UNE's veterinarian and welfare officer Sarah Radford has hit the ground running. First there was a mob of newly arrived sheep with wet feet, a couple of sick cows at Kirby, a flock of Isa Brown chickens to rehome, and now the relocation of about 50 kangaroos from the campus’ former Deer Park.
Add to that the mice, rats, pygmy possums, sugar gliders, noisy miners, water dragons, turtles and frogs that are currently the subject of university research and Sarah’s clientele starts to resemble a small zoo.
“I’ve never treated a water dragon,” she says. “The guys studying them know far more than me, so it’s going to be a great learning opportunity. It’s a very varied role. A single day can range from treating an animal, to teaching in an anatomy lab, then advising on a research project, to sitting with the Animal Ethics Committee (as an ex-officio member).
“As a GP vet I’m used to seeing animals during 15-minute appointments in a clinic. The idea of impacting the welfare of a larger number of animals, on a bigger scale, really appeals to me. One of the other drawcards is the number of native animals we have on our campus and UNE properties.”
After almost a decade of caring for family pets, livestock and wildlife, Sarah believes her own diverse experiences equip her well for the new role.
“I’ve picked up a few things over the course of my career that will help – like horse and harness race-day vetting, working with koalas in Tamworth, and naturally farm animals,” Sarah says. “Bringing that practical, real-world experience into a research setting – that’s what I’m here for. I look forward to working with UNE staff to ensure that welfare is never compromised.
“Because at the end of the day, good animal welfare improves scientific outcomes and the application of that science, and everyone wins. It’s a privilege to be able to contribute to the cutting-edge research conducted on UNE’s farms and in its laboratories.”
The power of that research was brought home to Sarah early.
“We’ve just had an application go through the Animal Ethics Committee for a study of drenches for use in sheep in Fiji, where they are losing up to 60% of their flock to worms each year,” Sarah says. “To be part of an institution helping to get that number down, to improve the welfare of the animals and potentially the livelihoods of the people caring for them is an amazing opportunity.
“UNE is already doing a great job leading the way in terms of the welfare and care of animals. Implementing what we learn from our research and putting it into practice in a real-world setting is where I come in; being the link between the pure science and the practicality. I look forward to working with our researchers to disseminate what we learn within UNE and the wider community.”
