Vet Daryl Elphick has been at Parkes Veterinary Clinic for 22 years, Tasneem Bahrainwala joining him for the past four.

On Saturday Daryl announced the closure of the town's only vet clinic, explaining he just can't keep going when he can't attract and retain full time staff.

While the news left the community reeling, Daryl said it had been a long time coming.

The clinic has been on the market for five or six years now, and he's been advocating about a shortage of vets for years longer than that.

"When Wagga uni started we used to get lots of students - I love teaching students," he said, but the number of those who will come to country towns has dwindled.

Most recently, they've struggled to attract and retain full time veterinary nurses and reception staff.

Not only that, Tasneem is waiting on a visa. She has offers of work if she can secure that visa, but she's happy here and would have loved to stay.

Daryl had hoped to fully staff the clinic in Parkes so he could divide his time between it and his property, with Tasneem there full time.

He moved to Parkes for this job 22 years ago and later purchased the clinic from Terry Walsh. He has already spent about 10 years as the town's only vet.

Even with good support staff, that's a tough job on call around the clock.

He might travel hundreds of kilometres overnight and deliver a foal or calf, then have to be in back in the surgery all day.

Despite the challenges, both vets are passionate about their work.

"Innately, vets love animals, that is a prerequisite ... we are constantly thinking about them," Tasneem said.

The clinic has given them the most incredible range of experience: Daryl has had his finger ripped open by a wedge-tailed eagle and performed a cesarean on a snake.

"We do a lot of WIRES work - we see kangaroos, joeys, lizards, turtles, every sort of bird," Daryl said.

"I've enjoyed it. We have tackled all sorts of challenges."

Daryl said that over the years he has had some wonderful staff, and since he made the news of the closure public he has heard from many people.

"It's a sad day, even more for us," Daryl said.

"I feel like we are letting people down ... I don't know whether people understand how much of your life you put into a town."

Is it hard? Incredibly. They're both attached to their patients - of all shapes and sizes - and their families.

"Someone said to me, it's your job not your life ... but I don't know that many vets think like that," he added.

"You get too involved, probably because you're dealing with animals that don't talk - they don't have a say.

"I feel really sorry for the people who can't travel ... it would be nice if somebody else came here and opened a clinic.

"We can't do it any longer, just the two of us."