The Team
Ros Norledge (Vet & Owner)
Ros grew up in Wivelsfield Green and always wanted to be a vet. She always had cats and dogs and also had her own horse for a while. Having qualified in 1992 from the Royal Veterinary College, Ros started her veterinary career in mixed practice treating cows, sheep, horses, pigs cats and dogs. Over time this changed to small animal and equine work and she now specialises in cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals. She has worked at Cootes for the last 13 years and has owned it for the last 9 years.
Ros is exceptionally proud of her clinic and her highly qualified team of vets and nurses that work there. She strives for a friendly, family atmosphere that can provide you with all the help and support you need to return your animal to you, fit and healthy.
Leanne (Veterinary Nurse)
Leanne is a farm girl born and bred. She was born and raised in sunny South Africa where she has been involved with animals since a very young age. Her mum was a SPCA inspector in South Africa and as a result Leanne did a large amount of charity work. She helped her mum open a donkey sanctuary in the local area as cruelty to donkeys was rife. Leanne feels she has found her niche in nursing,. She studied and qualified at Plumpton Agricultural College as a veterinary nurse. Leanne could not imagine her life without her partner in crime Bagel - a very cute but very naughty beagle.
Martyn (Osteopath)
Martyn has been living and working with horses and dogs from a very young age, having grown up with working Springer Spaniels. He currently owns a cocker spaniel and a 17.2h Irish sports horse. From the moment he gained his degree in Osteopathy, after 4 years training, he has worked with canine and equine patients and this led him to gain a recognised qualification with one of the world’s leading equine osteopaths, Mr Stuart McGregor at his clinic in Wantage, Oxfordshire.
Martyn also works as a human osteopath in Crawley treating all manner of conditions and so far hasn’t got the two confused. Click here to find out more about Canine Osteopathy.
Claire (Veterinary Nurse)
Claire graduated from Bristol University as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2010. She completed her training in the large veterinary referral hospital in Bristol so has gained a wide experience of both medical and surgical cases as well as spending time in general practice before and after qualifying. She has been brought up with animals from a young age and got her first rabbit ‘Noddy’ at the age of 5, which was when she first decided to work with animals. Unfortunately, she hasn’t got any pets at the moment but that does mean she has lots of spare cuddles for all her patients whether they are big or small!
Nicky (Vet)
Nicky is the newest addition to the Cootes team. Having qualified from the University of Liverpool in 2011 she has decided to return to the sunny south to start her career and be nearer family and friends. Owning a variety of animals from a young age it was always a passion of hers to be a practising small animal vet. Her Cocker Spaniel Dillon was hand reared from an early age as he was born very weak, Dillon is now a vital part of Nickys life and the Cootes team! She looks forward to becoming a familiar friendly face and hopes to meet everyone, and their pets soon!
Sam (Receptionist & Nurse)
Sam has been at Cootes for 17 years. She started in equine practice in Hampshire where she also rode for a local race horse trainer. She went on to instruct for riding for the disabled and ran a rural training centre for people with disabilities. She returned to the Sussex where she became a product specialist for a large diagnostic company and then returned to the veterinary industry at Cootes. She has raced, bred and shown Arabian horses for most of her life and lives locally with her three dogs, husband and daughter.
Fee (Veterinary Nurse)
Fee started on her nursing career path twenty years ago and has been fortunate to experience many years in a fulfilling and often rewarding enviroment. Small animal practice has enabled her to forge strong relationships between patient and owner which makes her job all the more personal. At Cootes, she has found this to be a very natural and important part of the day. Fee has a big passion for the world of anaesthesia, its complexity and how it continually evolves. Aside of work in the UK, she has been lucky to have seen practice on the French/Swiss border and a brief but eye watering visit to Canada where she removed Porcupine spines from a Rottweilers face! Fee lives on the South Downs with her family, who run a flock of 700 ewes producing 1200 lambs and farm 350 acres of arable land. She has six dogs, two cats, a Harris Hawk, a 75 year old tortoise, bantam hens and three horses... life is never quiet or dull and she wouldn't have it any other way!
Heather (Animal Nursing Assistant)
Heather joined our Nursing Team after gaining a National Diploma in Animal Care in 2010. This year, she has qualified as an Animal Nursing Assistant and is due to start her Veterinary Nursing Diploma in September 2012. She has a Springer Spaniel called Alfie and although being 10, he still behaves like a naughty little puppy. Heather loves her job working at Cootes and being part of the team. She looks forward to meeting you and making your pet's time at Cootes more enjoyable.
Emma (Practice Manager)
Emma has joined Cootes after careers working in book publishing and running her own catering business. She loves working at Cootes and aims to make our practice the one everyone recommends! Emma is Ros's sister and so she has grown up surrounded by animals and her obsession with them. She has a grumpy, ginger tom called Squeak who has reached the ripe old age of 17 and is still going strong.