New veterinarian a boost for animal care in the North Bay area
A veterinarian clinic in Callander, just outside of North Bay, is welcoming a new doctor to its team.
Dr. Haris Aziz arrived in Canada just more than a month ago and has joined the team at the Callander Animal Hospital. A native of Pakistan, Aziz said he came here for the quality of life.
"I chose Canada because it had a good quality of life, family life,” he said.
“People are nice, all those things. It was not an easy job to reach here, I had to work hard and get all the completed achievements."
What was just a one-doctor clinic, run by Dr. Neil Lawrence, now has three doctors, making things easier and allowing for more patients.
"There's a shortage of veterinarians all across North America,” Lawrence said.
“I've been advertising for over a year, looking for another vet. To bring someone new in with a different skill set, different work experiences, and different life experiences we share lots of tips and tricks on veterinarian medicine."
He said he’s already noticed the impact Aziz is making on the clinic.
"One of the things that we've already seen that he's provided to the practice is more cat medicine,” Lawrence said.
“He's dealt with a lot more cats overseas where we tend to see more dogs come into a vet in Canada. We had a ringworm case earlier this week. He's seen ringworm dozens of times whereas I've only seen it two or three times."
Aziz said there's still plenty to learn, and that being a veterinarian in Canada is much different than overseas.
"There is a huge difference in equipment and availability,” he said.
“The major difference from the clients is their attachment to their pets. There's a huge difference here -- they treat them like they're family. Work environment also, the skill set of the people here are higher."
His wife and son also came to the north with him. Aziz said working and living and Canada has been even better than expected and that he and his family are lucky to call Callander home.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.