REDLANDS vet David Lovell, the man behind one of the city's longest running vet practices, is celebrating his 50th year in the industry.
The 73-year-old opened Redlands Veterinary Clinic in 1978 and has been going strong ever since with daughters Katria and Abbey and wife Gail at his side.
Mr Lovell said his love for animals, particularly horses and cattle, started as a child growing up on a Birkdale farm.
"I went to Gatton Agricultural College in year 10 and did a diploma in animal husbandry," he said.
"Instead of going out to work as a cowboy, I enrolled in a veterinary science degree and graduated in 1970.
"I have sort of been working in private practices ever since and working with horses pretty well exclusively."
He opened Redlands Veterinary Clinic in 1978 after receiving permission to start the practice from then shire chairman Dick Wood.
"Prior to that I worked at the University of Melbourne for a year and then in a large animal practice at Dalby for three years," Mr Lovell said.
"I went to the United States and worked in a standardbred practice in New Jersey for four years and then came back here and started the practice."
Mr Lovell's biggest set back came in 2008 when a Hendra virus outbreak claimed the life of a colleague at the clinic and saw a nurse fall ill.
He said it was his most vivid memory in what had been an otherwise sparkling career so far.
"I have been fortunate enough to work with champion racehorses and Olympic horses," Mr Lovell said.
"I spent a lot of time in the racing industry.
"It is a little bit frustrating because there is not a lot of veterinary skills involved in what you do there but it is such a fascinating industry."
Mr Lovell spent six years as a director of the Australian Veterinary Association, 15 years as a Australian Equine Association member and 16 years on the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland.
He said he was not as heavily involved in the Redlands practice anymore but was still working with the animal he knew best.
"I have scaled right back now because physically it is a bit too demanding but I still go in every day day and do a bit of work in the horse hospital," Mr Lovell said.
He said he felt privileged to be working alongside his family.
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