Mid Ulster vets who've treated everything from monkeys to skunks awarded for excellence

The team from Craemill Veterinary Clinic Magherafelt, Cookstown and Coagh branches who were winners of the 2016 GHP Award for Innovation & Excellence in Animal Health Care. INMM0417-313

Speaking to the Mail, vet Claire McCrea told the Mail Craemill Veterinary Clinic still don’t know who nominated them for the GHP (Global Health & Pharma) Animal Health Awards, but said the team was over the moon with the recognition.

She helps run the vets - which was founded almost 45 years ago - with her husband, Colin McCrea.

With seven specialist vets treating everything from small animals to farm animals, exotic birds, reptiles and even monkeys - the team work across premises in Coagh, Cookstown and Magherafelt.

Colin and Claire McCrea of Craemill Veterinary Clinic Magherafelt, Cookstown and Coagh who were crowned winners of the 2016 GHP Award for Innovation & Excellence in Animal Health Care. INMM0417-314

“We don’t know who it is,” said Claire. “We got notification through in September telling us we had been nominated for something called the GHP Animal Health Awards.

“Long story short, we ended up getting the Award for Innovation and Excellence in Animal Healthcare Northern Ireland.”

Overseen by a global company, the awards take nominations animal healthcare providers all over the word.

Claire said Craemill is been honoured to have been chosen.

Asked how everyone at the practice reacted, she said: “Delighted. I have been keeping it under wraps until the prize arrived in the post the other day.”

And she thinks their practice stood out because of the mix of vets available: “We have three specialist farm vets and three to four complex and small animals vets, we are a team of mixed practice vets.”