STEVE TASKER, co-owner of Watkins and Tasker Vets, loves being a vet.
Brimming with affection and care, he describes the joyous bond between pet and owner.
Steve, owners adore their pets, tell us more about the special relationship that exists between pets and their owners.
Being a vet in general practice is a very special place to be. We get to see such a huge variety of pets each day. All shapes, all sizes. Their owners also reflect the infinite variety of people types! Some are anxious and worried about their pet, most are eager to learn more about their pet’s condition, plenty have become like long-standing friends to the practice. What crosses and binds all of them is the absolute love for their pet. Their adored pet.
What’s it like being a vet these days?
Our job is simple yet complex. It’s important we work with each owner to reach the best outcome for dealing with and treating whatever the health issue may be. Our vets and nurses are more than capable of this, but it is the external factors that must be considered, alongside the medical ones. Our job is not to plough forward doing everything and anything we can for the patient, but more to produce a sensible plan, catered directly for the individual owner, and their circumstances. We call this ‘contextualised care’, and it means we can do our best for that adored pet, whatever the financial situation may be – through having an open conversation about the ‘range’ of options available. I love that variety. Not all ill pets need blood tests or a CT scan for example, but some do. We can use our experience to guide. That’s a huge privilege.
What makes your practice a special place to work in?
We have three vet practices in North Somerset, being Yatton, Nailsea and Portishead. We have lovely clean and open premises and great bits of medical kit within them to aid and assist treating the variety of pets we see. What’s so much more important is the team of massively talented people that are entrusted by our clients to look after their special pet. From the smiles in reception, to the care and love from the vets and nursing team, not to mention the background support staff, everyone is there because they care. Co-owner Holly Charlton and I are beyond proud of the fantastic team we have.
The practice has a recent ‘new look’. Can you tell us about the ideas behind this?
Of course. Our previous look hadn’t changed for 25 years, and when we initially thought about refreshing our website, it became apparent we needed to update the overall look as well. Working with the brand design team at Ice House Design, we concentrated on the strong bond between pet and owner, comprising love, care, friendship, companionship and trust. This was where our Adored Pet project started. Our new tag line is Your Vets for Adored Pets, and this sums it right up!
We developed the heart shape with the ‘wonky’ cross within it to represent the love for the pet, combined with the medical care we can provide. It’s a slightly off-beat style, some might say quirky (have a look at the font we use!) and we love it. We think it shows off our practice personality quite beautifully.
Steve Tasker BVSc MRCVS. Owner and Vet, Watkins + Tasker Vets
Watkins + Tasker Vets provide veterinary services for all pets from cats and dogs, through to rabbits, guinea pigs and the more exotic pets too. Our hydro.vet offering sees patients for hydrotherapy, physiotherapy and laser treatments. We have a 24-hour service and cover all of our own out of hours care. Our vets, our nurses, our premises, 24/7. wtvets.co.uk
Your Vets for Adored Pets
