About the author
Dr Jane EB Hunter BVMS PhD MRCVS DipMedAc UHCert
I qualified as a vet from Glasgow University in 1983 and after spells in vet practice in the UK and Australia, I completed a PhD at Liverpool University in antibiotic resistance in pigs and people in 1992 and then worked in the Scottish Borders diagnosing farm animal disease.
Suilven, Assynt, Scotland
In 1995 opportunity led me to a lecturing post in veterinary bacteriology at Massey University in New Zealand. In my spare time I also learned of the benefits of therapeutic massage. From this I realised that after ten years of academia I wanted to be a more hands-on vet again. However, I had no idea acupuncture would take over my career after a stop-over in Australia on the way home!
Kea, South, New Zealand
I consider myself lucky to have been introduced to acupuncture, purely by chance being at the right place at the right time. In 1999, at a veterinary conference in Hobart, Tasmania, I listened to Dr Allen Schoen, an American expert in the field of veterinary acupuncture. Initially very sceptical, I was intrigued and trained with the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) which led to me treating dogs, cats and people with acupuncture in Fife, Scotland for the next 21 years! I was awarded the BMAS Diploma in 2006 and Postgraduate Certificate from University of Hertfordshire in 2012 and trained in the use of electro-acupuncture and laser too.
Dove Lake, Tasmania, Australia
Photographs above courtesy of Ian Paterson
The author with Paolo
I launched my book Acupuncture Tails in the company of many of the animal owners (and a couple of the dogs) who feature in its pages on 30th November 2021 at Dunfermline Sports Club.
The book, set in New Zealand, Australia and Scotland recounts the stories of family pets allowing me to use acupuncture on their painful health conditions. I also talk about how some owners were so impressed by their pets’ recovery, they turned to me for help with their own ailments.
The book has been three years in the making - I never thought writing it would turn out to be more challenging than writing my PhD thesis. However, I felt a huge responsibility to tell these stories and do my animal and human patients justice.
The never-ending support from the pet owners and my human patients for Acupuncture Tails has been wonderful! (Not to mention my husband Kenneth!)
A huge thank you to all of you.