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Why Dr Tanya Carter traded Greek archaeology for a life-long mission in animal welfare and community health
For Dr Tanya Carter, veterinary practice has never been just about animals. It has always been about people, community, ethics and responsibility – a philosophy that has guided her work for more than 50 years and recently earned her the One Welfare Award as part of the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW’s Centenary Awards.Based at Haberfield Veterinary Hospital in Sydney, Dr Tanya has spent five decades building and sustaining a community-focused practice, while also contributing in a number of national roles in animal welfare, ethics, conservation biology and veterinary regulation. She has also received both national and international recognition for her contributions.
Reflecting on her career, Dr Tanya shares her story in her own words.
From Somerset Brooks to Sydney Science
I grew up in a small village in Somerset, England where much of my early childhood was spent out in the countryside picking mushrooms, paddling in babbling brooks, nutting and picking blackberries in autumn. This definitely inspired my love of animals and nature. We always had dogs, but I acquired a lovely ginger kitten when I was two.
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| New beginnings in Australia: Tanya, in her mid-teens, with dog Nicky & cat Brandy Photo: Supplied |
My interests initially lay elsewhere. Inspired by an archaeological dig near my home, I became fascinated by the idea of digging up old things. When my father was offered a job in Derby, we moved from the countryside to the middle of a noisy, smoggy city. I became very interested in anything to do with Ancient Greece and by the time I was 10, knew all the Greek myths and legends.
I passed the highly selective 11 Plus exam and earned a place at an academically selective grammar school. My heart was set on Cambridge or Oxford to study archaeology. However, when my dad was offered a job in Sydney, a career in Greek archaeology suddenly seemed unlikely.
My best subject at school was art followed by English and History. I’m not sure what made me think to be a vet, but as I was not studying physics and chemistry I had to catch up on two years of these subjects during the Christmas holidays!
Pioneering in a Changing Profession
I studied veterinary science at the University of Sydney at a time when women were still a minority in the profession. I didn’t come across any challenges or barriers at university nor when I graduated or when I established my practice.
There were only 50 women in the whole five years of the degree course (I was the faculty female sports rep and found it difficult to find enough players for a hockey team!) and only 10 women graduated with me.
I had a brilliant education at the University of Sydney with wonderful teachers and strong clinical training delivered by general practitioners. We were encouraged to understand that we could do anything, and I graduated with a great deal of confidence and ability.
My first employer was a brilliant and very supportive vet who gave me a job running a newly established practice on my own. I also ran another small busy practice on my own for two months at one stage. At that time, it wasn’t considered odd for new graduates to do this.
The Joey that Sparked a Research Career
I have always been very interested in environmental issues and wildlife. Rearing an orphan grey kangaroo joey in my final year sparked my interest in research as I noticed that kangaroos reared on cow’s milk were prone to develop cataracts.
I wondered if they were unable to metabolise galactose, so I approached the Children’s Medical Research Foundation which was researching galactosaemia in humans and they gave me a research grant to use kangaroos as animal models for galactosaemia. We found they are indeed galactosaemic and our first paper was published in Nature.
This discovery led to a lifelong interest in research and good science and has probably been the driver for my passion for the use of evidence-based medicine. I maintain my interest in research, sit on a number of Animal Ethics Committees and I’m the honorary vet for the Children’s Medical Research Institute. I am forever grateful for their support of my research.
Balancing the Clinic and the Cradle
When I graduated, I wasn’t sure what kind of veterinarian I wanted to be. I married an architect when we were both students, and after graduation he was offered a teaching role at UNSW, which ruled out country practice – although I did toy with the idea of becoming a cattle vet.
I wasn’t interested in zoo work, either, as there wasn’t much in the way of wildlife vet work. And I didn’t want to be an academic, so after a couple of years in small animal practice and research I decided to open my own practice.
With a five-month-old baby in my arms, I found an empty shop and approached a bank for a loan and opened the doors to Haberfield Veterinary Hospital. The rest is history with four children and nine – soon-to-be-10 – grandchildren later!
Five Decades of Evolution: Beyond the ‘Fur-Baby’
Over five decades, I have seen enormous change in veterinary medicine. As a small animal practitioner, advances in preventative health such as vaccines and new medicines have been most welcome.
