'We loved the idea of the old-school community vet': Sarah opens new practice in Cork 

I know Sarah Kelleher gets it when I tell her I could never bring myself to replace my mongrel who ed away at age 18, even though many years have elapsed since. He was a one-off.

After all, super-vet Sarah realised her childhood ambition to care for and work with animals even after she had achieved a law degree from UCC.

“I totally get it,” says Sarah, from St Lukes who has opened a new veterinary clinic, Marina Veterinary Clinic, with her fellow vet and business partner, Niall McMahon.

“It is heartbreaking to lose a pet and a loyal companion after so long.

“If you are considering getting another dog, the dog will find you. If you are a dog person you will always be a dog person,” adds Sarah, explaining the unique connection that we have with our four-legged friends.

God’s creatures bring us comfort and joy.

“No two animals are the same,” says Sarah. “Each animal will provide different things to its owner. Loyalty, affection, excitement, fun, walkabouts, unconditional love, and much more.”

When did Sarah’s love story with the animals begin?

“I was very small when I read All Creatures Great And Small, says Sarah, who is mother to Ted, aged just eight months.

“Becoming a vet was always in the stars for me.

“I was totally taken with the book about the country vets. My mum and dad always had dogs and as a child I had numerous pets, a guinea pig, and goldfish.”

Buster was an unusual pet.

“He was a rabbit, but he grew so big I think he was really a hare!” says Sarah, laughing.

“I had a harness for him, and I’d take him round the garden for walks.”

Sarah’s love affair with the animals never waned.

“In Leaving Cert, I was better at English and French,” she says. “I was not loving chemistry. The career guidance advice steered me towards Law and I loved the course and I made great friends in UCC.

“But I still wanted to be a vet. There were no vets in the family.”

Her ion pursued her to Australia where she lived for a year.

“I knew in my heart that I wanted to be a vet,” says Sarah.

“I was more aware of my ambition than ever being away from home. It was my first time living away from home.”

The Cork woman wasn’t lonely though.

“I met my husband Sam in Australia, who is also a vet and, he practices in Killeagh.

Sarah sought expert advice on how to go about becoming a vet.

“I went to talk to the cat vet, Clare Meade, in her practice. She said do it if I really want to.

“I started applying around veterinary practices, but it was a bit awkward for me to get work being an undergraduate in Law.”

Clare winged her way to Budapest, Hungary, in 2012 to follow her heart and realise her dream of becoming a vet.

“The course was taught through English and there were 30 other Irish people on the course,” says Clare.

“It was like home-away-from-home. It was fantastic, and I made the best pals. The living was easy there. Rent was cheap.”

After graduating in Budapest, Sarah went on to learn the trade in England.

“I worked with small animals in a small clinic,” she says.

“I loved Bristol. It is like Cork, a nice size with lovely independent cafes around Bristol and near the canal.

“Bristol would remind you of Edinburgh. I cycled into work every morning.”

Sarah and Sam, making plans for the future, moved in together and worked in the same neck of the woods together.

“Sam was based in Kildare, I worked in Dublin,” says Sarah.

Back in Cork she spotted a future member of the family during covid.

“Remy is a rescue dog,” says Sarah. “The easiest way to describe him is a terrier cross. But he is really 50 breeds!”

Sarah saw Remy one day when he was in the care of the CSPCA.

The dog became part of the family, and he became one of the loves of Sarah’s life.

“It was March, the start of covid, and I worried what the CSPCA could do with the dogs and how they could re-home them during the pandemic,” she recalls.

“I was asked to take Remy home for 24 hours to see how we’d get on. But I was sure I wanted him, and I said there and then, ‘I’ll take him’.”

So Remy found her?

“Yes, he responded well to me and now, five years later, he is ruling the roost!”

Sarah also met her future business partner Niall through work.

“Niall, who is from Tyrone, and I had worked together, and we both saw the culture changing.

“We wanted to set up our own practice within the practice as opposed to working for a large corporate company.

“The idea of being the local vet, just like being the local GP, really appealed to us. We loved the idea of the old-school community vet just like the vets in All Creatures Great And Small that I had read about as a child. We want to know you and your animal.”

Sarah and Niall are getting to know their patrons well at Marina Veterinary Clinic.

“Poodles Tiggy and Darcy, Jed, the mini schnauzer, AJ with the sore leg, and Milo for vaccines, are among our patients,” says Sarah.

In her newly-opened practice in the Marina, she has discovered another great love of her life.

“We have put our life savings into Marina Vets,” says Sarah. “I love working and living in Cork where I know people and now I’m getting to know their pets every day.

“We offer a personalised service that is community-based.”

Is her eight-month-old son Ted an animal lover too, like his mum and dad?

Sarah laughs.

“Ted often comes here to visit us,” she says. “He is fascinated when he sees the animals!”

Is it difficult starting a new business with a small child on board?

“The two things aligned, even though they came close together,” says Sarah.

“My mother, who retired from teaching, steps in to mind Ted. It’s great because that gives me autonomy and I can pop in and out during the day to see him.”

The youngster is in good company.

“My parents have two dogs and a cat. They kind of acquired them!”

So those animals found a good home?

“Yes, they did,” says Sarah. “It’s like a stray comes by and they are taken in!”

Sarah belongs to an animal-loving family.

“My sister has two dogs, and my brother has a dog.

“Our family WhatsApp is like a hospital page for our animals!”

How does Sarah, a born animal lover, deal with having to euthanise a beloved pet in her job?

“99.9% of the time, I feel like I am doing right for the dog or the cat,” she says.

I tell Sarah when my dog stayed overnight on steroids in the local veterinary clinic in a last bid save his life, I didn’t sleep.

In the morning, the vet rang me and told me not to return.

“Of course, it is a heart-breaking decision to euthanise a beloved animal for all concerned,” says Sarah. “I have been in your boots.

“It is devastating to say goodbye to such a loved animal. Hearts are broken when we have to let them go.

“Seeing how much a pet has been loved and lived its best life is a truly humbling experience for me. But you must be humane and do the right thing.

“The lovely memories of the joy the animal brought to its owner and its family will last forever.

“ing the good times helps the grieving process.”

Sarah, realising her childhood dream, is in a good place.

“I am so happy, it’s great.”

And she will continue always to care for and cherish all creatures great And small.

Marina Veterinary Clinic, Block O, Unit 11, Marina Commercial Park, Centre Park Road, Ballintemple, Cork. T12 VA46. Phone: 021-2038344