Whanganui veterinarian takes on five-year bond to rural service

Netta Rousell is one of 34 veterinary graduates who are bonded to rural practices this year. Photo / Bevan Conley

It wasn't being bonded that inspired Netta Rousell to apply for a job at a mixed rural veterinary practice in Whanganui - it was the job she wanted anyway.

The Massey University graduate began a job at Wanganui Veterinary Services in February. Two weeks ago she found she was one of 34 graduates who will be given $55,000 over five years if they stay in rural practices that treat large "production" animals like sheep and cattle.

Rousell was one of many in her year who applied for the Ministry of Primary Industries Voluntary Bonding Scheme. She's likely to see out the five years in Whanganui because it's the very job she wanted.

"This place was my first choice."

The money will probably go towards paying off her student loan. After five years of intensive study, she owes nearly $100,000.

"I don't think they will even let me see it," she said.

Brought up on a lifestyle block in Katikati in the Bay of Plenty, Rousell has wanted to be a vet since the age of 9.

She qualified for vet school after her first year at Massey and said the study was intense.

"You don't party until after the exams are done."

She wanted a job at Wanganui Veterinary Services after a placement there in 2018 during which head vet David Rankin let her try a bit of everything. She liked the rural life and staying with family friends at Kai Iwi.

Many of the graduates wanted to work mainly with cats and dogs and live in cities, she said.

When the Chronicle visited, Rousell had just returned from seeing a farrowing sow at Kaitoke. On Friday an emergency interrupted her planned day of consultations - a working dog with a distended stomach was brought in and she got to open up its abdomen and untwist the problem.

"I was buzzing after that."

Working dogs were just about her favourite animals to treat because they would let her do anything, she said.

"Sometimes they're so stoic I can't figure out what's wrong."

She now has a horse and is liking Whanganui as a place to live - the lights on the water at night and the gravel roads in side valleys so close to the city.

"The town here is quite big but it has a small town feel. It's got everything you need," she said.

Rousell is the fourth bonded vet - after Cayleigh Carter, Gemma Pouls and Sarah McKay - to work at Wanganui Veterinary Services, general manager Tom Dinwiddie said.

Having the bonded vets was helpful because there was a worldwide shortage of vets and the business needed another at Vets on Carlton. lots of advertisers wanted vets, and some small branch practices have had to close because of the shortage, he said.

RNZ has previously reported that New Zealand was short of 50 to 100 vets in May.