A Balclutha veterinarian is "delighted" her practice will be eligible for a government bonding scheme which gives a cash incentive to new graduate workers.
The Government yesterday announced the voluntary scheme for veterinarians was to be expanded to cover all practices that dealt with farmed animals, such as cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry.
Clutha Vets chief executive Meredith MacKenzie said she had difficulty attracting and retaining veterinarians to the rural clinic.
However, she had not been able to take part in the government bonding scheme.
"When the scheme was first set up, vets in Otago didn't qualify as having difficulty recruiting," Ms MacKenzie said.
She said she appealed to the Government to change the rules.
"They came and talked to us and I told them the difficulty we were having and they took that on board," she said.
The scheme was a good way of attracting staff to Otago.
"We took on two graduates for this summer so it is fantastic we will be able to offer them the same incentives as other clinics."
The graduates would focus on farmed animals.
Queenstown veterinarian Lucy Gladwin, a new graduate, is working at her first job with Queenstown's Pets n Vets.
She said the bonding scheme, which gave a cash incentive to new graduates to stay in rural areas, was a great idea.
"It's a good way of keeping vets in rural areas, especially with the brain drain thing going on," Ms Gladwin said.
Many new graduates were attracted to higher paid jobs overseas, she said.
Agriculture Minister David Carter said the scheme, launched last year, gave new graduates a taxable payment of $11,000 every year for up to five years while working in specific rural areas.
From this year, all practices would be eligible, providing the graduates spent most of their time working with farmed animals.
Mr Carter said the changes were the result of feedback from veterinarians and the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
"Its main limitation appeared to be the targeting of specific regions. Many practices reported they faced similar shortages and recruitment difficulties as those in the eligible areas."
