A Fond Farewell (But Not Goodbye): Thank You, Zoe
After seven years of dedication, insight, and leadership, Zoe Halfacree, one of the founding directors of Vet Sustain, has decided to step down from her role as a Vet Sustain Director. Since joining in 2019, Zoe has played a pivotal role in shaping Vet Sustain into the organisation it is today and in helping to establish it as a Community Interest Company.
Vet Sustain
Zoe Halfacree MA VetMB CertVDI DipECVS CertSAS FRCVS is a European Specialist in Soft Tissue Surgery, but her influence has extended far beyond the operating theatre. Her sustainability journey began with a simple but powerful observation of the sheer volume of waste produced in the veterinary operating theatre. Asking herself, “What changes could we safely make?” and “What are we currently doing?”, Zoe began to explore how everyday clinical practices could be improved without compromising patient care. Drawing inspiration from the human healthcare sector, particularly waste sustainability initiatives within the NHS, she brought this thinking into the veterinary profession at a time when such conversations were only just beginning.
In 2019, at a sustainable clinical practice meeting led by Laura Higham at London Vet Show, Zoe joined a group of like-minded individuals around a whiteboard. Through open discussion, they identified the wide-ranging sustainability challenges that the veterinary profession is facing, and began to imagine practical solutions. Zoe also connected with Dr Ellie West MA VetMB DipECVAA CertVA FRCVS and was inspired by the work Ellie was doing at Davies Veterinary Specialists, further strengthening her commitment to driving change.
When Vet Sustain was formed, Zoe took on the integral role of Chair of the Greener Veterinary Practice Working Group. With determination and collaboration, she helped develop the Greener Veterinary Practice Checklist, which launched in 2021 and remains a cornerstone of Vet Sustain’s work. Zoe became a director of Vet Sustain during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when her commitment and availability helped ensure the organisation continued to grow and evolve.
Zoe has been instrumental in facilitating sustainability discussions with veterinary schools across the world, including Portugal, the USA, the UK, Canada, Dublin, and Australia. She has spoken of how encouraging it is to see sustainability becoming an expected and essential part of veterinary education and professional conversations.
Following the completion of her Master’s degree, Zoe played a key role in developing Vet Sustain’s educational CPD courses on Greener Veterinary Clinical Practice. She also co-developed the Green Theatre Checklist in collaboration with the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists (AVA) and a cross-specialism working group, the first evidence-based framework designed to support environmentally sustainable practices in veterinary operating theatres.
Zoe’s fondest memories of her time with Vet Sustain include working alongside passionate, like-minded people, developing the Green Theatre Checklist, and being invited to speak on sustainability at ACVS and ECVS lectures, all milestones that reflect both her expertise and her influence.
We would like to thank Zoe sincerely for her dedication, vision and hard work - which she deploys with kindness, warmth and a collaborative spirit. She will be greatly missed as a director, but we are delighted that she will continue to support Vet Sustain. Zoe’s legacy within Vet Sustain is profound, and her impact will be felt for many years to come.
Thank you, Zoe.