Ana Rita Lopes

I fell in love with cats at the age of nine, at the exact moment my grandmother Manuela brought home her new Persian kitten, Mustafa, and presented him to me.
Inside a tiny basket, that blue-eyed white and cotton-like furball was something I had never seen before and will stay in my memory forever.
Since then, my grandma passed me her love for cats and I grew up surrounded by them. I had the chance of participating with her, as a cat breeder and as organizing
staff, in events promoted by the Portuguese Cats Club, where I learnt a lot about cats!
Being also a science passionate person, at ten years old I have decided I wanted to be a cat veterinarian – I just didn’t know if I would treat small or large felines, since everytime I saw a tiger or a lion on the TV or at the zoo, my heart raced! I knew I
couldn’t do anything else in my life!
Always determined, I have followed the dream and graduated in 2004 at Lisbon Veterinary Medicine Faculty, after doing my training at Faro Veterinary Hospital. Then,
I decided to move permanently to Algarve – another one of my passions –, where I have worked in a few small animal veterinary practices from 2005 to 2012.
On 7th May of 2012, I decided to open BVET with two other colleagues. I had the wish of opening a small practice for companion animals with a confortable and cozy
environment, unique and full equipped facilities and, as well, a motivated, united, dedicated and well trained animal health professionals team. The goal was to provide
excellence veterinary healthcare to pets and simultaneously create a personalized and trust relation with their owners over time. In short, I wished to create something like a
small and familiar veterinary clinic, where team, pets and owners could know each other well.
Always interested in growing professionally to provide the best healthcare possible, I participate and also encourage my team to regularly attend continuous training and
formative events.
In 2011, in Zurich, I have done the first part of a post-graduate in Feline Internal Veterinary Medicine by ESAVS (European School of Advanced Veterinary Studies); in
2016, I attended parts I and II of a small animal abdominal ultrasound course (Improve Iberia) and finally, in 2019, in Warsow, I participated at ESAVS small animal abdominal
surgery I post-graduation. I am a regular participant of continued education events dedicated to small animal medicine, in particular feline medicine.
Out of work, I dedicate my time to my friends and my family – my husband Tiago, also a vet, my son Pedro, my daughter Eva and my 17 year old adventure companion, Mau-
Mau, an Abyssinian cat who accompanied me when I left Lisbon to live in Algarve, a place that means beach, sun, sea and freedom to me!