Working with patients who cannot explain their ailments, never say thank you and can weigh more than two tonnes is certainly no easy task. But it’s all in a days work for a vet at Perth Zoo!

Today on World Vet Day, we’re saying THANK YOU to all of the wonderful vets who dedicate their passion and expertise to saving animals. 

With more than 1500 animals calling Perth Zoo home, our vets and their teams are responsible for delivering top notch medical treatment for hundreds of native and exotic species. 

Whether mammal, reptile, bird or amphibian, all animals great and small are given the same quality vet care and attention. 



Unlike other jobs, a career in animal care does not abide by business hours of 9-5. 

It’s not unusual for the Vet Hospital to still be hustling and bustling well into the night as the expert teams ensure an unwell animal is given round the clock care.

And that’s certainly not where it ends! Perth Zoo’s vet expertise extends beyond our residents. 

Our Vet Hospital sees more than 300 wild black cockatoos and many wild sea turtles in need of life-saving medical procedures each year. 

Our vets provide expert analysis and medical assessments for animals confiscated through illegal wildlife seizures. 

We are looked to for help in times of natural disasters including bushfires, marine life strandings or when the need for wildlife post-mortems arise. 

And importantly, our vets are entrusted to educate and lead the next generation of veterinarians through a partnership with Murdoch University to ensure the legacy of saving wildlife extends beyond a lifetime. 

So while our animal residents and their wild cousins can’t say thank you for all the hard work done by a Perth Zoo vet, we can.  

Happy World Vet Day and thank you to all the hardworking vets.