Off Duty

Why Do We Vaccinate Our Pets? — Mini Off Duty with Vincent

Our newest Mini Off Duty star, Vincent, wants to know:“Why do we vaccinate our pets?”Dogs, cats, ponies — we break it all down in child-friendly language.🎧 A perfect listen for little animal lovers!
 
Don't miss the full episode on decoding vaccinations in horses...out on Thursday night

From Banking to Vet Nursing: Cheryl’s Extraordinary Journey

In this full-length episode, we sit down with Cheryl — vet nurse, mum, mature student, cancer survivor, award-winner, and all-round powerhouse — for one of the most inspiring conversations we’ve had on Off Duty.
Cheryl shares her remarkable journey from banking to veterinary nursing, retraining later in life, juggling family, study, and work, and discovering a career that brings her joy every single day. She speaks openly about resilience, the moments that nearly broke her, the community that held her up, and the pets and people who helped shape her along the way.
We talk career change, nursing reality (it’s not all puppies and kittens), the importance of support networks, advocating for yourself in a broken healthcare system, and what it truly means to love your job.And yes — we also chat abscesses, anxious Labradors, menopausal dogs, tea addiction, and the quickfire round you don’t want to miss.
This episode is honest, funny, raw, uplifting, and full of heart.
🎧 If you’ve ever thought about changing careers, becoming a vet nurse, or just need a dose of courage and perspective — Cheryl’s story is for you.

Mini Off Duty- Licky-Licks, Loud Kittens & Vet Nurse Wisdom

In this Mini Pod episode, we’re joined by Cheryl, one of our brilliant veterinary nurses, who lifts the lid on what vet nurses really do — from calming nervous pets to mastering the ancient art of licky-lick bribery.
We chat about how to make vet visits easier for your pet, the signs that something’s not quite right at home, and the small habits that can make a big difference to your pet’s comfort and confidence.Cheryl also explains how to read your pet’s body language (and why cats give approximately 0.3 seconds of warning before mayhem).
A short, funny, genuinely helpful episode for every pet owner.
Kids’ Corner: We’re collecting voice notes from children about their pets for future episodes!Ask your little ones to send us a quick message telling us something funny, bold or brilliant about their pet — we’d love to feature them.
🎧 Listen now — and don’t miss the FULL interview with Cheryl coming this Saturday.

Welcome to Off Duty

In our first episode, vet and mums Mairead Leahy and Sabrina Barnwell finally sit down to chat about the beautiful chaos of juggling vet life, parenting, ponies and everything in between. 
We share why we started Off Duty, what listeners can expect and a few stories from behind the scenes-the good, the funny and the down right exhausting. From school pick ups, emergency calls, muddy ponies to messy kids, this episode gives an honest, warm and very real look into our every day lives
Next up, we’re joined by Cheryl for a heartfelt and unforgettable conversation.