Compassion, a natural affinity with animals and a keen scientific mind ensured that Dr John Adam entered the veterinary profession. He spent many happy hours on a family farm while growing up in Vereeniging and then joined the dog unit during his military service. After qualifying in 1972, he practised in Stellenbosch and Ceres before joining TAH Durbanville.

In the early days, John worked on horses quite extensively, but now concentrates on small animals and cattle. He also serves on the South African Veterinary Council.

John enjoys carpentry and farm work and for sport he plays golf and does Pilates.

Cape Town-born and -bred, Dr Michelle Adam qualified from Onderstepoort in 2004, maintaining the family veterinary tradition. She spent a year doing horse and small animal work at a Kyalami practise, before moving to Wales where she did 80% small and 20% large animals. This was followed by small animal work in Oxford for a year. Since the beginning of 2009 Michelle has worked at TAH Bellville where her interests are surgery and digital imaging, along with general practice.

Off-duty, she paints, runs, plays squash and tennis or spends time on the family farm in the Cederberg.

As a city boy from Port Elizabeth, holidays spent on his uncle's farm in the Midlands developed Dr Ian Campbell's fascination with animals. Add to this good dollops of reading James Herriot books and 'hanging out' at PE vet practices and the desire to become a veterinarian was firmly entrenched. After qualifying in 1996, he spent 18 months in the UK as a locum in a mixed practice. Returning to PE, he joined a clinic there for two years and then fulfilled his ambition of living in Cape Town when he joined TAH in 2000.

With a special interest in general and spinal surgery, as well as arthroscopy, Ian spent two weeks at Onderstepoort with specialist surgeons where he gleaned useful information on raising the level of surgery at TAH even further.

For pleasure, he enjoys listening and playing music (piano and keyboard), as well as dabbling in writing music. Outdoor interests include camping and walking in the mountains.

Born to become a vet, Dr Paulina Crous was raised on a farm near Villiersdorp, where she was the one assigned with first aid tasks. Also, she collected every animal under the sun in distress - eventually having a menagerie of sorts. Paulina qualified in 1991 and joined a mixed practice in Kuils River. Five years later, she worked at a Monte Vista practice for a year and then joined TAH. In 1999, she was appointed Goodwood branch manager.

Believing in loving attention, Paulina has a special interest in the human/animal bond. She believes in complementary medicine and is determined to pursue courses in alternative medicine for pets.

Parental duties permitting, Paulina enjoys needlework, pottery & gardening.

Having travelled abroad as a vet, Dr Bradley Hodgson finally settled at TAH Durbanville in 2008. He grew up in Port Elizabeth, matriculating from Grey High School. Veterinary studies at Onderstepoort followed and he qualified in 1999. First he worked at a mixed practice in the UK for three years, returned to SA briefly and then toured Australia on a working holiday for a year. A four-year spell at the Bay of Islands in New Zealand followed.

Back in South Africa, Bradley first worked at the SPCA in Port Elizabeth for a year, then returned to the UK briefly. At TAH Durbanville he concentrates on large animal work, because he believes that with good herd health one can make a difference to the farm and animals.

Bradley plays squash and is also one for the great outdoors, hiking, the beach and camping.

Growing up on a typical South African sheep and wheat farm at Riviersonderend, Dr Pieter Human was a natural in biology. Thus, he opted for veterinary science, because he preferred working with animals to people.

After qualifying in 1982 and completing military service, he spent three years at Onderstepoort's Virology Department, followed by two years at a Honeydew private practice. Pieter then returned to the Cape, working at a Diep River and Monte Vista clinic. After a stint running a dance school, he spent time at a Constantia practice for three years before joining TAH in 1999. Heading the Parow branch, he has a special interest in cats, doing considerable research on the feline species in his private time.

Believing in a balanced life, Pieter enjoys hiking, the beach and dancing.

Providing optimal care for animals was the decisive factor for Dr Frank Kettner to become a specialist veterinarian. He holds a string of qualifications: BSc (Hons) Zoology, BVSc (Hons) and MMedVet (Medicine).

After a childhood in Cape Town, he first entered Pretoria University in 1991 before doing his BVSc at Onderstepoort. A spell in the UK followed - first at a small animal practice and then a neutering clinic. In 2000 Frank returned to Onderstepoort to do post-graduate studies and was in residency from 2000 to 2003. After completing the MMedVet exams in 2004, he lectured at Onderstepoort's Faculty of Veterinary Science, in the Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies until joining TAH in 2007.

Most of Frank's leisure time is taken up with the care of his young children, but he also swims, hikes and spends time outdoors.

From the minute he had cognitive thought when growing up in Nelspruit in the former Eastern Transvaal, Dr Colin Levitan decided he would become a veterinarian. He qualified in 1995 and spent five years in England at a small animal and equine practice before returning to South Africa for good.

After a few months as a locum, he joined TAH Bellville in 2000. With an Honours degree in radiology and small animal medicine, Colin greatly enjoys small animal medicine.

When not involved with matters veterinary, he cooks like a demon and quite rightly also loves eating. Otherwise, he's a keen mountain walker.

Having always known that he wanted to be a veterinarian, Dr Ater McDonald has had a varied career virtually throughout South Africa since qualifying in 1980. To kick off, he treated horses on the border during his military service. Then he joined a race horse practice in Alberton, becoming the owner after two years. In 1990, he went farming in the Harrismith district, practising from the farm. Eventually, the workload was too much. He moved into Harrismith and built a practice, which grew to a three-man clinic.

