We are delighted to introduce you to Tess Nolan (of @tessnolan and @thevetschool) and her gorgeous Boston Terrier "Daphne" in celebration of Bring Your Dog to Work Day this Friday the 24th of June!
Tess is the ULTIMATE animal lover! Tess is a Vet Nurse and Practice Manager who lives on the Gold Coast, right near the beach with Daphne. Daphne has an extraordinarily long tongue, and comes to work at least twice a week to supervise! They both love the sun and their daily ice latte walks.
Tess is incredibly passionate about educating owners on the importance of pet health and well being. She is also a strong believer in having an SUPER positive outlook on life, and supports and influences fellow vet industry workers through her business, the Vet Nurse School.
We caught up with Tess to chat about her love for all animals, particularly Daphne, and her inspiration behind the Vet Nurse School. #celebratingamazingwomen
RO: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
TN: I'm a 27 year old Veterinary Nurse & Vet clinic Practice Manager on the Gold Coast. I have been in the vet industry for over 10 years now and cannot see myself doing anything else!
I'm very passionate about animal health and providing a high level of care to those who cannot help or speak for themselves. I've always been surrounded by animals, my parents are avid animal lovers, I cannot think of a time in my life when we haven't had less than 2-3 pets at one time!
I have a real soft spot for brachycephalic (squishy-faced) breeds and a passion for educating others on animal care.
RO: What do you find most rewarding about your role as a Vet Nurse?
TN: I love the ability to help others, essentially it gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. Going home at the end of the day after being able to help a selfless and defenceless animal is both heartwarming and super rewarding.
RO: What are the biggest issues surrounding the pet industry, and how are you trying to combat this through your day-to-day role, social media platforms and the Vet Nurse School.
TN: The biggest challenge is the decreasing number of vet industry workers. Burnout and compassion fatigue are on the rise. As you can imagine it can be a very mentally and emotionally tolling career. Plus with the increase in pet ownership post-COVID, there are simply not enough vet industry workers to treat all the sick pets. We are outnumbered!
This is the main reason why I launched Vet Nurse School earlier this year, as a way to easily guide people into and healthily navigate a career working with animals. It provides short, fun and easy-to-digest courses and online resources for aspiring, studying and qualified Veterinary Nurses.
RO: If you could only share one skill or life lesson with young people wanting to kick-start their Vet Nursing career, what would it be?
TN: Get out there and get some work experience with animals before committing to the career path. Do a week of unpaid work in a vet clinic, this will help you confirm whether it is something you can see yourself doing long term.
RO: Daphne is the name of your adorable Boston Terrier pup who is never far from your side, always flashing her big baby blue eyes and a gorgeous smile!! Tell us a little about Daphne’s start in life and how you came to adopt her as your own.
TN: Daphne is my spirit animal. When I went to adopt her I had originally gone to adopt her brother. When I arrived at the breeder, she was there and she was half the size of him.
I asked the breeder, what's her story? She told me that no one wanted her because she is the runt and her eyes were quite scary to them. I left with "Daphne," my special girl 10 minutes later. She is such a great companion and apartment dog. Bostonians are quite underrated, and are very smart.
Daphne has had bilateral luxating patella surgery, and is the sweetest and most affectionate little girl ever. You can watch her surgery and recovery vlog on my YouTube channel.
RO: What is the most common mistake pet owners make when purchasing a new puppy?
TN: That people think if they buy from a good breeder they will have no ailments. Every and any dog can have illnesses. My advice is ALWAYS get Pet Insurance!
What are your top 3 tips for ensuring your pooch is happy and healthy this winter?
TN: Cute sweaters, a super comfy bed and try adding a joint supplement to your older dogs diet who suffer from arthritis.
RO: What's the most popular animal name you've heard at work?
TN: Definitely Coco or Bella!
What are your top 3 Ruby Olive pieces?
TN: I absolutely LOVE all of your pet products. They are so stunning!
I have the RO x Deb McNaughton Mighty Jungle collar, leash and waste bag and am excited about the restock and new stock launching soon!
Thanks so much for chatting with us Tess. We’ve loved getting to know you and Daphne and learning more about the wonderful world of animals. Although we don't directly work with animals, all of our team members LOVE animals and between us we have multiple cats and dogs, two horses and a guinea pig!
Find out how you can connect with Tess and download her resources below!
CONNECT WITH TESS
Instagram: @tessnolan @vetnurseschool
Tik Tok: @tessnolan
YouTube: @VetNurseSchool
Resources: Vet Nurse School