Kasia Chapman-Labecka
Small Animal Veterinarian DVM

Kasia, a Graduate of Warsaw, Poland Vet School of 1990, joined the Rangiora team in November 2016. Her work related special interests are vetting for Endurance rides as FEI 4 Star Treatment Vet and working as an FEI Testing Veterinarian. She loves these jobs as they take her to many spectacular and remote parts of NZ and overseas.

Kasia is the founder and President of Camelid Branch of NZVA 2010-2011.

Over last few years she pursued her interests in Small Animals Emergency and Critical Care by completing several Emergency and Critical Care courses in NZ and Australia and is recently developing skills in a new field of Ultrasonography in Critical Care

Kasia grew up behind the “iron curtain “in Poland. Against all odds she travelled extensively to many countries around the world – USA, UK, Western Europe, Nepal, India and less popular destinations like Mongolia and Cuba. After Graduation she spent a stint at Ghent University, Belgium, studying Equine lameness, later on moving to UK and working as a vet nurse. In 1993 she passed her Royal College of Veterinary Science exams.

She met her Husband Clive in UK, and 31 years later they enjoy their lifestyle block in Mid Canterbury bringing up three lively boys.

Her menagerie of animals includes the laziest ever adopted cat “Puss-Puss”, the busiest mouse catcher “Mini”, a flock of sheep, free range chickens and Apiary.

In her spare time she likes keeping young and fit by dancing, performing on the stage of Amateur Dramatics, digging her large veggie garden, attending to bees, skiing, tramping and talking politics.

Billy Fitzgerald
Small Animal Veterinarian BVSc, MANZCVS (ECC)

Billy joined the Rangiora team in early 2021. His special interests are emergency and critical care, anaesthesia, and analgesia which makes him an integral part of the Emergency Vet Hospital team.

Originally from Surrey, in the UK, he moved to Wellington where he attended High School, and then went onto Massey to study Veterinary Medicine.

Keen on football, snowboarding and surfing, he has noticed the water temp is just a tad cooler in the South Island!

He and his partner have a very bitey, but very loving cat called Bean, whose hobbies include eating, sleeping, zoomies (specifically at 3am), and hiding under the bed ready to pounce on any unsuspecting arm or leg that happens to dangle in the middle of the night.

Kelsie Lehmkuhl
Small Animal Veterinarian BVMS 

Kelsie joined the team in November 2020, with special interests in small animal emergency and critical care, she enjoys being part of the Emergency Vet Hospital team.

Born in Nebraska, she grew up moving all over the US and Canada with her parents and younger brother, then moved to Glasgow Scotland for veterinary school where she met her kiwi husband. Once graduated, they relocated to New Zealand.

Outside the clinic Kelsie has a varied list of interests including photography, rock climbing, hiking and camping. The fur family includes a ball obsessed border collie cross, named Koda, who travelled from the US to the UK and then finally to NZ, and two kiwi rescue cats, Bear and Ollie. 

Jaxson Kees
Critical Care Vet Nurse

Jaxson gained his Diploma in Veterinary Nursing Level 6 early in 2018 after 2 years of study, and began working at the Rangiora clinic soon after.

He enjoys the emergency aspect of his role as it provides unexpected challenges, is ever changing and always provides him with new opportunities to expand and enhance his knowledge in the care and treatment of both long term illnesses, and short term and immediate cases presented in the after hours emergency clinic.

Canterbury born and bred he enjoys getting into the outdoors whenever he can, be it to the beach or tramping or for a weekend escape to the West Coast.

He up around pets, with his family always having one pet or another, namely Cocker Spaniels, a breed he has come to love.

Charlotte Price
Critical Care Vet Nurse

Charlotte joined the Companion Animal team in March 2019, having recently graduated with a Certificate in Vet Nursing she continued to study, completing the Level 6 Diploma later in the year.

In the veterinary hospital environment Charlotte is interested in hospital care and emergency medicine, which makes her a great fit for the Emergency Vet Hospital Team. Outside the vet clinic she loves to spend as much time as possible with her furbabies. 2 cats, Billy who is a 9 year old tabby boy, very smoochy and loves to head butt and Bella who is an 11 year old dilute Torti girl, full of sass but very loving - on her own terms!

Kirsty Jones
Critical Care Vet Nurse

Kirsty started working with the vet nursing team in September 2016 and has become a valued part of the team. She holds a Certificate of Veterinary Nursing and a NZ Diploma of Veterinary Nursing, she is also a NZ Veterinary Nursing Association Registered Nurse.

When not taking care of patients in the clinic, she loves to volunteer for the SPCA, travelling, walking & exploring NZ. Kirsty was born in England, but grew up in North Africa, returning to England to live before emigrating to NZ. Currently living in Oxford with her young family and a menagerie of animals including cats, a dog, a pig, a cow, a sheep and a lovebird.

Mikaela Alps
Vet Nurse