A better way forward for community cats in South Australia
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Helping more cats get the care they need brought 29 veterinarians and veterinary nurses together in Melbourne and Adelaide in August 2026. Across two workshops, they shared ideas, put new skills into practice and desexed 153 cats!
The training focused on high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN), an approach to desexing designed to make services more efficient and accessible.
Delivered by companion animal management and sheltering consultant Nell Thompson alongside Dr Becky Morrow, the workshops combined practical training with the opportunity to learn from one another. They also offered a glimpse of what working together can make possible for cats and the communities who care for them.
Why access to desexing matters
For people caring for cats, the cost and availability of desexing services can put that care out of reach. Making those services more accessible is an important part of building a more supportive animal welfare system.
At PetRescue, our vision is a future where every pet is safe, respected and loved. Working towards that future means looking at how we can support pets and people earlier, including improving access to the services communities need.
What is high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN)?
HQHVSN is an approach to desexing that uses structured surgical and patient-care protocols to help veterinary teams care for more cats efficiently while maintaining high standards of care. The aim is to make desexing more accessible to the communities who need it.
Practical skills and a shared purpose
The workshops took place in August 2026, in Melbourne on 13–14 August and Adelaide on 17–18 August, with 16 veterinarians and 13 veterinary nurses taking part across the two events.
Participants learned alongside Dr Becky Morrow, a shelter medicine and HQHVSN practitioner with more than 15 years of experience in this work, and Nell Thompson, principal of Australian Companion Animal Management & Sheltering Services.
For Nell, the enthusiasm of the veterinary teams was a highlight.
“It was an absolute privilege to work with such an enthusiastic and dedicated group of Australian veterinarians and veterinary nurses. Their willingness to learn, share ideas, and immediately put new skills into practice made these workshops both fun and rewarding.”
Nell Thompson BAnVetBioSc CAWA
Sharing knowledge and a few smiles along the way! Image Credit: Nell Thompson
That sense of encouragement came through in participant feedback, too.
“A positive learning experience with likeminded people. No judgement or ego, everyone cheering each other on and learning together to improve animal welfare.”
Workshop participant, August 2026
Putting new skills into practice! Image Credit: Nell Thompson
Looking beyond the workshops
Alongside the care provided to 153 cats, the workshops gave veterinary teams skills they could take back to their own work. The longer-term opportunity is to build on that learning so more cats can access desexing in their communities.
As Becky explains:
“These workshops demonstrated what is possible when skilled veterinary teams come together around a shared goal. By making high-quality spay/neuter services more efficient and accessible, we can improve the lives of individual cats while helping communities address cat population challenges humanely and effectively.”
Becky L. Morrow, DVM, MSc, CAWA
Nell and Becky’s dedication made these workshops possible. Building on their work deserves a shared commitment, with more opportunities for veterinary teams to learn together and more support for the people making that learning happen.
For PetRescue, this focus on prevention and shared knowledge reflects the kind of change we want to see: communities supported to care for pets, and veterinary teams equipped to help make that possible.
Interested in future workshops?
Veterinarians and veterinary nurses interested in future training can register their interest with Nell Thompson at nell@acamss.com.
Find out more about PetRescue’s work towards a better future for pets.
Banner Image Credit: Nell Thompson
