Rick Fenny
WA veterinarian and vet to the legendary Red Dog
Dr Rick Fenny, founder of the Rick Fenny Group which owns the Pets and Vets brand worked for many years in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia’s north.
During that time he became the unofficial vet to the inimitable Red Dog, a kelpie that roamed the area making friends at every turn but never settling down.
The story of Red Dog was made into a film which was released in August 2011. Unfortunately Rick Fenny had to euthanise Red Dog in 1979 after a suspected dose of strychnine poisoning.
Desert Vet revealed as Western Australian Of The Year Finalist
WA vet Rick Fenny – the star of national TV special Desert Vet – has been revealed as a finalist in the 2018 West Australian of the Year Awards.
Dr Fenny, who is best known as the real-life vet to Red Dog, the kelpie who famously roamed WA’s Pilbara region in the 70s, is in the running to win the Business category of the annual awards presented in celebration of excellence and outstanding ethics resulting in major positive social or economic impact in WA.
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LATEST NEWS
6 March 2019
DESERT VET SERIES TO START FILMING FOR NATIONAL AND GLOBAL SCREENS
Hit Australian TV special Desert Vet is set to begin filming a four-part series for national and global
screens in the heartland of Western Australia’s Pilbara region where legendary kelpie Red Dog
roamed, as well return to the state’s stunning Gascoyne coast and – for the first time – head to the Goldfields.
The series – which will screen on the Nine Network in Australia and wildlife, science and adventure
programme channel Eden TV in the UK and Europe as Outback Vet – is shooting in Karratha
Port Hedland, Shark Bay, central WA and Kalgoorlie over four weeks from mid-March.
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Red Dog
Without him, the kelpie who famously roamed WA’s Pilbara region may not have lived long enough to inspire the popular Red Dog movie, but the legendary dog is just one of thousands of outback animals treated by veteran WA veterinarian Rick Fenny.
His fascinating story, which includes laying Red Dog to rest in 1979, is now subject of Desert Vet, a one-hour documentary special set to hit Australian TV screens in January. “I treated Red Dog many times over the years and he was incredibly unique and an amazing character.
But in terms of the heart-wrenching and heart-warming cases I’ve been involved with, his is just the tip of the iceberg. Rick says.
Actual collar of Red Dog
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Desert Vet revealed as Western Australian Of The Year Finalist
WA vet Rick Fenny – the star of national TV special Desert Vet – has been revealed as a finalist in the 2018 West Australian of the Year Awards.
Dr Fenny, who is best known as the real-life vet to Red Dog, the kelpie who famously roamed WA’s Pilbara region in the 70s, is in the running to win the Business category of the annual awards presented in celebration of excellence and outstanding ethics resulting in major positive social or economic impact in WA.
The 69-year-old, who’s dedicated the past 46 years to being a veterinarian and businessman and whose company has invested around $50 million in WA to date, said he was honoured to be a finalist.
“It’s very nice to be acknowledged for doing something you love and I love running vet clinics, employing people and running my tourism ventures – it’s been a wonderful journey so far,” said Dr Fenny
Through his company Pets + Vets, the Rick Fenny Group has built a network of 11 vet clinics across Western Australia – WA’s first ‘remote-controlled’ network of clinics – including in Karratha, Albany, Kalgoorlie, Mirrabooka, Victoria Park, and South Hedland which have employed hundreds of young vets.
The clinics in remote towns ensure local residents have access to quality vet services, and often specialist vet services, close to home.
“If people don’t have access to everything they need, they won’t live in regional areas so it’s been great to able to play a part in helping these parts of WA flourish,” said Dr Fenny.
Also a passionate advocate for Western Australia, Rick’s company owns two tourism businesses – Albany’s Maitraya Private Retreat and the award-winning Ocean Park Aquarium in the World Heritage listed Shark Bay area – which both attract Australian and international visitors.
He also owns Carbla Station outside of Denham and was integral in helping to fundraise for the design and building of the statue of Red Dog in Dampier – now itself an iconic tourist destination – as well as funding a plaque at Red Dog’s burial site in Cossack.
“It’s an honour to call WA home and be in a position to share its unique scenery, experiences and creatures – Ocean Park has welcomed about half a million people in the past 10 years and that’s so rewarding to know we’ve shared the marine life of that incredible part of the world with so many,” said Dr Fenny.
In line with his passion for creating WA as a global tourist destination Desert Vet is currently being shown on Qantas flights and plans are afoot for more episodes.
“There’s a continued need to put the spotlight on our amazing state and attract interstate, international and local tourists to regional and remote WA so it’s great I can be a part of that through Desert Vet,” he said.
Last year’s winner in the Business category and the overall winner of the Awards was Andrew Forrest AO.
Award winners will be announced at a gala dinner at Crown Towers on Friday 1 June.
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Rick Fenny