Southern Tablelands Veterinary Hospital has taken out a Business 2580 Award in the animal and agriculture category.

Dr Mandy Craig, who owns the business with her husband Richard Dowsett, said she was "over the moon" with the award.

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The business owner wasn't aware of the nomination until she went online to vote in the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce awards.

Practice manager Katrina Watson said she was grateful to have amazing clients who trusted the animal hospital with their babies.

"We've worked harder in the last two years than ever before," she said.

"All the overtime and missed lunch breaks have been acknowledged by our clients [with this award]."

Goulburn Chamber of Commerce president Darrell Weekes said the awards were a way to publicly "acknowledge the businesses who work their hearts out to deliver".

"It's great way to celebrate what has been a really tough year," he said.

A total of 211 businesses were nominated with 16,500 votes cast for this year's business awards.

Due to the high number of positive cases in Goulburn the animal hospital transitioned to a contactless service during the height of restrictions.

Dr Craig said clients had been "very understanding" about COVID-19 limitations over the past few months.

"It hasn't been a year of financial difficulty, it's been a year of staffing difficulties and high levels of service."

Now back to normal, the business is bigger and better than ever.

Dr Craig said all staff members were double vaccinated and "committed to protecting each other and clients against the virus".

"If we had to close it would be very difficult for our clients and their pets," she said.

Business picked up during lockdown with plenty of new pets walking, flying and slithering though the doors.

Dr Craig said there had been an increase in pets with anxiety. She said feelings of fear and unease, could spread from owner to pet and she wanted to "make people aware".

Many changes have been in the works for the hospital including:

Dr Craig said she was feeling "very blessed" with the new staff due to a shortage of veterinarians across Australia.

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