Meet the Team

Dr Peter Martin MRCVS

Peter is Jurassic Vet's creator, owner and senior veterinary surgeon. Peter opened Jurassic Vets in 2014 after spending four years planning and developing his idea for a new veterinary practice for Sidmouth which would combine friendly, professional bedside manner with the highest possible standards of clinical care.

Peter graduated from Bristol University's famous Langford Veterinary School and began his career doing 'a bit of everything' in a mixed practice in Cornwall. After encountering every animal from racehorses to dairy cows, Peter decided to focus his energy on his passion for small animals. A trip to India in 2010 working as the head vet for street dog charities gave him the idea of setting up his own vets in Sidmouth. A strict vegan passionate about promoting the welfare of all species of animal, Peter is especially interested in fine, precise (fiddly!) surgery and really enjoys carefully closing wounds and removing tricky lumps. 

Peter's dog Stitch, a whippet x Jack Russell, is a rescue dog from the fantastic NAWT Heaven's Gate rescue centre in Somerset. He can usually be found trotting merrily around with his beloved ball, whilst completely ignoring Peter's attempts to recall him. A Sidbury resident, Peter's (limited!) spare time is spent kayaking and snorkelling on the beautiful coast around Sidmouth, as well as indulging interests in veganism, history, science and engineering.

Dr Kassandra Bang-Larsen MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon

Kassandra is a Norwegian American who graduated from Budapest University of Veterinary medicine in 2020 and whom has since worked in Ireland (don’t be fooled by her Irish twang!) and England, as well as volunteering for a bit in Fiji.
She enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, any water activities, knitting, cooking and last but not least meeting and getting to know new people and furries.
So far her particular interests include dentistry and soft tissue surgery, but she is still enjoying exploring the many fields of small animal medicine.

Dr Rachel Ballantyne BVSc(hons) MSc CertEM MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon

Rachel joined the team at Jurassic in January 2024. From Devon originally, she recently returned home from 10 years living and working in the Middle East.

Rachel enjoys all aspects of veterinary practice and has a particular interest in clinical nutrition. 

Outside of work she can be found teaching Body Pump or Indoor Cycling at local gyms, or out walking on Woodbury Common with her family and cocker spaniels Mr Bingo and Waffles. 

Dr Chiara Botti MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon

Chiara has joined us from Italy, initially as a locum and now as our permanent vet.

She graduated in Italy in 2017, from the University of Teramo and one year later she moved to UK. 

She worked all along the English coast (Dover, Brighton, Hastings) up to reach the amazing English Riviera, in Torquay, 3 years ago.

During her studies she also lived a year in Romania through the Erasmus project and said she loved it!

She studied to become a specialist in Internal Medicine and has also a passion for Exotics and Ultrasonography.

Chiara's cat, Birba, is a lovely tabby that lives currently in Italy with her family.

Chiara has many hobbies that goes from reading (litterally a book worm) to travelling all over the world. She also enjoys spending a rainy evening at home watching a movie or doing any sort of sports.

Her favourite saying is: “Choose a job that you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”

Stevie Partridge RVN

Head Veterinary Nurse

Stevie is a highly-experienced RVN who joined Jurassic Vets after moving down from the Midlands. Stevie has worked in many busy clinics, including one in Spain for a while, and has a particular interest in nursing in emergency situations and for critically-ill patients. She is currently studying towards her Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care. Stevie loves walking her lurcher Harley, adventures in her campervan and crocheting amongst other pursuits.

Kirsty Gibbons RVN

Regitered Veterinary Nurse

Kirsty qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2017 and has worked at Jurassic Vets since 2022.

Kirsty has brought her broad knowledge and experience having worked at a mixed practice and small animal only practice previously. 

In her spare time she enjoys going on adventures with her 5 year old son and spending time with her two cats.

Nichola Child RVN

Registered Veterinary Nurse

Nichola has always had a passion to work with animals since childhood.

At the age of 16 she started working within a veterinary practice. Nichola qualified as an RVN in Birmingham in 2006 and moved to Devon in 2008 where she met her husband, settled and has two beautiful children, two adorable dogs and three guinea pigs.
Nichola has completed a compassion understood course, oral hygiene and care course and is currently working on an emergency and critical care course and anaesthesia course.
Her main areas of interest are patient care and theatre work and she is currently our insurance admin personnel.

Courtney Leat

Registered Veterinary Nurse

Courtney joined us in 2019 after moving from Wiltshire to begin her veterinary career. Between the ages of 14-16 years old Courtney did several work experience placements in first opinion practices and hospitals, this is where her love for veterinary care began. 

After many years of studying and training, Courtney is now a qualified Registered Veterinary Nurse as of September 2024! Courtney looks forward to developing on her skills and knowledge, especially with in-patient care and everything surgery related!

Lucy Spiller

Student Veterinary Nurse

Lucy started at Jurassic vets in 2022.

Lucy qualified as an Animal Nursing Assistant and is now studying at Bicton college to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse.

Lucy has always had a passion for animals and loves pets of all shapes and sizes! Although, by far her favourite is her cat, Tetley. Lucy fostered Tetley as a kitten and has formed an amazing bond with her. Besides Tetley, Lucy also has six cats, one rabbit, two guinea pigs, a tortoise and a miniature dachshund called Dottie (Milo's brother!) who keeps her very busy indeed!

Lucy especially enjoys learning new skills to better her nursing practice.

In her spare time she enjoys playing football.

Greta Leat

Head Receptionist

Greta's background is Wiltshire/Oxfordshire NHS Trust. This involved many roles, clinical and admininstration from phlebotomy to being part of an amazing immunisation team until moving down to the south west with her family and beloved dogs, Yoda & Nala in 2019 to begin a new chapter. Greta wanted to continue to provide care and support to others so she joined Jurassic Vets allowing for her to continue where she left off but also for the four-legged kind and their humans!

Lucy Mortimer

Veterinary Receptionist

Lucy previously worked in a law firm but has always had a love of animals so went into veterinary in 2010.

She started working at Jurassic Vets in 2021.

She has taken many babies home to handrear over the years and currently has three crazy cats. She has lived here all her life and shares her home with her teenage son who is football mad.

Lucy loves to give your fur babies lots of treats and cuddles to make them feel at ease and there is always a hug for our clients when needed too.

Cheyenne Sampson

Veterinary Receptionist

Chey joined Jurassic vets to pursue her love for animals.

Her hobbies are walking her dogs and crystal painting.

Chey's pack consists of four sight hounds who range from a greyhound and a bull terrier to a whippet - they're certainly a handful!

Georgia Sugden

Veterinary Receptionist

Georgia is one of our newest receptionists to the team.

From a young age she wanted to work with animals and decided to pick the big gentle giants…horses. She studied them throughout college for 3 years.

Before joining the Jurassic Vets team, Georgia was a riding school instructor. She left this job for a change of scenery and has fallen in love with her job, aiding owners and pets alike.

She has a mini dachshund called Milo (Dottie's brother) who is always up to mischief when he isn’t too busy being a "nervous Nellie". Along with Milo she has her beloved cat, Oliver, who is always bringing her presents!

Georgia is best known amongst the practice for wanting to rescue and re-home every stray that comes in!!
Besides her small furry companions, she has rescued her little coblet, Jovi, her pride and joy. She loves to spend any free time with him (although she always seems to be playing chicken in the morning with him!)