Animal Referral Hospital Essendon Fields

Dr Thurid Johnstone

Veterinarian

Dr Thurid Johnstone is a European (ECVIM-CA) board-certified specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine and has practiced in Melbourne since 2013.

Her professional career started at Leipzig University (Germany), after which she completed a PhD at Massey University (NZ), an internship in Auckland (NZ) and a residency in Dublin (Ireland).  Thurid worked in Ireland, Sweden and at the University of Melbourne as senior lecturer, clinical researcher, and clinician before joining the team at ARH Essendon.

As clinician, she aims to deliver compassionate, best-practice care for pets and their carers.  Thurid is happy to assist with all internal medicine enquiries, though her main interest areas are in urology/nephrology and endocrinology of dogs and cats.

When Thurid is not working, she enjoys time with her husband and two kids and happily hangs out in the fantastic outdoors of Australia

Dr Jiaying Ng

Veterinarian

June Allison

Cert VNECC Cert IV RVN

Dr Michelle Hahm

BSc BVSc MANZCVS (ECC)

Dr Simon Kudnig

BVSc, MVS, MS, FACVSc, Dip.ACVS

Dr Robert Labuc

BVSc MVS FANZCVS (Canine Medicine)

Dr Tania Shaw

BVSc(Hons), GradDipEd, DACVS-SA

Tania graduated from the University of Sydney in 2007 with first class honours, and then spent 3 years in general practice in Melbourne.

Following her passion for Small Animal Surgery, she completed a small animal rotating internship at Queensland Veterinary Specialists in Brisbane in 2011, followed by a surgical internship at Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre in 2012, and another surgical internship at the Murdoch University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Perth in 2013.

Tania then returned to Melbourne to complete a 3-year Small Animal Surgery Residency at Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre, training under our very own Specialist Surgeon, Simon Kudnig. After completing her Residency, Tania joined Animal Referral Hospital as a Surgery Registrar while preparing to sit her ACVS Board examinations in Small Animal Surgery. She passed her exams in March 2020 and is now a ACVS boarded Specialist Surgeon, making her a recognised specialist in Small Animal Surgery in Australia and the United States.

Tania enjoys all aspects of surgery, however her main interest is in soft tissue surgery, particularly surgical oncology, wound management, reconstructive surgery and abdominal surgery.

Dr Rachel Apfel

Bsc DVM

Rachel graduated from Murdoch University and commenced work in a busy small animal hospital in Adelaide, before relocating to Melbourne. Alongside a passion for all things emergency and critical care, she has a keen interest in rabbit and guinea pig medicine.

Outside of work, Rachel enjoys the Melbourne food scene, yoga and camping.

Dr Ania McInerney

Veterinarian

Dr Ania is a 2016 graduate from the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the University of Melbourne, and also holds Bachelor degrees in science and music. The class valedictorian, she went on to work in small animal general practice at leading Melbourne clinics before embarking on her ECC journey. Dr Ania has a special interest in animal behaviour, and is passionate about treating the mental health needs of her patients. She also enjoys soft tissue surgery, emergency medicine, and seeing her patients go home to their loving family at the end of treatment.  

Before becoming a veterinarian, Dr Ania was a professional opera singer who toured in Australia and abroad. She still enjoys performing occasionally around Melbourne (and singing to her patients) when she isn't escaping the city to go hiking or camping. Dr Ania loves cooking and pottering about in her kitchen and garden. She lives with her beautiful husband, son, and their sassy feline overlord, Ziggy. 

Dr Charlie Banks

BVSc MANZCVS (Medicine of Cats)

After graduating from Bristol University (UK) in 2015 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Charlie spent 3 years working in a combined general and emergency practice in Essex, then a year in a large emergency clinic in North London. He moved to Australia with his partner in 2019 and after 6 months of travelling in their campervan they settled in Melbourne, where Charlie began locuming across both GP and emergency practices. He joined ARH as a permanent member of staff in 2022, the same year he obtained membership within the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) by sitting further examinations in the field of Medicine of Cats.

Outside of work he enjoys Melbourne's music scene, cooking, travel and spending time with his two cats Finn and Ted.

Dr Clifford Ho Lee

BVSc MANZCVS (ECC)

After graduating from Melbourne University in 2009, Clifford worked in a small animal general practice clinic for three years. He subsequently pursued an interest in Emergency and Critical Care (ECC) and completed an ECC internship in 2013 at the ARH Essendon fields hospital. In 2014 Clifford obtained membership status within the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVS) by sitting further examinations in the field of veterinary emergency & critical care. Since 2013, he has remained a consistent figure within the hospital and is a senior veterinarian within the ECC department. 

Outside of veterinary practice he enjoys playing tennis, cooking and is kept busy with his young family and pets. 

Dr Harris Boubis

BSc DVM MANZCVS (ECC)

Dr Harris graduated from The University of Melbourne in 2014 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

The following week he began an internship in Emergency and Critical Care at Animal Referral Hospital, and remains part of the team to this day. In 2019, Harris became a Member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (in the Emergency and Critical Care chapter).

Harris enjoys the wide and interesting caseload that a career in emergency medicine provides, with particular interests in the treatment of intoxications and envenomations.

When he is not at work, Harris enjoys exploring Melbourne’s food scene as well as interstate and overseas travel.