LOCAL LIFE
Animal clinic honours beloved late Blacktown vet
Blacktown City Council has paid tribute to late vet and former Mayor of Blacktown City , Dr Russ Dickens OAM ( pictured above ), naming a new veterinary clinic in his honour .
Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM officially launched the clinic , located within the new Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre , known as BARC .
The clinic will serve as a teaching practice for students , through partnerships with Western Sydney University , University of Sydney and Richmond TAFE . It will service the needs of the animals at BARC and is currently not open to the public .
Mayor Bleasdale joined family and friends of Dr Dickens at the Blacktown City Pet Festival on Sunday for the
Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale OAM , Mayoress Nina Bleasdale , Deputy Mayor Chris Quilkey , Councillor Bob Fitzgerald , Russ Dickens ’ OAM family , BARC Senior Coordinator Rose Horton , former Animal Holding Facility Lead Ian Burr with his grandchildren at the new Dr Russ Dickens Veterinary Clinic .
unveiling . “ Russ devoted his life to animals , through his vet practice , his research and his contributions through Council ,” Mayor Bleasdale said .
“ He was a passionate vet , who dedicated himself to his Blacktown veterinary clinic for many decades .
“ He was one of the first vets in Australia to study disease in koalas and provide critical advice for their management .
“ Russ served as a Councillor for 36 years , including a term as Mayor , between 1980 and 2016 .
“ He was a passionate volunteer , who dedicated much of his time to helping animals at the Council Animal Holding Facility .
“ Russ Dickens was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australian in 1992 , and in 2020 , I was proud to award him the Key to Blacktown City .
“ I wish that Russ could be here to see this wonderful facility , but his legacy lives on through the clinic , BARC and all the animals he so passionately cared and advocated for .”
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