Meet our vet team
Get to know your vet team
Step behind the scenes of Westlakes Veterinary Hospital and meet the vets who care for your pets with knowledge, compassion and attention to detail.
Our veterinary team provides a calm, supportive experience across a range of services—all the way from a routine health check through to complex referral surgery care. Every consultation is approached with care, aiming to support each pet’s unique needs and circumstances.
Whether it’s your first time visiting or a return trip, you’re welcome to learn more about the people who look after your pet’s wellbeing. Explore the team and say hello today.
Dr Joshua Dabrowski
BVSc
Qualifying in the top five of his class in South Africa, obtaining a degree BVSc. Dr. Joshua Dabrowski has gained years of experience in small animal diagnostics and advanced surgery.
Alongside his previous business partner, he ran an extremely successful and continuously expanding Small Animal Practice in Johannesburg for several years before immigrating to Australia. That journey finally culminated in the purchase, renovation, and reimagining of Westlakes Veterinary Hospital in 2020.
Dr. Josh is passionate about surgery, and developed his expertise under the mentorship of a specialist surgeon in South Africa. He has extensive experience in advanced surgical cases, ranging from complex orthopedic surgeries, such as spinal decompressions, joint surgeries and fracture repairs, to complex soft tissue surgeries, such as ear, nose and throat procedures, advanced abdominal surgeries and eye surgeries.
Renowned for his warm sincerity, he enjoys interacting with his clients and caring for pets throughout their life journeys. Dr. Josh loves spending time with his young family, doing DIY projects, being outdoors, bird watching and hiking. His lifelong passion for animals has resulted in a menagerie of pets being kept at home over the years, ranging from (harmless) pet snakes, to a well-stocked aviary, tortoises, chickens, geese, ducks, a meerkat and huge Great Danes.
Dr Allie Cornell
BVBiol/BVSc
Dr. Allie graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2017 with a degree BVBIOL/BVSc and started her veterinary career in Griffith NSW. Allie made the sea-change to Newcastle in 2020, and joined the Westlakes team in 2022. Dr Allie's clinical interests include dentistry, geriatric medicine, and soft tissue surgery.
Outside work, Allie enjoys spending time with her young family, bushwalking, and spoiling Westlakes' part-time canine receptionist Hooch.
Dr Emma Leary
BVSc
Dr. Emma qualified in 2008 from the University of Sydney and has over 15 years of quality Veterinary experience behind her. Her quiet, calming approach is combined with detailed diagnostics, resulting in a peaceful and accurate veterinary service for pets. Dr. Emma enjoys the academic challenge of working up complex cases, as well as a clinical interest in endocrinology, ultrasonography, and soft tissue surgery.
In her free time, Dr. Leary enjoys spending time with her young family, pets, staying fit, cooking, baking and gardening.
