Dr Stacey Tremain redefines veterinary care in Rotorua

Lifestyle Business

Dr Stacey Tremain, a well-respected and much-loved veterinarian with nearly 25 years of experience, recently opened his own practice, The Pet Vet, in Rotorua. It’s a decision that reflects both his love for the community and his deep commitment to providing stress-free care for pets and their owners.

The Pet Vet is also the type of clinic that has been built with intention – physically and emotionally – to prioritise the well-being of both the staff and the clients. Stacey sees his prototype clinic as a model for a new kind of veterinary practice.

He’s not the only one to recognise this kind of business can operate differently; The Pet Vet has made the list of finalists for the Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards for the second year running.

A dream takes root in Rotorua
Stacey and his wife, Alyson, along with their two daughters and one particularly special rescue cat, have made Rotorua their home for the past 10 years. They appreciate the lifestyle the city offers, from its accessibility to natural wonders to the sense of community that permeates daily life.

Stacey grew up in Auckland and spent much of his career in various parts of New Zealand before shifting to Rotorua for a professional opportunity.

“I only came for the work, but everything else here was just amazing, I did not know that life could be this cool,” he says. The city’s central location, proximity to nature, and vibrant community quickly won him over, offering a lifestyle that big cities simply couldn’t match.

“I love the fact that our kids get to grow up and they've got so many options. They don't know how lucky they are.

“Growing up in Auckland, we loved our sports, but you could only play one sport per season because you couldn’t get to more than that [due to travel times]. I mean, here it takes five minutes for me to get to work; it took five minutes just to get out onto the road in Auckland.

“For our kids, we want them to play as many sports as they can so they can go, ‘do you know what? I've had experience here, there, everywhere.’ You get a little bit good at everything. And then ‘I really love this, and that's what I'll commit to later on.’”

Despite receiving offers from larger practices in more prominent locations, Stacey chose to stay in Rotorua.

Building a practice with purpose
One of Stacey’s primary goals in opening his practice is to reduce the stress that pet owners feel when their beloved animals require medical attention.

“We want to help people using our skills that we’ve developed to help pets. If we can just take that one little bit of stress out of someone’s life for the day, it might be the thing that keeps them below that threshold of too much, overwhelmed.”

The clinic has been meticulously planned and designed to ensure a positive experience and to create a sanctuary for both pets and their owners. The soft colours were carefully chosen and décor is minimalistic.

“There's not stuff in your face, it's not overwhelming. We're not here to force stuff down your throat. It's just the things that you need. Hey, you've got fleas? Here's a flea treatment. Skin issues? We've got something for that. Even the Mutt Butter [a creamy peanut butter in a squeezable pouch made with 100% peanuts] serves a purpose if you can't get the tablets down.

“There's a bit of fun with it, too. You know the big door? Well, you don't know it's a door until the first time it gets opened!

“We over-treat because we want every animal, dogs especially, we don't want them to be scared when they come in. And there are tricks: we can hide injections, and use kitten needles on massive dogs, and pressure points, all that sort of thing.

“When you do all that, every little thing adds up to something and it just makes for a less bad experience and almost something they like. And their owners will like that too because they’re less stressed – that's actually the whole name of the game.”

The prototype clinic: A vision for the future
Stacey’s new clinic is more than just a business; it’s a passion project born out of a desire to do something more than helping animals.

While being involved in a couple TV stints – Stacey fronted Vet Tales and children’s show Fanimals – Stacey said he caught a “the bug”, feeling influenced by the professionals around him to do more with his work.

He found himself asking, “What if I went all in? What could I actually do?”

“It came back to people. Just seeing what was happening in our industry: we have the highest suicide rate of any industry in the world, consistently across nations.

“It's not just a here or there thing; it's a ‘we're doing something wrong thing’. So how do we fix that? Because when you lose someone to suicide, it affects you.

“Well, okay, that's a big beast, but what's the 20% of that that creates 80% of the effect? Why don't we just look at that and see if we can work it into this prototype little clinic that suddenly makes all the cool parts of the job heightened and minimises the stressful parts that maybe lead to people leaving the profession, and just concentrate on that?

“The business plan here is to make sure we get this prototype clinic as good as possible, all the systems in place. There are a few tweaks already we know we need to make. But once we've got that, it can be replicated. We just need the right people coming through here, getting the training in our way, The Pet Vet way, and then why can’t they open their own clinic if they want to?”

It’s this philosophy that drives Stacey to push boundaries and create a space where both pets and people can thrive.

Stacey’s journey is a testament to the power of following one’s passion, even when it leads away from the bright lights of bigger cities and towards a quieter, more fulfilling life in a place like Rotorua. His love for our community and dedication to improving the lives of those around him are evident in every aspect of his work, making him not just a veterinarian, but a vital part of the Rotorua community.