise enjoys walking her dogs on the farm. She is often found wielding a hockey stick on Saturday mornings.

Molly Scott

BVetMed (Hons), PG Cert VPS, CertAVP, MRCVS

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 Metcalfe

BVSc, MRCVS

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 Bush

BVMedSci, BVM, BVS, MRCVS

Jess 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 dentistry.

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, which has made her an incredibly popular team member!

Sophia Beeley

BVMedSci, BVM, BVS, MRCVS

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.

Andrzej Lorek

GP Cert (Ophthal), MRCVS

Originally from Poland, Andrzej moved to the UK for his now wife, Sophia (who is also a vet at the Vale) several years ago. They met in Thailand while volunteering at an animal shelter.

Andrzej’s area of interest is ophthalmology (eyes) in which he obtained a certificate and completed an internship in an ophthalmology referral hospital.

Andrzej lives on Exmoor with rescued animals: 3 cats (Nellie, Snafu and Weke and a dog Remal). In his free time you will find Andrzej hiking on the moors, or reading, or helping on the farm.

Helen Llambias Maw

MA VetMB, MRCVS

After graduating from Cambridge in 2021, Helen worked as a mixed vet up in the Scottish Highlands for two years. She then spent a year down in New Zealand to experience life as a vet on the other side of the world. She chose to move back to the South West where her passion for farm animal medicine was born. Helen loves the variety that comes with being a mixed animal vet.

In her spare time, Helen enjoys exploring the best swimming spots and bakeries with her dog.

Samson Carroll

BVMedSci, BVM, BVS, MRCVS

Samson graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2025. He was attracted to the Southwest for the lifestyle it offers. Samson is particularly interested in surgery and cardiology.

Outside of work, Samson likes to ski, both on snow and on water, play and watch rugby and really enjoys surfing—especially at Putsborough or Croyde. He loves to travel and is also quite good at cooking!

Ally Hooke

BVetMed, MRCVS

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 Johnsons

BVMS, MRVS

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.

Donald

BVMS, MRCVS

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.

Nicholas Pope

BVetMed, MRCVS

Nicholas was born and raised on a farm near Exeter and has spent his life working with animals. Nicholas qualified from the Royal Veterinary College at the end of the last century. His first job was on the Welsh borders as a mixed vet. He then returned home to take up another mixed role before becoming a small animal only vet.

Nicholas has a love of all aspects of small animal care but has a particular interest in medicine.

Outside of work Nicholas is a proud father and favourite human for the family cat. His is also a volunteer with the local scouts as well as a keen runner and gardener.

Jenny Turner

BVetMed, MRCVS

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.

Madison White

BVetMed, MRCVS

Maddie is a small animal veterinary surgeon originally from East Devon who joined the team after completing her first year in mixed practice in South Devon. She graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2025 and has since developed a strong interest in internal medicine, particularly enjoying the diagnostic and investigative aspects of these cases. She hopes to further advance her knowledge in this field by undertaking a postgraduate certificate in Small Animal Internal Medicine in the future.

Outside of work, Maddie enjoys baking, keeping active through running and regular gym sessions, and spending time walking her Cavapoo. Having owned horses from a young age, she also enjoys riding whenever the opportunity arises. At weekends, she can often be found playing padel or netball.