Dr Bethan Wainfur BVetMed MRCVS CertAqV

For as long as Bethan can remember, becoming an exotic animal veterinarian has been the only career she has ever wanted to pursue. With a lifelong fascination for the more unusual, misunderstood and often overlooked members of the animal kingdom, her passion for exotic animals has never wavered!

Growing up surrounded by animals, Bethan’s love for them began at an early age. Her father has always been a keen fishkeeper, and one of her earliest memories is of her Grandfather lifting her up to feed the fish in his large saltwater aquarium. At six years old, Bethan welcomed her first pets, two rabbits named Barley and Purdy. Though her real interest in exotic animals began at age eleven with a leopard gecko named Delta, who is still with her today! Delta was just the beginning, with rats, hamsters, gerbils, snakes, lizards, invertebrates and fish all joining the family throughout her childhood.

In 2026, Bethan graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, fulfilling her lifelong ambition of becoming a veterinary surgeon. Although she loves all exotic species, her particular interests lie in reptile, avian and aquatic medicine. Her passion for aquatic animals led her to gain her Certified Aquatic Veterinarian (CertAqV) certification whilst still at veterinary school. She is also a qualified Marine Mammal Medic with British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), further reflecting her enthusiasm for aquatic animal welfare and conservation.

Alongside her veterinary studies, Bethan spent five years working as a wildlife rehabilitator in London, caring for injured and orphaned wildlife, many of whom became temporary residents in her own home! She also volunteered as a reptile foster carer for a London-based rescue organisation, providing care for abandoned and unwanted exotic pets. Bethan is particularly passionate about animal welfare and advocating for species that are often misunderstood or overlooked.

As you might expect, Bethan’s love for animals doesn’t stop when she leaves the practice! She shares her home with a menagerie of weird and wonderful rescue animals! These include four dogs, three cats, two chinchillas, a ball python, a corn snake, a boa constrictor, a Kenyan sand boa, a reticulated python, an Argus monitor lizard, a leopard gecko, three turtles, five tarantulas, a cockatiel, a ringneck parakeet, a parrotlet, a pigeon and two green-cheeked conures! Not forgetting her tropical and saltwater aquariums, one of which is home to her beloved Fahaka pufferfish, Keith!

When she’s not caring for animals, Bethan can usually be found hiking and exploring the countryside with her four dogs: Prince the Belgian Malinois, Zeus the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Maeve the American Bulldog and Diego the Dutch Herder. Although with four energetic dogs in tow, it’s rarely a relaxing adventure!

Qualifications: 

• BVetMed, MRCVS 

• Certified Aquatic Veterinarian (CertAqV) 

RCVS Membership Number: 7731825