With the ever increasing demand for veterinary care, and the desire to perform procedures at the centre itself, Dr Sue Carstairs was hired in 2009 to establish an on-site veterinary hospital, and to take on the role of licence holder for the rehabilitation centre. A licence under the Ministry of Natural Resources is necessary for any wildlife rehabilitation work. Dr Carstairs has a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and graduated in 1987 from the Ontario Veterinary College. She has worked in the wildlife rehabilitation field for many years, and has worked for wildlife centres and animal shelters for the past 20 years. Dr Carstairs was the veterinarian at the Earth Rangers wildlife hospital and rehabilitation centre, until its closure. Presently, she works at the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre as well as at the Toronto Wildlife Centre. She is also a professor at Seneca College where she teaches Exotics and Wildlife, among other courses, to veterinary technicians.
In 2009, most admissions were performed in partnership with the Toronto Wildlife Centre, while the KTTC hospital was being developed, and while Dr Kristy Hiltz was in the process of building Sherbrooke Heights Animal Hospital. Turtles were then transferred to KTTC for ongoing care. A grant from the Shell Environmental Fund allowed the purchase of an x-ray machine, developer, centrifuge and some surgery monitoring devices, for the KTTC hospital.
