Woodend Small Animal Team
Lynda Murphy
BVSc with distinction
Veterinarian
Lynda joined the RVC Small Animal vet team in February 2021. She enjoys getting to know her patients and being part of their life-long health journey. Lynda also enjoys getting to the bottom of skin problems, managing hormonal diseases and likes to take a proactive approach to dental disease. Being a ‘jack of all trades’ she’s also happy in the theatre doing routine neuters and minor surgery.
Lynda, who was born and grew up in Palmerston North, went on to Vet school at Massey University, she is a keen tramper, and skier, and is currently attempting to improve her mountain biking skills. She also enjoys dog walks, reading and a bit of gardening. Her husband and their 2 children relocated to North Canterbury from the West Coast early in 2021, their Jack Russell, affectionately named Richie McPaw, loves beach walks and is slowly learning to adjust to the urban lifestyle.
Anna Walsh
Vet Nurse / Customer Service
Anna grew up surrounded by animals, cats in particular. With a degree in zoology and marine studies, she had her sights set on becoming a scientific diver but after years in tourism and eco-tourism, working with big cats in South Africa finally cemented her passion for felines of all species.
She is a graduate of SIT with a Certificate in Veterinary Nursing and joined the RVC team as Cattery Assistant in 2017. She has since enjoyed working alongside fabulous vets and nurses further developing her skills and loves working with the special little guests who come to stay.
Anna has a little black purebred Street Cat named Asuka who is a beloved companion and enjoys traveling out and about on her harness. When not obsessing over cats or keeping up her interest in all things oceanic, Anna enjoys dancing, costuming and trying not to spend too much time on the computer.
Nicola Goodship
Vet Nurse / Customer Service
Nicola was born in the UK and moved to New Zealand in 2003. She studied animal care and Vet Nursing at CPIT and Vet Tech in Otago. She joined the RVC Woodend team in late 2020.
She prefers the smaller animals, and has 2 dogs, Sarsha and Pixie, and a cat Jerry, she also has some cows.
Nicola loves art, and being creative. Outside the clinic and cattery environment, she takes art classes and has been completing DIY projects on her house, for the past 12 years!
Sinead Biggs
Vet NurseAnimal Care Assistant
Meet Sinead, our passionate Vet Nurse and Cattery team member who joined us in 2025. Sinead holds a Veterinary Nursing Diploma and brings a special interest in feline behaviour to her work. In her spare time, she enjoys fostering "spicy" cats, helping them learn to trust humans, and building connections with cats of all temperaments.
Outside of her veterinary work, Sinead loves spending time with her two SPCA rescue cats, painting, and exploring the outdoors. Originally from Christchurch, she completed her diploma in 2020 and began her career at the SPCA, where she first worked in the isolation unit, helping animals in need.
Sinead’s gentle nature and dedication to animal welfare make her an invaluable member of our team.
WATCH: Meet Vet Lynda, and Vet Nurses Anna and Nicola, the friendly, dedicated team who take care of the patients at RVC's Woodend Vet Clinic. Take a virtual tour of the clinic's peaceful facilities and learn about the personalised vet services they can offer you and your pets.