Beyond Supervet: How Animals Make Us The Best We Can Be: The New Number 1 Sunday Times Bestseller

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I had no great hopes for this book. Much as I like our local practitioners personally, vets generally hold as much appeal for me as they do to my dogs, together we avoid them as much as possible. I tend to disagree with some veterinary practices and I’ve been fortunate in that my dogs are exceptionally poorly bred which means they have no ‘class’ but are incredibly healthy with no genetic disposition towards illness or disability.

Vetman and his Bionic Animal Clan: An amazing animal

Secondly, how the author draws on the qualities he sees in animals – particularly pet cats and dogs, including his own. Reading about Noel’s upbringing on a rural Irish farm, there’s a vulnerability to his writing that makes him instantly endearing. It really feels like he’s writing from the heart and you can feel his passion and warmth. He writes honestly about his struggles with bullies and the isolation he felt, and growing up with the beloved farm dog Pirate, who was his only confidante. At times I was truely brought close to tears. But before I get on to the actual book, I have to say that I find the author's work, dedication, compassion and obvious intelligence truly inspirational and I love the 'Supervet' TV series which is completely unique and compelling.

But the book begins with a letter from the RCVS or the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons informing him that a complaint has been made about him by 4 other vets about his treatment of a tortoise called Hermes. They had deemed it an experiment, unprofessional cruel, unethical and unjustified. Noel had fitted prosthetic limbs to Hermes who subsequently died. This casts a shadow over the book as does the perfect storm of coronavirus. What can I say, Noel has always been my hero, now he is even more so. He had such a bad start in education, being taught to be a good Catholic and little else at primary school and then being horrendously bullied at secondary school. He still had a dream, from a very young age, to be a vet and despite all the hurdles he achieved his ambition. I did feel that he found talking about his early life in Ireland, and his romantic attachments, a little awkward. However the chapters on his patients, and the building of his dreamed for practice, were so interesting that I could not put the book down. Sixthly in how up to date it is – the book’s themes drawing together in a very tangible and incredibly up to date way with a severe accident to his own dog in September 2020 (one month before publication).

The Supervet The Supervet

Growing up on the family farm in Ballyfin, Ireland, Noel's childhood was spent tending to the cattle and sheep, the hay and silage, the tractors and land, his beloved sheepdog Pirate providing solace from the bullies that plagued him at school. It was this bond with Pirate, and a fateful night spent desperately trying to save a newborn lamb, that inspired Noel to enter the world of veterinary science - and set him on the path to becoming The Supervet. From what I have seen about Noel, he really is someone very special, his dedication is clearly evident, as is his genuine love of animals, and the fact that he loves hugs. I enjoyed reading about some of his hobbies that he loved and learnt from, although all fell to the wayside as work took over his life. And we also heard about relationships, here he was very honest with us, I’m not sure that I really needed to know how old he was when he lost his virginity, but it was an interesting chapter. I love The Supervet programme and in this book his absolute passion for and commitment to his "One Medicine" concept really shines through. And his drive is just so impressive. I did enjoy discovering how he got his practice up and running and the hurdles he met along the way. I feel anyone who is an animal lover will enjoy this read, Noel writes in a way that helps you understand the science of what is going on so you can understand each animal case without it being completely bogged down in medical terms.

This is a lively book with moments of joy as an animal recovers or a new technique is a success but also of sorrow when a pet cannot be saved or succumbs to old age. At worst points the narrative was condescending and exuded privilege. The narrative of "if you work for it you will get it" was so pervasive I found myself despairing and shaking my head numerous times.

Listening to the Animals: Becoming the Supervet - Goodreads Listening to the Animals: Becoming the Supervet - Goodreads

At the time of writing the book, it appeared that Noel was single, I’ve always had a bit of a ‘thing’ for him, so if you’re reading this Noel and fancy meeting up then do get in touch! The author is clearly a very sensitive, beautiful person and his empathy shone through. However, there are times when I felt the book was a little too personal and emotional and that is unusual since I am a very emotional creature myself. Maybe it is because I am very sensitive myself that I felt uncomfortable at times, maybe it was too close to the bone. Maybe it was his emotional delivery on audio, which felt a little dramatic at times. I am not saying he should have done it differently, just that it did not always work for me. This was a book gifted to me and it took me a couple of years to decide to read it. I ended up going with the audio book, narrated by the author. I completely understand why my mother-in-law gave it to me. I love animals. I always have some around me. I wanted to be a vet when I was younger.I know of Noel’s skill but have only seen glimpses of his tv programs as I hate to see animals suffer. I remember last winter, on Sunday evenings, watching The Supervet on the couch under a cozy blanket and crying my eyes out for the poor animals which were presented in the show. At the same time Noel made me understand that there is hope and good quality of life also for badly injured animals. I wish I knew of Noel when my dog needed surgery on his spine, things could have been different. Reading the book made me like him even more as a human being. His work is amazing and I like people who keep their heart open although they were not always treated kindly. Fortunately I was much more interested in Noel's scientific advances than his friends and lovers, and enjoyed his enthusiasm for his life's work and his compassion and warmth towards the animals he treats and their families. I found the technical detail of how he creates his innovative prostheses fascinating, and he also offers a compelling vision of a potential future where scientific and technological advances can come to replace the requirement for medical experiments on live animals.