New technology and diagnostic tools have also changed some of the ways we care for pets. However, these are not always the only reason we can offer pets longer, healthier lives. It may also be access to better preventative care, such as vaccines and avoidance of fast cars!
There has also been increasing societal concern for animal welfare, which is positive.
The rise of specialisation has definitely had clear benefits, and I value this expertise, but we have to ensure the essential role of the GP vet continues to be appreciated as the primary port of call.
Rising veterinary costs, which have increased faster than inflation, can also affect client behaviour. Research has shown that as costs go up, vet visits go down, and this is clearly an animal health and welfare concern.
Financial pressure can certainly create ethical dilemmas, and is the main cause of abuse of vets. However, there are options and helping pet owners is tremendously rewarding. It is important for practitioners to use evidence based medicine and not do anything that is not in the best interests of the animal or its owner, and that may add to costs.
We know that clients want vets to have accountability, transparency, good clinical skills, concern about animal welfare and not have money making as the first priority.
The Power of the Community Vet
Looking back, I was always happy to have a small, community-based practice and the opportunity to edit books, write, give presentations and undertake research. I’m proud of my original research on kangaroos, and the fact that I established my own practice and my staff are happy to stay with me for decades, that my clientele are so grateful and that I’ve been able to support various agencies and disadvantaged pet owners.
I’m really proud of my two books. My first book One Welfare in Practice: The Role of the Veterinarian looks at big issues such as land clearing, climate change, working animals and really highlights the essential role of the vet. My latest book, which I co-edited, Veterinary Controversies and Ethical Dilemmas: Provocative Reflections on Clinical Practice, is much more reflective and examines contemporary vet practice.
I was very pleased to have been made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2020, and I am of course very honoured to be given a Centenary Award by the NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board in 2025.
Words of Wisdom for the Next Generation
About Dr Tanya Carter
Dr Tanya Carter is a small animal veterinarian and practice owner at Haberfield Veterinary Hospital in Sydney.
I passed the highly selective 11 Plus exam and earned a place at an academically selective grammar school. My heart was set on Cambridge or Oxford to study archaeology. However, when my dad was offered a job in Sydney, a career in Greek archaeology suddenly seemed unlikely.
My best subject at school was art followed by English and History. I’m not sure what made me think to be a vet, but as I was not studying physics and chemistry I had to catch up on two years of these subjects during the Christmas holidays!
Pioneering in a Changing Profession
There were only 50 women in the whole five years of the degree course (I was the faculty female sports rep and found it difficult to find enough players for a hockey team!) and only 10 women graduated with me.
I had a brilliant education at the University of Sydney with wonderful teachers and strong clinical training delivered by general practitioners. We were encouraged to understand that we could do anything, and I graduated with a great deal of confidence and ability.
My first employer was a brilliant and very supportive vet who gave me a job running a newly established practice on my own. I also ran another small busy practice on my own for two months at one stage. At that time, it wasn’t considered odd for new graduates to do this.
The Joey that Sparked a Research Career
I have always been very interested in environmental issues and wildlife. Rearing an orphan grey kangaroo joey in my final year sparked my interest in research as I noticed that kangaroos reared on cow’s milk were prone to develop cataracts.
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| Tanya with her husband Harry, Ginge the cat, and Winnie the kangaroo joey at Sydney University, Camden. Rearing Winnie sparked Tanya’s lifelong passion for research and evidence-based medicine. Photo: Supplied |
I wondered if they were unable to metabolise galactose, so I approached the Children’s Medical Research Foundation which was researching galactosaemia in humans and they gave me a research grant to use kangaroos as animal models for galactosaemia. We found they are indeed galactosaemic and our first paper was published in Nature.
This discovery led to a lifelong interest in research and good science and has probably been the driver for my passion for the use of evidence-based medicine. I maintain my interest in research, sit on a number of Animal Ethics Committees and I’m the honorary vet for the Children’s Medical Research Institute. I am forever grateful for their support of my research.
Balancing the Clinic and the Cradle
When I graduated, I wasn’t sure what kind of veterinarian I wanted to be. I married an architect when we were both students, and after graduation he was offered a teaching role at UNSW, which ruled out country practice – although I did toy with the idea of becoming a cattle vet.
I wasn’t interested in zoo work, either, as there wasn’t much in the way of wildlife vet work. And I didn’t want to be an academic, so after a couple of years in small animal practice and research I decided to open my own practice.
