Animal Matters

by Charlotte Rea

Inner-city London vet Charlotte Rea reveals the endless variety of a job that requires her to shift rapidly from consoling a bereaved cat owner to treating a dog high on amphetamines to performing emergency surgery on a chicken. She also records her thoughts on contemporary issues in veterinary medicine such as animal euthanasia, mental health issues within the profession and ethical concerns around pedigree dog breeding.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 21, 2019

Reviews

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a few friends personally who are either vets or training in veterinary care at University. I would highly encourage anyone currently in studies or thinking about becoming one to give this memoir a read. Charlotte's real-life experiences working as a vet for a charity hospital told in diary format made for interesting reading. You get to experience the frustrations of owners who don't seem to understand the stresses their pet is experiencing. The joys of a operation being a success and sadness if it isn't working. An emotional read.

[Jayne Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful emotional funny and informative read.

[Vicki Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really interesting as it goes into the finer points of running a veterinary hospital on behalf of a charity. There are many restrictions on what procedures can be done by the charity as the customers are only giving a donation for the care that their pet receives. There were also cases in the book where the RSPCA has to get involved and these cases were really interesting particularly when they prosecute people. Although it is horrible for the animals the care that these animals are given is second to none and this results in them being able to find their forever homes. I picked it up as it looked interesting, when it got returned to my library and I am glad I did. It was real life and it was interesting.

[David Hambling · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining and enlightening view of what it means to be a small-animal vet today. Charlotte Rea bring you all the heart-warming and heart-breaking stories you might expect , plus some thoughtful explorations of the issues behind some of her cases (such as problems with short-nosed dog breeds and why they arise) and the perpetual challenge of owner's expectations against reality. You get to see people at their worst -- there are one or two truly horrific cruelty cases -- and their best, as the vets and nurses (and caring owners) do their utmost to help their furry and not always appreciative charges.

My wife has been a vet at the same animal charity as the author for many years, and from what she says its a very accurate depiction of life on the front line. I certainly couldn't do it, and I'll always be grateful that there are those who can.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary memoir by female vet Charlotte Rea. I added the 'female' only because I have read most of the James Herriot books by now and unfairly, vets bring up a male image in my head. Charlotte would not approve. I read the anecdotes about Bert the budgie and later Bea and James and the eight mice...then read both again, out loud to a family member as we found it pretty funny and could relate. I had to borrow a copy twice to get through it and there was a long library wait list between turns, so apparently I am not the only one who was happy to read about the trials and tribulations of animal care. Well done.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

having a dream of being a vet, this book illustrates how vets' lifes are in a nutshell. Starting from their challenges from the beginning until a certified one. This author also gave some astonishing facts about animal welfare, the problems etc (in UK).

If you are interested of being a vet (or sadly could not become one like me), this book is very recommended. It's so easy to read, there are some jokes/funny stories that made you laughed out loud and some tear-jerking stories - so. if you have a soft heart, prepare your Kleenex.

overall, love it so much.

[Ellesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Rea is a vet working within a London based charity animal hospital, the book is based over a year in a diary format. the varied length of the entries allows you to dip in and out of the book when you want to.

I loved the book, while I have read a number of veterinary books this the first one that is innercity and charity based, it was interesting to see the difference in the perspectives between the two.


People of all incomes love pets and the vast majority of them love and cherish them, it is sad to read about the ones that don’t but there are people who can step in if needed. The way some people treat their pets is horrible, I don’t understand how people can treat an innocent being like they do, but the people working at the charity do care.

As a charity they are restricted to the treatments they can offer, having to use the money in the most effective manner to help as many animals as they can. Some of the people who use the service donate what they can however it can’t cover everything. It is clear that everyone who works at the centre cared about the animals and do the best they can with limited resources, choosing to work in a charity rather than a private practice.

The book covers some of the different types of work they do including an outreach van which goes into the community and helps owners including people who are homeless with pets.

Finally, one of the issues highlighted in the book is the mental health crisis among the veterinary profession. The book discusses the problem and provides numbers should a vet be seeking help.

If you like books about vets this is definitely one to pick up!

[Kirsten Lost 2022 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this from the library on a whim and loved it. I love vet memoirs, and medical memoirs, and this is like a combo of the two. I am a massive proponent of animal welfare and books like this make me wonder if the vet care system isn't set up for a massive collapse. But most of all, it impresses just how much your vet cares, even if you're getting low-cost treatment.

[Miriam Ilderton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting and eye-opening read. I am quite keen on becoming a vet in the future, and this was definitely good for setting some realistic expectations for the good and bad of being a vet. My only complaint would be the style of writing, which I found a little bit too disjunct at times, although it was very amusing at others.

[Ceri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book out the library a few days ago and started it immediately. I am missing my work as a vet nurse in practice so jumped on this to remind me of it!
It was a well written and engaging book and accurately depicted life in veterinary practice. A nice read, especially for those of us in the know!

[Antonietta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book.

[Al-Naser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving stories that shows what veterinary medicine is really all about

[Foggygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read

Both hilarious and heartbreaking read about the trials and tribulations that a vet working in a charity animal hospital in London goes through on a daily basis.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I CANNOT decide what to rate this book. I think, for a non-fiction, it’s pretty darn good, but not good enough to read again (hence 4*). That being said, is it possible to like a non-fiction as much as you do a fiction? I’m rating this as if the answer to that is no.

I feel like in a non-fiction you look for different things c.f. a fiction. You don’t need to connect to the characters, you don’t need to get hooked or have that feeling of impending doom when something goes wrong. Or do you?

That’s why I’m confused.

So I’m rating this a 4 for now, but if one-day I read a non-fiction that blows my socks off- things could change.