• jonathan wood vets

Meet the Team

The skilled team members at our Barnstaple Cross and Bernaville Nurseries branches in Crediton are experienced in working across the different sectors, and offer 24/7 emergency support.

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    Dale Linney

    Clinical Director

    MRCVS

    Dale graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2013, and began his career at a mixed practice in Devon. He spent four years at our practice before joining a busy out of hours clinic as their lead veterinary surgeon, and returned to us in 2022 as a clinical director, where he works alongside his wife, Lizzy. He has a passion for emergency and critical care, and loves exploring the countryside with his four dogs.

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    Elizabeth Linney

    Clinical Director

    MRCVS

    Lizzy studied veterinary science and pathology at the Royal Veterinary College, and joined us in 2013. She loves all animals and loves the challenges of mixed practice work, whether in the consulting room or out in the Devon countryside. She is a keen cook and baker, and enjoys gardening, countryside walks and taking care of her four dogs and three cats.

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    Louise Rowson

    Practice Manager

    RV

    Before joining our team in 2017, Louise spent nine years at another mixed veterinary practice, where she learnt all about small and large animal care. When she’s not working, she loves exploring the countryside with her dog.

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    Shelly Jefferies

    Head Nurse

    RVN

    Shelly graduated from Bristol University in 1999, and has since completed European nursing, canine massage, canine psychology and wound management certificates. As a qualified assessor and clinical coach, she helps train our student nurses. In her free time, she provides training on wound and bandage care to practices all over the South West with the Veterinary Wound Library, and is the proud owner of two dogs and three cats all taken on as kittens from the surgery.

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    Suzy Garland

    Veterinary Nurse

    RVN

    Suzy joined our team in 2018, and having moved to Devon several years ago, she was keen to revisit her previous veterinary nursing career after taking a break to raise her children. She enjoys all aspects of her varied role, and loves spending time in the Devon countryside, walking her dog, horse riding, gardening and sewing.

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    Alexia Orchard

    Veterinary Surgeon

    BSc Hons BVetMed MRCVS PGCertVCP

    Alexia (BSc Hons BVetMed MRCVS PGCertVCP) moved down from a North Devon practice after a year on an intensive farm internship. Following the internship she is ready to hit the ground running here at Jonathan Wood. Alexia has a love for farm practice has filled her with lots of ideas to bring into the practice which she is excited to get started on!

    When not at work you’ll find her working her chocolate Labrador or with her head in a good book! Pictured is a little goat kid she delivered by caesarean who was kindly named after her!  Alexia is looking forward to working alongside our farmers, whilst also developing her small animal knowledge.

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    Scarlett Cooksley

    RVN

    Born and raised in Somerset Scarlett travelled including to Australia working with cattle, horses and children, she spent 5yrs in London working as a nanny before swapping children for animals to pursue vet nursing. Recently qualifying Scarlett is now part of the JW nursing team and is enjoying the variety of working in a mixed practice.
    Outside of work I compete for stunt racing team Royal Berkshire  and have been doing so since the age of 4! I have 3 dogs, 1 cat, 2 chickens and a young pony who I plan to compete in both stunt racing and western events.
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    Beth Daw

    SVN

    Beth comes from a local farming family, where she would spend most of her time in the calf shed. Growing up Beth always wanted to be a Veterinary Nurse, so once she finished studying Agriculture in Gloucester she started working as a Kennel Assistant back home in Devon. Beth joined us in 2023 and is working towards becoming a qualified Veterinary Nurse. Her free time is split between the farm, her own tiny flock or sheep or going for walks with her spaniel, Scout

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    Josie Sanders

    SVN

    Josie is born and raised in the local area and has joined the practice as a student veterinary nurse. Josie has worked with a range of animal prior to joining the team here including Alpacas, Goats, Dogs, Cats, Horses and even Rhino’s – when she spent some time in South Africa volunteering at a Rhino sanctuary. In her spare time Josie enjoys spending time with her own pets, especially her mini ponies Henry and Harold.

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    Lesley Moult

    Receptionist

    Lesley has worked in veterinary practice for most of her working life, initially as a veterinary nurse and in more later years as a receptionist. Outside of work Lesley spends most of her free time walking her dog Elsa across the Devon and Cornwall countryside and coastal paths.

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    Vickie Elston

    Receptionist

    Having worked in a veterinary environment before joining us in 2022, Vickie slotted straight into our reception team. She lives on a beef and sheep farm, and has her own small flock of sheep. A keen knitter, she has donated over 500 hand knitted items to her local hospital’s special baby care unit, some of which were made using her own flock’s wool.

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    Ali Woodstock

    Receptionist and TB administrator

    Ali grew up on a poultry farm in the South East, and moved to Devon with her family in 2006. She spent eleven years at a busy GP practice before joining us in 2019, and helps to arrange TB tests. In her own time, she loves spending time with her husband and grown up daughters, as well as going for walks with her friends and her dog, Welly.

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    Lucy Healing

    Receptionist

    Lucy moved to Devon in 2019 after years spent working in music and film retail in London, and has been part of our team since 2022. She enjoys all aspects of her job, especially chatting to clients and meeting our canine patients. She has a poodle collie cross and an adopted cat of her own, and loves walking, gardening, cooking and reading.

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    Sara Thurgood

    Receptionist

    Sara has been with us since 2012 and often helps with dog and horse related enquiries. As a qualified dog trainer who runs a local dog training school, she loves meeting canine patients in our waiting room. In her own time, she is kept busy with her horses, sheep, cats and dogs and her involvement with her local pony club.

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    Milly Chappell

    Kennel Assistant

    Milly has been with us since 2020, and previously worked in a boarding kennel for many years. She loves dogs, especially spaniels, and has seven working spaniels of her own at home. In her spare time, she enjoys going for woodland walks, off-roading, drawing and painting.

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    Holly Harris

    Receptionist

    Holly joined the team in 2023 after working in customer service for a number of years. She has a passion for all animals but in particular dachshunds. In her spare time she enjoys family days out exploring Devon and performing in the local amateur dramatics society CoDs. Holly has taken on the roll of Well Being Mentor for the practice.

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    Anca Mica

    Veterinary Surgeon

    MRCVS

    Originally from Romania, Anca qualified in 2006 at USAMV Bucharest and has been living in the UK since 2010. She previously worked as a veterinary surgeon in an emergency service for 7 years. Anca enjoys medicine, emergency and critical care and providing a high standard of care for her patients. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her friends and going for walks around Devon`s coast and countryside .