Dannevirke vet finding rewards in tight-knit community

Courtney Matthews applied for the Voluntary Bonding Scheme for Vets and now works for Vet Services in Dannevirke.

Courtney Matthews loves working in Dannevirke.

Courtney has been working at Vet Services in the tight-knit community since earlier this year.

She says she had done a few placements with them over her time at school and loves the atmosphere and environment with everyone there.

“Everyone’s so welcoming,” she says.

Courtney currently works with a mix of animals and finds that no two days are the same, “which makes it really interesting”.

She says she has always wanted to be a vet from a young age.

“I’ve grown up with pets all my life and just always wanted to be one.”

Courtney loves Dannevirke because of the community.

“I think if more vets were keen to work in the rural communities, they’ll find such a good sense of belonging.

“I haven’t been there that long and I feel so supported by everyone. Not just the clinic, but also the farmers and the people that I meet out and about.

“I love getting out and meeting especially the farmers and just seeing how passionate they are about their stock and things. And it’s just really rewarding.”

A recent graduate of vet school, Courtney successfully applied for the Voluntary Bonding Scheme for Vets through her school.

The scheme provides an incentive for new graduates to work in rural clinics to help deal with a vet shortage.

“Sometimes it can be hard to find vets,” Courtney says.

The scheme requires the graduate to commit to three to five years at the clinic, and each successful graduate can get up to $55,000 over that five years.

“It’s quite a lot of money to pay off your student loan,” Courtney says.

Courtney says a lot of graduates go overseas and it’s “quite hard” to find vets.

“That’s why it’s quite good that you have to be there a minimum of three years,” she says.

Thirty-five graduate vets joined rural communities this year through the scheme, which is the largest intake in the scheme’s history, according to Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard.

“The Government is committed to enhancing primary sector productivity and delivering direct benefits to farmers and rural communities,” McClay says.

“Supporting 35 new vets to work in 28 rural areas across New Zealand strengthens on-the-ground support for our hard-working farmers and producers.”

The scheme awards each recipient $55,000 over five years, in exchange for work focused on production animals and working dogs.

“Incentivising vets to practice in rural regions addresses the rural vet shortage while ensuring livestock health, which is critical to boosting primary sector productivity,” Hoggard says.

“Upholding the highest standards of animal care is fundamental to our agriculture sector’s success and reputation. This programme ensures farmers have access to the best possible animal care.”

“Vets are vital to rural economies,” McClay says. “With this scheme, we’re not only bringing essential skills to rural areas but also helping young vets pay down their student loans while serving communities that rely on healthy, productive animals.

“Feedback from previous recipients highlights the rewards of working in close-knit, supportive communities while gaining diverse animal care experience.”