We are here to help you and your pet
About SABS
Sydney Animal Behaviour Service (SABS) was founded by Dr Kersti Seksel, Registered Veterinary Behaviour Specialist in 1992. Dr Kersti Seksel is the only Registered Veterinary Behaviour Specialist in NSW.
Dr Grace Thurtell has been a resident, training with Dr Seksel since 2018. Dr Thurtell has seen over 400 patients in that time and has enjoyed helping pets and their families live happier lives.
Dr Thurtell took over running SABS from Dr Seksel in April 2022, but Dr Seksel is continuing as a consultant for SABS .
Dr Thurtell and Dr Seksel look forward to continuing to provide high quality specialty level service to clients and patients of NSW.
Meet the team
Dr Grace Thurtell
BVSc,
MANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour)
Resident in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine
Dr Grace Thurtell is a qualified veterinarian and a Resident in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine.
After completing her veterinary degree at the University of Sydney she practiced in a small animal practice in Penrith. She then started an internship in 2017 with Dr Kersti Seksel, the only Registered Specialist in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine in New South Wales. In 2018 Grace then began a residency in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine.
A residency in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine involves;
Working closely with a specialist, Dr Seksel, and seeing a certain number of cases with her before seeing them alone (but having each case reviewed by Dr Seksel).
Presenting lectures to other clinicians on behaviour medicine
Working on a research project
Keeping up to date on current research and participating in journal clubs with other Veterinary Behaviour Specialists and residents
Undertaking other education courses and attending conferences.
Dr Grace has seen and treated over 350 behaviour cases since she started, lectured to other clinicians and the public, completed continuing education courses in veterinary behaviour, attended various conferences and also acquired her memberships in the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Behaviour. She is continuing towards her specialist qualifications.
Dr Grace has recently become a mum to her first child, Myles, in July 2023. As a result she is consulting part time instead of full time for now.