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A happy dog being gently examined at Hawthorn Veterinary Clinic

Caring for your pets like they're our own.

Independent small-animal vets in Stamford, Lincolnshire. Trusted by families across the region since 2014.

Emergency? Call 01780 555 042

Welcome to Hawthorn

Independent, personal, and passionate about animals.

Hawthorn Veterinary Clinic was founded in 2014 by Dr Sarah Whitaker and Dr James Patel, two vets who wanted to build a practice around continuity and genuine relationships. They converted a beautiful 18th-century barn on the edge of Stamford and built a clinic where the patient always comes first.

As an independent practice, we have the freedom to give each pet our full attention and to take the time every case deserves. That means you see the same vet, your pet's history is genuinely known, and every recommendation is made with your animal's wellbeing at its heart.

We care for dogs, cats, rabbits, and small mammals, and we invest continually in our team's expertise and in modern equipment that means fewer referrals and faster answers.

The Hawthorn clinic building โ€” a converted barn in Stamford

Established

2014

Stamford, Lincolnshire

Hawthorn Health Plans

Spread the cost of routine care.

Our health plans bundle vaccinations, flea and worm treatments, nurse health checks and a 10% discount on all other services into a simple monthly direct debit. Plans start from just ยฃ10.99/month for rabbits.

๐Ÿ• Dog

ยฃ18.99/mo

๐Ÿˆ Cat

ยฃ14.99/mo

๐Ÿ‡ Rabbit

ยฃ10.99/mo

The people behind the practice

Meet our team

Dr Sarah Whitaker, Co-Founder & Clinical Director

Dr Sarah Whitaker

BVetMed MRCVS

Co-Founder & Clinical Director

Sarah co-founded Hawthorn in 2014 after a decade of varied practice experience, driven by a desire to offer genuinely continuity-led care. Her special interest is soft tissue surgery, and she brings calm, clear expertise to every complex case.

Owns two very excitable springer spaniels called Biscuit and Juniper.
Dr James Patel, Co-Founder & Lead Vet

Dr James Patel

BVSc MRCVS

Co-Founder & Lead Vet

James trained at the University of Bristol and spent several years in busy urban referral-level practice before joining Sarah to open Hawthorn. He has a deep interest in dermatology and internal medicine, and is known for his thorough, unhurried consultations.

His black cat, Pepper, is a permanent fixture in the practice Instagram feed.
Dr Aoife Nolan, Veterinary Surgeon

Dr Aoife Nolan

MVB MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon

Aoife graduated from University College Dublin and joined Hawthorn in 2019. She has a particular passion for feline medicine and rabbit care โ€” two areas she continues to develop through specialist CPD.

Keeps three rescue house rabbits and can identify almost any rabbit breed at a glance.

What our clients say

Trusted by local families

โ€œWe've been bringing our golden retriever, Archie, to Hawthorn for six years. Dr Patel has managed his skin condition with such care and patience โ€” and Archie actually wags his tail the moment we pull into the car park. That says everything.โ€

Rachel & Phil Thornton

Archie, Golden Retriever ยท Stamford

โ€œMy elderly cat, Marmalade, was diagnosed with kidney disease last year. The team here have been extraordinary โ€” explaining every step, giving us realistic expectations, and genuinely caring about her quality of life. I couldn't be more grateful.โ€

Janet Wooldridge

Marmalade, Domestic Shorthair ยท Bourne

โ€œChloe and Megan are absolutely brilliant with our rabbits. Finding a vet practice that really understands rabbit care isn't easy, but Hawthorn clearly invests in it. Our three lops have never been healthier.โ€

Tom & Freya Aldridge

Clover, Bramble & Pip, Lop Rabbits ยท Market Deeping

Find us

Address

The Old Barn
Casterton Road
Stamford
Lincolnshire, PE9 4AB

Opening hours

Monday โ€“ Friday
8:30am โ€“ 7:00pm
Saturday
9:00am โ€“ 1:00pm
Sunday
Closed

Get in touch

01780 555 042
Full contact details