Our Story

Our Story

Brighton Veterinary Hospital has been caring for the pets of Adelaide’s southern suburbs since 1974, when Dr Gerry Deen established the Brighton Veterinary Clinic with a vision of providing compassionate, high-quality veterinary care to local families.

As the practice grew, so did the services it was able to offer. In 1988, the practice became Brighton Veterinary Hospital, moving into a purpose-built veterinary hospital that reflected its commitment to delivering a higher standard of patient care. During this time, Brighton Veterinary Hospital also became the second ASAVA Accredited Veterinary Hospital in South Australia, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to clinical excellence and professional standards.

In the years that followed, Dr John Calder purchased the practice from Dr Gerry Deen and continued to build on its strong reputation within the local community. Under John’s leadership, Brighton Veterinary Hospital became known for trusted veterinary care and the lasting relationships it built with local families—many of whom continue to entrust us with the care of multiple generations of their pets.

The next chapter in Brighton Veterinary Hospital’s story began in 2013, when Dr Brian Golden joined Dr John Calder as an owner of the practice. Having grown up in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, Brighton was more than just a veterinary practice—it was an opportunity to invest in the community where he was raised and where his family still calls home today. Brian saw the opportunity not only to continue the hospital’s proud history, but to build a veterinary hospital that the local community could be proud of for generations to come.

Following Dr John Calder’s retirement in 2021, Brian became the sole owner of Brighton Veterinary Hospital. This marked the beginning of a new chapter with a clear vision: to create a veterinary hospital that truly reflected the exceptional standard of care being delivered by the team every day.

The vision was never to become the biggest veterinary hospital. It was to build a hospital where exceptional medicine, compassionate care, thoughtful design and continual improvement came together to create a better experience for patients, clients and our team.

As our team, services and patient numbers continued to grow, it became increasingly clear that our facilities no longer supported the way modern veterinary medicine should be practised. While our previous hospital had served the community well for many years, it no longer reflected the level of care our team was providing or the experience we wanted for our patients, clients and staff.

In 2022, we began searching for a site close to our existing hospital so we could remain part of the Brighton community while creating a purpose-built hospital for the future.

The decision wasn’t about building something bigger—it was about building something better.

We believed our patients, clients and team deserved a hospital that reflected the exceptional care being delivered every day. Every aspect of the new hospital was thoughtfully designed to support better patient care, improve the experience for our clients and create a workplace where our team could do their very best work.
After years of planning, designing and construction, that vision became a reality in 2026 with the opening of one of Australia’s newest purpose-built, independently owned veterinary hospitals.

Although our hospital has changed dramatically over the past five decades, one thing has remained constant—our commitment to caring for every patient as though they were our own.

Today, we’re privileged to care for multiple generations of local families. One of the greatest compliments we receive is welcoming the children—and now even the grandchildren—of clients who first trusted Brighton Veterinary Hospital with their pets decades ago. Those lifelong relationships are something we are incredibly proud of and reflect the trust our community has placed in us for more than half a century.

While we’re proud of our hospital, our facilities and the technology we’ve invested in, we know they’re only part of the story. The true heart of Brighton Veterinary Hospital is our people. Every day, our veterinarians, nurses and support staff bring compassion, professionalism and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of pets and the people who love them.

As an independently owned veterinary hospital, we’ll continue to invest in our people, our facilities and the future of veterinary medicine—always striving to provide care that reflects the trust our community places in us.

Independent. Local. Committed.

Being independently owned allows us to focus on what matters most—our patients, our clients and our team.

Every decision we make is guided by what’s best for your pet, rather than corporate targets or shareholder expectations. We continually invest in our people, our equipment and our facilities so we can provide advanced veterinary care while maintaining the friendly, personal service that has been part of Brighton Veterinary Hospital for generations.

We believe that the best veterinary care comes from combining modern medicine with genuine relationships, open communication and a commitment to continually improving the care we provide.

A Hospital Designed Around Better Care

When we set out to design our new hospital, we didn’t simply want a newer building—we wanted a hospital that improved every aspect of the experience for our patients, clients and team.

Every decision was guided by one simple question:

“Will this help us provide better care?”

That philosophy influenced everything from the overall layout of the hospital through to the smallest design details.

Our purpose-built hospital includes separate dog and cat waiting areas, dedicated feline consultation rooms and a feline hospital ward, spacious consultation rooms, three purpose-built surgical theatres, a dedicated dental suite, expanded treatment and hospital areas, professional grooming facilities and behaviour consultation spaces.

Behind the scenes, thoughtfully designed workflows, enhanced infection control, improved clinical spaces and modern technology allow our team to work more efficiently, collaborate more effectively and spend more time focused on what matters most—providing exceptional care for every patient.

We’ve also invested in advanced diagnostic and surgical equipment, including digital radiography, ultrasound, dental radiography, advanced anaesthetic monitoring, mechanical ventilation and a comprehensive in-house pathology laboratory. Combined with the expertise of our veterinarians and nurses, these facilities allow us to deliver a high standard of medical and surgical care while giving pet owners confidence that their family member is receiving the very best care possible.

By continually investing in our hospital, our technology and our people, we’re committed to delivering exceptional veterinary care—not only today, but for generations to come.