Veterinarian • Practice Founder • International Veterinary Career
Your Veterinarian in Spartanburg, SC
Dr. Patrick Mornane has enjoyed a distinguished veterinary career spanning more than five decades across Australia and the United States. His work has ranged from frontier veterinary medicine in remote Australia to building successful veterinary hospitals and advancing specialized services in dermatology, surgery, and reproductive medicine.
Early Years
Dr. Mornane graduated in 1967 at the age of 22 from the University of Melbourne, Australia. He initially worked in mixed large and small animal practice before moving to Adelaide to pursue equine practice.
In 1972, he established a veterinary practice in Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory. The practice served an immense region of remote Australia where veterinary referral was virtually impossible. The nearest practices were nearly 1,000 miles away, and the closest veterinary school was more than 3,000 miles distant. Practicing in this frontier environment required considerable clinical independence and ingenuity.
Roots in Orthopedics, Surgical Skills, Trauma
The Darwin practice saw a high volume of trauma and orthopedic cases, and Dr. Mornane rapidly developed strong surgical skills. Tropical medicine also played a major role in daily practice. Heartworm disease was widespread, and canine diseases such as Babesia and Ehrlichia were poorly understood at the time and had not yet been definitively diagnosed in Australia.
Dr. Mornane was also active in the Australian horse racing industry. He helped organize sponsorship for the Darwin Cup and served nine years as Chairman of the Darwin Turf Club. In recognition of his contributions, he was later made a Life Member and inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame.
He also served fourteen years as Deputy Chair of the Northern Territory Veterinary Surgeons Board. During this time, he earned a diploma in Advanced Tropical Horticulture and helped introduce intradermal skin testing for pets with allergies.
In 1992, Dr. Mornane sold Parap Veterinary Hospital and moved to New York to pursue postgraduate training at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan. He was subsequently selected as the Charlie Bild Visiting Practitioner at the University of Florida, where he pursued advanced study in dermatology and equine anhidrosis.
A Leader in Veterinary Medicine
After becoming licensed in Florida in 1993, Dr. Mornane founded Aussie Animal Hospital in Miami. The hospital developed into a leading veterinary facility and introduced advanced reproductive services, including a canine frozen semen bank. He later expanded the practice to additional locations before selling the hospital in 2010.
In 2006, Dr. Mornane and his wife, Lynn, moved to Union, South Carolina, where they restored the historic Nicholson Mansion while he continued professional veterinary work and consulting.
Founder of Critter Care Veterinary, Wellness and Rehabilitation Center
In 2011, he helped establish Care Animal Regional Emergency Clinic in Spartanburg. In 2018, he started Critter Care Veterinary, Wellness and Rehabilitation Center in Spartanburg. The practice started where the old Critter Care day spa and Inn was and eventually moved into the main building when the Emergency Hospital relocated.
Key to a Long and Rewarding Veterinary Career
Dr. Mornane believes the key to a long and rewarding veterinary career is a commitment to continuing education, clinical curiosity, and the adoption of new technologies.