Dawne Morton travels thousands of kilometres each year rescuing the region's native birds and now she can do it in style.
Wanganui Veterinary Services has given Mrs Morton a new ute in recognition of the work she does for the community.
"We wanted to reward Dawn for all her good work so
we decided to gift her a new vehicle in appreciation," Dr Nicola King of Wanganui Veterinary Services said.
Mrs Morton also works with the service's vet nursing students and the new car meant plenty of room for them and the birds.
"My last car had done about 325,000 kilometres and the radiator was stuffed so I really needed this," Mrs Morton said.
"We cover a big area, from Stratford and Taranaki, to Taihape and Waiouru, I meet people halfway, but there's always lots of potholes and going into farms to get birds," she said.
Because the nature of many of Mrs Morton's pickups were urgent, she joked that she could get bird ambulance printed on the side.
"This is really good?it'll mean I actually get to callouts."
Mrs Morton has almost 80 birds in her care with about 14-15 hawks, a kiwi, kingfisher and pukeko among them.
"Our priority is really native birds though," she said.
