Quarterly Clinic Update: July 2026
Horner Vets turned 5 on 21st June!
A message from James
It is amazing to think the practice is 5 years old! It feels like yesterday that I took the first steps into creating an independent veterinary practice right at the tail end of the COVID pandemic. At the start I worried about not having any clients and that the building was too large.
Now the world is a completely different place, with the COVID threat a long distant memory, the Global threats on a different level, my worries for the business are opposite, such that despite the expansion, that we are out growing our site and that I don’t know all our clients!
When I conceived the idea of setting up an Independent Veterinary Practice, I set the core belief in bringing back a personal touch to general veterinary practice; to create a practice that values the long-term relationship with pets and pet owners alike and our clients value the service delivered for this reason. Ultimately to be Independent, Compassionate and Professional. Five years on I feel the business has made a good in-road into this intent.
I can’t claim to have achieved the 5-year mark on my own. I won’t be able to name everyone who has helped me through the years, but Sophie Dobrev needs a special mention. Sophie took the gamble to join a start-up even before I had the keys to the building and has been instrumental in her support through the highs and lows and navigating the ever-changing requirements of the team, the industry me!
When looking back, it is great to see how far we have come, and to use to inspire the vision to see where we will go. The future will involve more technology and greater skills and service options, but the intent is not to lose sight of our core values. The mission we started with, to “Provide the best care to your pet in a collaborative way” focusing on relationships and collaboration with our team and clients is still appropriate for today and our future.
I look forward to the next 5 years!
James Horner
Sophie Dobrev
Team News
Introducing Our Two New Front of House Team Members
Rebecca Curran has spent much of her career working in education, but her love of animals and desire to work more closely with pets and their owners inspired her to take a new path into the veterinary industry.
She has a much-loved Vizsla called Kingsley who is very much the centre of the family and keeps everyone busy with plenty of adventures and cuddles. She also loves holidays, great food and long dog walks.
As part of our reception team, Rebecca enjoys meeting both clients and their pets, helping them feel welcome and supported from the moment they walk through the door. She is committed to expanding her knowledge and is always happy to assist with any questions or queries you may have.
Rebecca Curran
We’re also pleased to welcome Emma, joining our Front of House team!
Hello! My name is Emma and I started working at James Horner vets in May 2026. I used to work in the Veterinary sector 8 years ago but stepped away to focus on raising my two children. I'm so happy to be back working in a veterinary setting with such an amazing team. During my free time, I love baking, hiking and spending time with my family and 2 spaniels, Autumn & Esme.
Sophie L celebrates birth of her first child:
We are delighted to share the wonderful news that our Senior RVN; Sophie L; has welcomed her first child, a beautiful baby boy called Joel, with her partner Lee. Joel made a surprise arrival by emergency C-section on 1st May at 11:30am, well ahead of his original due date of 15th June, weighing a tiny but mighty 4.14 lbs. Congratulations to the happy family, and we wish them all the love and happiness as they begin this exciting new chapter together.
A New Adventure Begins for Catherine:
We would like to wish our receptionist, Catherine, all the very best as she begins her maternity leave. Catherine and her partner, Josh, have excitedly had the arrival of their second baby boy, who will make their son Arthur a very proud big brother.
We hope Catherine enjoys this special time with her family and can't wait to meet the newest addition.
Maddie turns 1!
This time last year I had just welcomed the arrival of Madeliene, my second girl, and baby sister to Arabella. At that time I was in the thick of new baby parenting, sleepless nights, untold nappy horrors and the additional challenge of managing a toddler alongside. A common experience for many people and perhaps bringing fond...ish memories!
The cliche of how our children grow up so fast is ever true. In the past year Maddie has grown into a wonderfully delightful girl. Maddie has few health problems andis very happy between tantrums! She does however suffer from the ailment her sister had, that of being a low sleep-needs child! I am told they grow into better sleep patterns, so I am being optimistic but for now, 5am is the regular start to my day!
Upcoming important dates/bank holidays
We’ll be closed on Monday 4th May and Monday 25th May, but we’ll be open again on Tuesday as usual.
During our closure times ‘out of hours' treatment/emergencies will be managed by Willows.