A Life of a Greyton Vet – an interview with Sarah Viljoen
Some careers are chosen. Others, it seems, quietly choose you. For Sarah, becoming a vet was less a single defining moment and more a lifelong certainty. “I got the idea in my head when I was about seven,” she says, smiling. “Even when teachers said it was a pipe dream, I couldn’t think of anything better to do. It truly is a vocation.”
Sarah and her partner, Francois, both worked independently around the world before returning to South Africa with a shared vision: a life in the platteland, working in mixed veterinary practice. Caledon offered the perfect base — close to family and nature — but it was Greyton that truly captured their hearts. “We wanted to raise our daughter in a small, open-minded, caring community surrounded by animals,” she explains. “Greyton ticked all the boxes.”
And what does a typical day at Caledon Vet Clinic look like? In truth, there isn’t one. A morning might begin with treating a horse for EARS or GAWS, followed by checking a pig at a sanctuary, conducting pregnancy scans on a dairy farm, tending to an alpaca’s eye, and then heading into complex surgery — all before a full afternoon of companion animal consults. “No two days are the same,” Sarah says. “That’s what makes it such an incredible job.” The vet clinic is based in Caledon with a full hospital set up but holds twice weekly clinics in Greyton and once weekly in Riviersonderend too.
Of course, rural veterinary work demands more than medical skill. “Our patients can’t talk, so we have to be thorough — part doctor, part detective,” she explains. Diagnostics often guide the way, but not always in a straight line. And then there is the human side. “We are often counsellors too — especially in emergencies or end-of-life care. Supporting people through those moments is one of the hardest parts of the job, yet also the greatest privilege.”
The profession certainly keeps things interesting. From two-headed calves to removing wedding rings from a dog’s stomach, there is no shortage of surprises. One particularly memorable moment involved Francois rescuing a concussed fish eagle — only for it to recover mid-journey and stage a dramatic escape inside the car. “There was blood,” Sarah laughs, “but thankfully not the eagle’s!”
Through it all, humour — and a strong team — keeps spirits high. But perhaps the most profound lesson comes from the community itself. “Greyton may be small, but it is incredibly powerful when people come together,” she reflects. “The love for animals, nature, and each other here is something truly special.”
And her advice to local pet owners? Simple but important: invest in good pet insurance and keep vaccinations, tick, flea, and worm control up to date. “It makes all the difference when it comes to giving your pets the best possible care.”
In Greyton, it seems, both people and animals are in very good hands.
