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
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.