Making the decision to become a veterinarian at just 10 years old, Dr Fiona Patterson has always had an inherent desire to improve the lives of animals.
Patterson, who currently works as Veterinary Advisor at Mars Petcare, developed the industry leading Mars Petcare College curriculum.
The program provides anyone working in the vet and pet industries the opportunity to upskill their knowledge around pet care, nutrition, and enrichment.
“It importantly can now help people achieve a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment. It’s my sincere hope that this will further inspire people to go on to complete more advanced studies and deepen their knowledge.
“I love to see people grow their confidence so they can educate others and help more pets.”
Patterson’s desire to learn is evident in her plan to dive deeper into dog training this year and she is currently completing her Certificate 3 in Dog Behaviour and Training.
“I shouldn’t just say ‘I’ as my dog Kelly is heavily involved in my studies too! I think this is a vital area, as if we can help people have pets with desirable behaviour, then it makes sense that we’ll have less animals surrendered to shelters.
“I’m passionate about ending pet homelessness, and I want people to cherish their time with their pets.”
Recently featuring in Pet Industry News’ 30 Game Changers list, Patterson said it was an incredible honour to just be nominated.
“It inspires me to keep striving for ways to support the people who work in our industry, which ultimately benefits the animals we are responsible for.”
As Patterson keeps striving to support the industry, she hopes her efforts will see others do the same.
“I hope that I can inspire others to have a thirst for knowledge and an insatiable desire to learn more about pets and the best ways to provide for their care and welfare.”
To stay up-to-date on the latest industry headlines, sign up to the Pet Industry News e-newsletter.