Colette qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London in 1996, and worked for four years in small animal general practice. She spent the next two years working in industry during which time she developed an interest in anaesthesia, analgesia and ethics. She started a residency in veterinary anaesthesia at the Animal Health Trust in 2003, gaining the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Anaesthesia in 2004 and the European Diploma in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in 2006. She became Head of Anaesthesia at the Animal Health Trust in December 2009 and remained there until the Trust’s closure in 2020. She became a Fellow of the RCVS in 2022 and is now Head of Anaesthesia at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists