Dr Chelsea Ridl – BVSc, BSC

Chelsea’s childhood dream of becoming a vet began early and was sparked by her love for and enjoyment of her own pets. James Herriot books also motivated and inspired her career choice. Originally from South Africa, Chelsea graduated from the University of Pretoria in 2009 with her BSc in Veterinary Biology and in 2012 with her BVSc. For the first 5 years of her career, she worked in and around Cape Town, gaining valuable experience as a companion animal veterinarian.

During a memorable holiday road tripping around New Zealand, she fell in love with the south island’s dramatic landscapes and rugged beauty and made the decision to relocate. She and her husband, along with their poodle Jimmy, landed in Wanaka in 2018, where Chelsea has been working in a mixed animal practice. Chelsea is passionate about animal welfare, as well as the human animal bond. She enjoys both medicine and soft tissue surgery.

In her spare time, she enjoys running, hiking and yoga, as well as spending time with her husband and two pets – Jimmy (poodle) and Neo (the rescue kitty).