Local veterinarian Anyika Scotland has been named national Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarian of the Year.
‘Neeks’, of Vet Services in Hastings, was presented the award at the NZVA Centenary Conference, held at the new Takina Events Centre in Wellington earlier this month.
The award was established by the Sheep and Beef Cattle Branch of the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) in 2015 to celebrate and recognise success in the veterinary profession. This year, the Society of Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians nominated Anyika for the award for her contributions to the industry and for her involvement in the communities cyclone response.
Anyika grew up on a Sheep and Beef property in Patoka. As a farmer’s daughter she was always passionate about the outdoors and creating the best possible outcomes for farm production.
After Cyclone Gabrielle, Anyika was on one of the first helicopters out to the isolated Patoka area. She knew the community would need urgent supplies and veterinary care and that she would have sleepless nights if she couldn’t go and help. Being part of the local community through her parents and relationships with clients meant that she couldn’t wait to get in there and lend a hand.
Speaking at last weeks’ conference Anyika shared her experience in the cyclone recovery with personal stories and photos from those first few days. As someone who has been involved in the sheep and beef industry her entire life, she thought she prepared for any weather event but the destruction from Gabrielle was like nothing she has seen before. “Some farms lost up to 30% of their land due to slips”, stock was buried alive and many animals survived on dirty drinking water which spread bacteria and disease.
Congratulations Neeks! We are thrilled to see your passion and decication for production animal work and our community recognised by the NZVA!
