Call the vet

When he arrived in London as a newly trained vet, Bruce Fogle quickly learnt to embrace the unexpected. An idealistic, fresh-faced Canadian, he cut his teeth at the prestigious Woodrow & Singleton surgery in the heart of the Knightsbridge. Just five minutes' stroll from Harrods and their notorious 'Zoo Department,' Singleton's was frequented by Britain's most distinguished pet owners, from Duchesses and Sultans to Paul McCartney and Elizabeth Taylor. Yet for Bruce, the allure of the rich and famous could never compete with the newly discovered thrills of his profession. Whether for commonplace ailments or the melodrama of surgery, a veritable arc of patients crossed his treatment table, from cats and dogs to alligators, pumas and even a capuchin monkey. Call the Vet is a wonderfully rich and warmly funny memoir. Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1970s London, it explores the unique bond between pets and their owners; the common thread of compassion that unites all cultures and classes, and the discovery of love and joy in unexpected places.