About us

Dr Sally Nixon

Resident – American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
Resident – Fellowship in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine – Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists

With a desire to improve animal welfare, Sally completed her Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree at the University of Melbourne in December 2000.

She has taken many opportunities to volunteer as a veterinarian overseas. She has helped dogs in the Cook Islands, colobus and vervet monkeys in Kenya and street dogs in various parts of India. While in India, she volunteered in Delhi and Ladakh with Vets Beyond Borders, later developing a Vets Beyond Borders programme in southern India that she continued to manage for over 2 years.

Sally’s interest in behavioural medicine started with a behaviour medicine course in Luxembourg in 2010. She then returned home, and while working as a general practice veterinarian in northeast Victoria, she completed a postgraduate course in behavioural medicine through the University of Sydney’s Centre for Veterinary Education. In 2013, Sally sat examinations and was accepted into the veterinary behaviour chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists.

Animal Progress was developed in 2013 to offer behaviour consultations to caregivers of animals with behaviour problems, as well as to build awareness of the importance of understanding behaviour in animals.

In 2018, Sally started her residency training programme with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists under the supervision and guidance of registered specialist Dr Kersti Seksel BVSc (Hons) MRCVS MA (Hons) FANZCVS DACVB DECAWBM FAVA. In 2019, Sally started her fellowship training programme with the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists under the supervision and guidance of registered specialist Dr Jacqui Ley BVSc (Hons) FANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour) PhD DECAWBM. Both training programmes continue. Sally hopes to finish her residencies in 2024 so that she can become eligible to sit examinations. After passing examinations, then Sally will be able to register as a specialist in veterinary behavioural medicine.

At the time of this writing, Sally is not a specialist. Her cases are reviewed by her specialist supervisors until her training programme finishes. If you have been told Sally is a specialist and you are hoping to see a specialist with your animal, at the time of this writing, the only veterinary behaviour specialists in Australia are Drs Kersti Seksel, Jacqui Ley, Gabrielle Carter and Trepheena Hunter. You can also approach us for information on how to contact a veterinary behaviour specialist.

As well as seeing behaviour consultations in northeast Victoria and at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre under the supervision of Dr Jacqui Ley, Sally educates veterinary staff and the public about behaviour problems and their management. Sally is one of ten behaviour consultants for the online veterinary advice forum, Veterinary Information Network, which is utilised by veterinarians worldwide. She also teaches small animal behaviour in the Bachelor of Nursing degree at Melbourne Polytechnic, is a co-tutor for the University of Sydney’s Centre for Veterinary Education online Behavioural Medicine course and also developed their online on-demand Canine Aggression Approach and Management course. Sally is also invited to present at national conferences and provides webinars that are viewed internationally.

Bec Hogan

Growing up in Albury, Bec was surrounded by animals from a very young age. With her passion for animals, it only made sense to carry that passion into practice.

Bec has worked as a veterinary nurse in the Albury/Wodonga area since 1999, and has always had a keen interest in animal welfare and behaviour. She was drawn to learn more about animal behaviour as she could see how behavioural issues were impacting dramatically on both the patient and their owners’ quality of life.

Previously, Bec has been a volunteer wildlife carer with WIRES, caring for sick, orphaned and injured wildlife. She has also volunteered with the SPOT program (SPOT = Safe Pets Out There), which helped to teach school children safe habits around pets.  She has also been a Puppy Preschool leader for many years.

Helping people to create positive relationships with their pets is something that Bec feels very passionate about.