When she was studying veterinary science she took in cats for foster care and foster animals have followed her ever since. 

Dr Keough now owns the Lake Road Veterinary Clinic and supports all registered not-for-profit animal rescue group she can. 

“It keeps us (staff at the clinic) happy,” Dr Keough said. 

They never put down any health animals at the practice.

Instead, they negotiate options with owners to make the treatment more affordable or give them the option to surrender their animal to a rescue group. 

“It is a miserable day when you have to put down an animal,” Dr Keough said.

If an animal is surrendered the clinic will ring around all rescue groups until they find a place for the animal and if they cannot find somewhere for them they stay at the practice until they can be placed in care. 

“If it is fixable we will fix it,” veterinarian Georgia Ladmore said.

“The animals are given a chance through the rescue groups.”

It’s this passion and dedication which has earned the practice a nomination for the most supportive vet of the year award. 

A black Labrador named Barney was one particular case which helped earn them the nomination. 

Barney was dumped at the pound after being hit by a car. From here a rescue group was able to get him released into their care that evening.

They rang Dr Keough who was able to take him in for emergency surgery which ran from 10 pm to midnight. 

“After looking at him and knew if we didn’t operate right away he wouldn’t last until the morning,” Dr Keough said.

“The team treated him for a huge abdominal hernia repairing his liver, spleen, bladder and intestines as well as treating a prostrate infection, bilateral ear infections and a series or cuts and bruises.”

After recovering well Barney came back to the clinic several months later for hip surgery. Barney is now living happily at a farm out of Wagga.

Dr Keough said it isn’t always just the cost of the treatment owners handle but also the rehabilitation which comes along with some of the issues animals have. 

Before the clinic started taking rescue animals many groups in the Wagga area would travel to Canberra for surgery. 

“No other vets in town will do the discount we do. The risk of disease is also a concern for some vets but we do everything by the book and know what we are dealing with,” Dr Keough said. 

The heavily discounted surgeries can be a strain on the business.

“We enjoy what we do. It keeps us in a job but doesn’t make much money,” Dr Keough said. 

The Lake Road Veterinary team will travel to Melbourne for the Master Dog Breeders and Associates awards.

There are 13 other clinics from across Australia nominated for the award with the winner announced on Saturday May 30.

The awards give dog owners the opportunity to nominate, recognise and honour excellence in all areas of dog ownership including veterinary services.