BSc (Hons) BVSc MACVSc CMAVA
Veterinarian / Owner

Jane completed a science degree with Honours at The University of Adelaide (her hometown) majoring in Reproductive Anatomy before moving interstate to study veterinary science at The University of Queensland.  Following her graduation in 1994 she moved to Minlaton on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia to work with a wide variety of animals, including sheep, beef and dairy cattle, camels, alpacas, horses, ostriches as well as dogs and cats.

Since moving to Melbourne in 1996 she has worked in many practices around the Eastern suburbs, including three Accredited Small Animal Hospitals and a mixed practice in the Dandenong Ranges.  Jane purchased Barkers Veterinary Clinic in June 2004.

Jane, her husband Robert, and son Waranthon live in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne with their Border Collies Kaitee and Darcy, and two cats – Horatio and Lolita.  In her spare time, she loves to ski, having added St Anton in Austria, the Dolomites in Italy, Queenstown and Wanaka in New Zealand and Whistler in Canada to her list of favourite ski fields.

Post-Graduate Training

In 2002, Jane completed the Sydney Postgraduate Foundation course in Small Animal Medicine, and then in 2004 obtained her Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Medicine.  Membership of the College is a highly regarded qualification requiring a high level of theoretical and practical knowledge of canine and feline medicine, as examined by Specialist Veterinarians.

In 2006 she completed the Sydney Postgraduate Foundation course in Diagnostic Imaging (X-rays and ultrasound). 

Jane regularly attends seminars and conferences to update her knowledge base, and is a great advocate of continuing education within the profession for veterinarians and nurses.

Dr Andrew McKay

BVSc
Veterinarian

Since graduating from The University of Melbourne, Andrew has worked in various small animal clinics in suburban Melbourne.  Originally from Lucindale in South Australia, Andrew originally started his university studies at The University of Queensland, but an AFL career at Carlton Football Club drew him to Melbourne.  Andrew played 244 games for Carlton as a key defender, was a premiership player, won a best-and-fairest and was the Team Captain.

Since graduating in 2000, Andrew worked at Greensborough Vet Hospital for over four years then as a locum vet in the Eastern suburbs. He has been working part-time at Barkers Veterinary Clinic since August 2006.

Andrew’s main veterinary interests lie in the surgical fields, particularly in soft tissue surgery.

Andrew lives in the Eastern suburbs with his wife and 4 children, and a large black Labrador called Doogie.  His “other” career is as Chairman of the Match Review Panel for the AFL.

Rhiannon Nicholls

Veterinary Nurse
(Certificate IV)

Originally from the UK, Rhiannon moved to Australia 12 years ago via Belgium where she lived for 5 years with her parents and older brother. From an early age she was passionate about the care and welfare of her pets, which were numerous, ranging from goldfish to a horse.  Currently Rhiannon has two cats Frankie and Igor. She always knew working with animals was going to be her chosen career.  

Rhiannon joined the Barkers Team just before Christmas 2008, and has been nursing in small animal practice for 5 years.  She finished her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2006, and has a special interest in Surgical Nursing and Emergency Medicine. She is planning to continue her education by completing a post-graduate Diploma in Veterinary Nursing.

Educated at St Leonards College in Brighton, Rhiannon has recently become a more local resident, moving to Richmond in March 2009. 

Outside of work, Rhiannon is a regular at her local gym and enjoys watching movies and travelling.  Although not well advertised, she is a rugby fan, and has even admitted to supporting the All Blacks!

Elle Kenney

Veterinary Nurse

A country girl at heart Elle has been around animals her entire life and always knew that she would pursue a career in the veterinary field. Elle completed Year 12 in her home town of Warragul before moving to Melbourne to start her career in the animal care industry.

With two years nursing experience, Elle joined the team at Barkers in May 2010, currently completing her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, with hopes to advance her skills further with post-graduate work in emergency nursing and animal physiotherapy.

Elle has owned horses, dogs, cats, birds and fish since a young age. Being a resident of Kew, she finds it hard to be away from her beloved pets Fuey, a thoroughbred horse, and Zeke, a German Shepherd, who are permanent residents at her parent’s farm in Warragul.

In her spare time, Elle enjoys running, going to the gym, dancing and having drinks with friends. Her biggest passion is riding and training her horse. She supports Richmond in the AFL, and hopes to see them win a premiership in her lifetime.