Laura Schwerdtfeger- Director & Lifestyle Block Veterinarian

Laura graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and a Bachelor of Science. Laura has practiced as a veterinarian within the dairy, sheep and beef, companion animal and lifestyle block sectors throughout her career. After working with a diverse range of animals, she pursued her passion in lifestyle block animal medicine and surgery, with a special focus on preventative health care. Maximising animal health and welfare through the implementation of preventative health care plans is something Laura believes very strongly in. Laura has a special interest in camelid and small ruminant medicine and surgery.

Mandy Dai- Lifestyle Block Veterinarian

After graduating from Massey University in 2022, Mandy spent the last three years working in a busy mixed practice in the Waikato. She grew up on a lifestyle block in Wellington, where her passion for lifestyle block and small block animals began well before starting her veterinary studies.

Alice Handley- Lifestyle Block Veterinarian

Alice graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2018 and moved straight to New Zealand. Alice has worked as a mixed animal vet, small animal vet and most recently has worked in emergency and critical care at a specialists clinic. Alice has a keen interest in both medical and surgical cases, particularly those requiring intensive care and is passionate about providing the highest level of care possible for her patients. Outside of work she is a volunteer firefighter, enjoys surfing and spending time with her 2 rescue cats.

Mical Mainwaring- Veterinary Technician & Health Plan Coordinator

Mical graduated from Otago Polytechnic with a Rural Animal Technician Diploma. After initially working in companion animal veterinary clinics, Mical developed a passion for lifestyle block farm animals. Mical is incredibly passionate about providing the best care available to all lifestyle block animal species. If you’re part of our popular annual health care plans then Mical will be your primary point of contact. Her incredible scheduling and organisational skills ensure that the many thousands of animals on our health plan care plans are all visited at the optimal time of the year to best prevent disease. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and three kids, caring for her pet arapawa sheep flock, cooking and drinking gin and tonics in the sun.

Jess Byrnes-Clark- Veterinary Technician

Jess graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Veterinary Technology and a Bachelor of Science. After graduating, Jess stayed at Massey University working in the Farm Services part of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. This is where her love affair of surgery, intensive medical nursing and teaching all started. Jess currently lives in Taupo but jumps at the opportunity to come and help the The Lifestyle Vet team with animal health care runs any chance she gets.

Chantelle Bull – Veterinary Technician

Chantelle graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Animal Science, majoring in Genetics and Breeding. Growing up on a lifestyle block sparked her interest in the individual care needs associated with owning multiple lifestyle animal species. Her journey into animal care began as a Large Animal Technician, where she worked with a range of animals. Known to never turn away from an animal in need, her home often becomes a sanctuary for rescued animals. Outside of work, she enjoys teaching her dog new tricks, riding her horses, and coaching at her local pony club.

Alice Hayward- Veterinary Technician

With over 12 years of nursing experience, Alice has worked with an array of animals, ranging from companion animals to horses. Alice is both passionate and incredibly dedicated towards providing the best standard of nursing care to all creatures, great and small. Anyone who has met Alice will also have met her excellent sense of humour. Alice plays a key role in assisting The Lifestyle Vets with the transportation of unwell animals that require referral veterinary care and hospitalisation. In her spare time, Alice runs and equine charity, loves to ride her horses and to spend time with her partner John and gorgeous two children. 

Richard Logan – Animal Home Burial Services

With over 30 years farming experience, Richard Logan is passionate about  helping people through the hard times to provide solutions. With a fleet of diggers and trucks, no job is too difficult, whether it’s burying animals or rescuing them from difficult locations in emergency situations.

Barry Jones – Lifestyle & Commercial Sheep Shearing

Barry has been a full time shearer for over 30 years. Originally from Taranaki, Barry now operates throughout in wider Auckland region. Barry’s fantastic skill set and animal handling technique enables the shearing process to be carried out efficiently so that minimal stress is imposed on the animal. His battery powered cordless shears also enable him to carry out the job anywhere, regardless of power supply.

Nigel Wood – Lifestyle & Commercial Alpaca Shearing

Nigel is originally from Invercargill and has been a full time professional alpaca shearer for over 10 years, shearing up to 10,000 alpacas every year. Nigel shears all throughout NZ, Australia, the UK and Sweden. Nigel has won the Australian shearing competition for the past 2 years in a row and he prides himself on promoting animal health and welfare by handling all alpacas gently.