In 2000, Ater worked as a locum at Onderstepoort for six months updating his skills and knowledge. He then sold his shares in the Harrismith practice and joined TAH. Subsequently he obtained his Honours in Medicine and Clinical Pathology, as well as completing a course in small animal ultrasonography. The expertise offered in ultrasonography and echo-cardiography has moved the TAH practice to a higher level, as well as taking the practice diagnostics a number of steps further.

In his spare time, Ater takes to the highways and byways on his motorcycle or pounds the tar training for the next run. At home, he plays classical guitar and practises his culinary skills.

Cape Town born and bred, Dr Nolan Moss has had a scientific interest in animals since high school. After qualifying in 2002, he joined TAH the following year as a relief vet. Intending to further his studies in clinical pathology and small animal medicine, Nolan's special field of interest includes analgesia.

Living it up in the great outdoors is what he enjoys most. Or he reads.

Fresh from obtaining her BVSc in 2004, Dr Sam Pillay started her first job at TAH in 2005. Originally from Durban, she's always had a love for animals and an aptitude for science. Veterinary science seemed a good career option. In the future, she aims to do post-graduate studies in animal behaviour.

Sam swims and her hobbies are crafts, tapestries, cooking and baking.

Hailing from Bloemfontein, Dr Liesl Shaw first studied Animal Anatomy and Physiology at UOFS for a year and when the course was discontinued, switched to veterinary science at Onderstepoort. She qualified in 1996, worked on farm animals for 18 months in Pretoria and then continued in the same field in England for three years. When returning to SA, Liesl spent a year each at a veterinary practice in Port Elizabeth and Panorama.

In 2003, she joined TAH on relief vet and finally settled at Kenridge branch in 2005. Enjoying fresh challenges, she finds soft tissue surgery the most stimulating field.

In between, Liesl is an enthusiastic card and scrapbook maker, as well as a fabric painter. For exercise she gyms.

As a collector and keeper of weird and wonderful pets since an early age while growing up in Johannesburg, Dr Stephen Smith had good foundations for a career in veterinary science. Accompanying his uncle, vet Dr John Adam, on farm calls while visiting him in Ceres at the age of 5, clinched his career choice.

After qualifying in 1996, Stephen worked in the UK for six months and then in Johannesburg for 18 months. In May 1998, he joined TAH on relief for a year, practised at the former Eversdal branch for three years and then took over the Kenridge practice.

Stemming from his childhood passion, Stephen has become known for his special veterinary interest in fish, rodents, reptiles and exotics. He also treats the wild animals at Tygerberg Zoo in his spare time.

When not fixing animals, he runs around after his two energetic children and plays squash. Stephen loves bird watching and keeping tropical fish.

Growing up in nearby Kenridge with loads of pets as company, Dr Izak van der Vyver decided in what was then Standard 8 that veterinary science was a natural career for him. He practised in Canada for 18 months after qualifying in 1992 and joined TAH in 1994. First he was the relief vet, then practised at the Parow branch for four years before moving to TAH Durbanville.

Izak's main interest is surgery. Although he helps Dr John Adam with the farm animals, his first love remains small animals.

In his leisure time, he spends time with the family, gyms, plays tennis and relaxes doing offroading and watching spectator sport.

Zimbabwean-born and –bred Dr Kevin Solberg has had a passion for animals since age four. After completing A-Levels in Harare, he worked at an e-commerce company for a few months before enrolling for a BVSc degree at the University of Zimbabwe, Harare. Because of unrest at the university and declining educational standards at the beginning of his third year, Solberg transferred to Onderstepoort, where he qualified in 2007. Ultimately he'd like to specialise in wild life veterinary science, which means further studies.

Apart from a broad spectrum of sport, Solberg likes nature, lazy beach days and relaxing with friends. At the gym he keeps in shape to dampen the guilt of that extra helping of chips. His adrenaline junkie nature loves the rush of insane theme park rides when the opportunity arises. And he also has a keen interest in computers.

Dr Christa Gerber did a BSc Agriculture at Stellenbosch University before moving onto Onderstepoort where she qualified in 2002. She spent two years in the UK, then did locum work before joining a Cape Town practice for five years. Gerber was appointed at TAH Bellville in 2011 where she's on duty weekdays from 13h00 until 16h00. Diagnostic imaging and soft tissue surgery interest her. After hours she hikes, does mountain biking, paints and reads.

An inveterate collector of hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards, stray dogs, cats and other assorted animals from early in her life, cemented by James Herriot's books, Dr Donna Brook was set for a veterinary career from a very young age. In 1988 she qualified from Onderstepoort. Brook worked at a Germiston veterinary practice for a year, followed by 12 months at a Tamboerskloof practice. She then joined TAH, but left in 1996 when expecting her first child. During the ensuing years she worked at Animal Welfare and did locums for a while too. In 2010 she returned to TAH and now practices at the Kenridge branch.

Although she enjoys all aspects of veterinary science, the human/animal bond interests Brook particularly, as well as trying to ensure that basic veterinary care is accessible to all in the country. In addition to her human family, she has six dogs, two cats, a horse, ducks, fish, a parakeet and a few waifs/strays for company. For leisure, she spends time with the family, the animals, walking the dogs, reading and writing.

Dr Margaret Haddow qualified in 1991 and has been at TAH with breaks since 1995. Since 2010 she has been back full time. Her interest is both surgery & medicine.