ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC
By ZAIDA GLIBANOVIC
YOUR furry friends are in the best care at the Moe Vet’s: Moe Veterinary Centre was voted the Veterinary Business of the Year for 2023 at the Australian Veterinary Association awards. The Moe Vet has demonstrated an outstanding performance in veterinary standards to be named Australia’s best vet for the year. Dr Laura Thorbecke and her husband, Dr Stuart Cocking, bought the business in February 2019 and have since elevated it to national recognition. Speaking to the Express, the Moe Veterinary Centre practice manager, Teagan Anderson, said they were incredibly proud of the level of recognition the clinic had received in the industry. “We are all really excited when Laura travelled to Queensland to accept the award,” she said. “To win the award we had to demonstrated that we had outstanding performance across ten core competencies in veterinary business.” These competencies include: leadership, change management, financial management, clinical standards and protocols, human resources and industrial relations, strategic planning, ethics, risk management, marketing, and technology. Overseeing the management of the practice, Ms Anderson said the workplace culture and standards were next to none. “We’ve got about 29 staff members … We’ve got a really close group and the team is just fantastic,” she said. “Our team of vets and nurses and administration staff is the main reason why we work so well in those many areas. “We’re so lucky with the community we live in we always have good relationships with our clients. “The standout for us is that we actually really care in looking after clients and pets of Latrobe Valley which is the culture in our workplace.” The veterinary clinic has had a long standing history in the community. The clinic had a humble beginning as a vet service to the Moe Cooperative Dairy and its suppliers run by Dr Donald Dick and wife Joyce in the 1950s, who also cared for small animals out of their Fowler St home. In the 70s, Dr Barry Haywood and wife Chris partnered with the Dicks, opening a clinic in Morwell on George St. Once Dr Dick retired, Dr Jim Dorling took his place as partner and in the late 70s, established the Moe Veterinary Centre at 31 Lloyd St, Moe, which later expanded into the adjoining shop. Though the clinic has undergone many change of hands, the same friendly faces and care have remained consistent throughout its operation. Ms Anderson has spent 21 years at the Moe Veterinary Centre, having began work experience at the clinic as a Year 10 student; she has seen many changes. “During COVID it changed a lot in the sense that we were so busy. Pets play a really important life and if anything that’s just grown in the last 20 years. Lots of people pets are now their children and are considered family members,” she said. “The level of veterinary care had changed as well. People want to do the best thing by their pets and be proactive in their health, that’s what I’ve noticed that has changed within the industry.” During COVID, Ms Anderson said the clinic received a huge influx of new pets and animals. “Lots of pets came in during COVID, lots of puppies and kittens and that sort of thing…but we we’re still an extremely busy small practice,” she said. It is not often that a small clinic in ‘little old Moe’ receives national recognition, but the regional Moe Veterinary Centre proved how great ‘little old Moe, can be. “I think what we’re so proud of is that we’re obviously being recognised like that within the industry and it being a national award, it’s a huge honour,” Ms Anderson said. To further continue to improve their service, the clinic’s building went through huge renovations in 2021 to create a purpose-built clinic with workflow and patient care in mind. On the Pet Community website, Moe Veterinary Centre receives five out of five stars in customer ratings. The Moe Vet’s friendly service and high quality care goes a long way, with clients coming from throughout Gippsland for the 2023 Australian Veterinary business of the year.
