Our Team
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.
Anika Reisser
Small Animal Veterinarian
Anika joined our team in 2026 as a Small Animal Veterinarian. She graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover, Germany, in 2018 and went on to complete the ECFVG examinations of the AVMA in 2020, allowing her to practise veterinary medicine in New Zealand. Anika spent five years working as a small animal veterinarian in Germany, gaining broad experience across general practice.
Clinically, Anika has a strong interest in emergency medicine and enjoys the variety that comes with a busy caseload, combining consultations, internal medicine and surgery. She thrives in fast-paced environments and loves the challenge of helping patients through critical moments.
Originally from Germany, Anika and her family have been on quite the journey to New Zealand. Their first relocation attempt in 2020 was unexpectedly paused when they became stranded on Rarotonga during the COVID pandemic, where Anika worked at the local charity clinic. Now on their second NZ adventure, Anika, her partner and their two young children finally arrived in 2025 and spent time travelling the country while awaiting their residence visa.
Outside of work, Anika enjoys outdoor adventures, particularly road cycling and hiking. While she doesn’t currently have any pets of her own, her passion for animals is very much at the heart of everything she does.
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.
Holly Brixton
Emergency & Critical Care Nurse
Holly Brixton is an Emergency & Critical Care Nurse who joined the team in January 2026. She holds a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing and has a strong passion for emergency and critical care, with particular interests in animal welfare and rehabilitation. She is dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality care to patients when they need it most.
Outside of work, Holly enjoys spending time with friends, going to the gym, and relaxing at the beach. At home, she’s kept company by her much-loved cat Kitty — a ginger domestic shorthair who was once a stray around her house before taking him to the SPCA and later adopted him. Kitty is, by her own admission, her favourite thing on earth.