Growing up on an old farm close to the North Sea I was surrounded by many domestic species from early age. Becoming a veterinarian seemed to be the only logical consequence. In vet school I soon became infected with the "zoo and wildlife virus". The most impressive experiences during my time at the University for Veterinary Medicine, Hanover was externing at the two largest Australian zoological gardens: Sydney and Melbourne.

After finishing Veterinary School, I was still dedicated to wildlife. My doctoral thesis on the prevalence of specific bacteria (Yersinia and Burkholderia) in German zoos was completed in 2007.

After more than 13 years of working as a zoo and wildlife veterinarian in three different German zoological institutions, I started my own veterinary practice specialising on wildlife and zoo animals in the summer of 2016.