With a five-month-old baby in my arms, I found an empty shop and approached a bank for a loan and opened the doors to Haberfield Veterinary Hospital. The rest is history with four children and nine – soon-to-be-10 – grandchildren later!
Five Decades of Evolution: Beyond the ‘Fur-Baby’
Over five decades, I have seen enormous change in veterinary medicine. As a small animal practitioner, advances in preventative health such as vaccines and new medicines have been most welcome.
New technology and diagnostic tools have also changed some of the ways we care for pets. However, these are not always the only reason we can offer pets longer, healthier lives. It may also be access to better preventative care, such as vaccines and avoidance of fast cars!
There has also been increasing societal concern for animal welfare, which is positive.
However, the evolution of pets into ‘fur-babies’ has been an enormous shift and is not always in the best interests of the animal or its owner.
The ‘fur-baby’ phenomenon can make life more challenging for the practitioner and the practitioner needs to ensure that the welfare of the animal comes first and that this phenomenon doesn’t lead to vets undertaking tests and procedures which may not be in the best interests of animals and their owners.
The rise of specialisation has definitely had clear benefits, and I value this expertise, but we have to ensure the essential role of the GP vet continues to be appreciated as the primary port of call.
Rising veterinary costs, which have increased faster than inflation, can also affect client behaviour. Research has shown that as costs go up, vet visits go down, and this is clearly an animal health and welfare concern.
Financial pressure can certainly create ethical dilemmas, and is the main cause of abuse of vets. However, there are options and helping pet owners is tremendously rewarding. It is important for practitioners to use evidence based medicine and not do anything that is not in the best interests of the animal or its owner, and that may add to costs.
We know that clients want vets to have accountability, transparency, good clinical skills, concern about animal welfare and not have money making as the first priority.
The Power of the Community Vet
Looking back, I was always happy to have a small, community-based practice and the opportunity to edit books, write, give presentations and undertake research. I’m proud of my original research on kangaroos, and the fact that I established my own practice and my staff are happy to stay with me for decades, that my clientele are so grateful and that I’ve been able to support various agencies and disadvantaged pet owners.
I’m really proud of my two books. My first book One Welfare in Practice: The Role of the Veterinarian looks at big issues such as land clearing, climate change, working animals and really highlights the essential role of the vet. My latest book, which I co-edited, Veterinary Controversies and Ethical Dilemmas: Provocative Reflections on Clinical Practice, is much more reflective and examines contemporary vet practice.
I was very pleased to have been made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2020, and I am of course very honoured to be given a Centenary Award by the NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board in 2025.
Words of Wisdom for the Next Generation
Veterinary medicine is a wonderful and rewarding profession. Being a vet gives you so many options – academia, research, practice etc. and a combination of all. Remember your essential role in animal and human health and welfare. See ‘ethical dilemmas’ as challenges which make practice interesting and engaging with pet owners is very rewarding.
Remember there is no ‘gold standard’ and veterinary professional ethics is about acknowledging the limitations of knowledge whilst adding to it. Always use evidence-based medicine.
The best moments that perfectly capture why I became a vet are being appreciated by my clientele (with lovely cards, wine, chocolate and flowers), having staff and family support and of course recognition by my peers in receiving awards.
So much of veterinary work is about serving our communities by caring for animals, supporting the people who love them and contributing to broader welfare, ethics and environmental issues.
Remember there is no ‘gold standard’ and veterinary professional ethics is about acknowledging the limitations of knowledge whilst adding to it. Always use evidence-based medicine.
The best moments that perfectly capture why I became a vet are being appreciated by my clientele (with lovely cards, wine, chocolate and flowers), having staff and family support and of course recognition by my peers in receiving awards.
So much of veterinary work is about serving our communities by caring for animals, supporting the people who love them and contributing to broader welfare, ethics and environmental issues.
Helping animals means helping people – that’s the essence of One Welfare and it’s at the heart of everything I do.
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| Dr Tanya Carter at home with her dog, Ralph Photo: Harry Stephens |
Dr Tanya Carter is a small animal veterinarian and practice owner at Haberfield Veterinary Hospital in Sydney.
She is the recipient of the One Welfare Award as part of the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW’s 2025 Centenary Awards and was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2020.
Dr Carter has contributed extensively to animal welfare, ethics and conservation biology through research, publishing, committee work and professional leadership.
