2025
Meet the Team
Alan Jones
BVetMed MRCVS (retd).
Former Chairman, The Parrot Society UK
A retired avian veterinarian, Alan qualified from the RVC in London in April 1970. Working almost exclusively with birds since 1985, he served as board member and European representative on Association of Avian Veterinarians. Alan was chairman of the Parrot Society UK for fourteen years (in two separate sessions), and is a life member of that Society. He is the co-editor and contributor to avian veterinary textbooks; regular contributor to Cage & Aviary Birds, Parrots magazine, and the PSUK magazine. Alan is the sole author of ‘Keeping Parrots - Understanding Their Care & Breeding’. He is currently living in Buckinghamshire with my wife, two dogs and two cockatoos. Alan has two adult children and two teenage grandchildren. He is very passionate about parrot welfare, especially nutrition and enrichment.
Dr Tariq Abou-Zahr
BVSc CertAVP(ZooMed) DipECZM(Avian) MRCVS
EBVS & RCVS Recognised Specialist Zoological Medicine (Avian Medicine and Surgery)
Tariq graduated from the University of Bristol in 2014 and after a year in general practice, he embarked on a 4 year combined internship and residency program at Great Western Exotics in Swindon, in zoological medicine, with a particular emphasis on avian medicine and surgery. He passed his RCVS certificate exams in 2018 and his European ECZM diploma in zoological medicine (avian medicine and surgery) in 2021. Before even thinking about becoming a vet, Tariq was an aviculturist. He got his first pet birds (a pair of budgies) aged 7. Since then, he has kept and bred a whole variety of different birds, including many psittacines. Tariq is also a keen herpetoculturist and has a passion for reptile medicine and husbandry and keeps reptiles alongside his birds at home.
Molly Greene
Registered Veterinary Nurse,
The Royal Veterinary College
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Molly is a veterinary nurse who works in the Royal Veterinary College’s Exotic department and has for four years. She has had the privilege of working with many species of parrot in practice and has a passion for helping to support parrot caregivers better their care of their companions. She also helps to teach veterinary and veterinary nursing students how to care for these incredible animals both during their lectures and during their clinical rotations.
At home Molly shares her home with four parrots; Trouble the Indian ring neck, Pedro and Pickle the green cheek conures and Peep the pacific parrotlet.
Reb Davis
Registered Veterinary Nurse,
APVN (Avian)
Reb qualified as an avian nurse in march 2022. She has worked with many species of parrots in different settings; zoo collections, pet shops and rehoming charities. Reb has kept companion parrots for 10 years and strives to provide the best diet, husbandry and enrichment possible. Her current flock are Murphy, Smoko and ..... (African Grey Parrots), Squidge (Senegal), Jasper (Blue Fronted Amazon), and Derry (Mealy Amazon). Reb has a huge passion for educating parrot owners and professionals in the animal industry on the 'gold standard' of companion parrot care.
Lorraine Nash
Pet Insurance Manager
Lorraine is a familiar face in the uk pet insurance industry, with several years of experience working with high profile providers in a variety of operational partnerships and sales roles. Lorraine strives to work with a range of industry stake holders to help pet owners, insurer providers, vets and others to combine forces to find solutions and suitable care options for the nations pets. Passionate about animal welfare, Lorraine is also known for regularly undertaking fundraising activities and challenges to support various animal charities.
Mike Taylor
Northern Parrots
Back in the nineties Mike began working in the family pet shop which specialised in parrots. As a bird lovers from far and wide turned in to regular customers the need for a mail order service became apparent. A basic catalogue was produced, then a website and ever since Mike has been running Northern parrots which has now served over half a million parrot owners.
Maddy Johnston
Marketing and Media Manager,
Johnston & Jeff
In 2017, Maddy Johnston, the fifth generation of the Johnston family to enter the business, began working for Johnston & Jeff full time.
Michael Bellingham
Chief Executive, UK Pet Food
Michael joined the association in 2004. Before that he worked in both retail and food trade associations in the UK. In 2000 he moved to Brussels to run a European cereals association, which focused on international trade issues. As well as looking after the Executive Committee, which has financial and strategic oversight of UK Pet Food, Michael also runs the Fish and Raw Pet Food Groups. Michael has a degree in Politics from Durham University and an MA in European Studies from South Bank University. Michael and his family share their home with the lovely Tessa, a schnoodle.
Isabelle Brinan
Parrot Behavior and Welfare Consultant
Isabelle, also known as The Kent Parrot Lady is a Parrot Behaviour and Welfare Consultant and is deeply passionate about improving the lives of parrots and their owners. Her mission is to empower owners with knowledge and support, whether it’s through basic care tips or tackling challenging behaviours.
With a background in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, her approach is rooted in both science and compassion. She is also a proud member of the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants, the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians, and the Pet Professional Network. These communities keep her informed about the latest research and practices, fuelling her drive to always keep learning.
She shares her life with an amazing flock of parrots who inspire her daily. Poppy (African Grey), her budgies—Sonnie, Louis, Charlie, George, Ellie, and Carl and Zelda (Cockatiel,)
Madonna Livingstone
Head Exotics Vet Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd, Exotic Lecturer Glasgow Vet School BVMS MRCVS
Madonna has had an interest in birds from a young age and bred budgies, canaries, and finches from the age of seven. She qualified from Glasgow Vet School in 2002, is the exotics consultant for two groups of external laboratories, lectures on exotic animal medicine and surgery at Glasgow vet school and has a caseload of 80% exotic species. Madonna is a firm believer that all special deserve the same high level of care. She is currently owned by four cockatiels, three dogs, eight ferrets, five puffer fish and an orchid mantis!
Dominic Byron-Chance
Head of Exotics for Southfield Veterinary Specialists BVM BVS GPCert(ExAP) MRCVS
Doninic is an ECZM avian residency trained clinician, working solely in the field of exotic, wildlife, and zoological medicine. Beyond his specialty training in avian medicine and surgery, he has a clinical interest in exotic species oncology, including novel diagnostic and treatment options of cancer in exotic species.
After spending several years in first opinion practice, he completed an 18-month exotics clinical internship followed by a 3-year ECZM avian residency program at Great Western Exotics (Wiltshire, UK). Following his residency, he relocated in February 2024, taking a position as head of exotics at Southfields Veterinary Specialists (Essex, UK). He holds a General Practitioner Certificate in Exotic Animal Practice with the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies. He designed and acts as course director for the Ifevet UK Postgraduate Certificate in Exotic Animals (PgCert. Exotic. ifevet), due to start in September 2025
Hayley Ayers
Registered Veterinary Nurse
Hayley is a Registered Veterinary Nurse from the UK, with a wealth of experience in a variety of species. She graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2014 and has additional advanced qualifications in emergency critical care and exotics.
She is currently studying for her PGc in advanced Veterinary Nursing of Exotic, zoo and wildlife species.
She has worked in Australia and South east Asia with both native and non-native species, in addition to her work with zoological collections, universities and private practices in the UK.
She currently works for a large RSPCA wildlife centre in the UK, alongside undertaking locum work in a variety of referral and first opinion veterinary hospitals. She thoroughly enjoys teaching and inspiring the next generation of Vets and Veterinary Nurses.