Animal Matters (Hardback) - Charlotte Rea

A moving account of the bond between people and animals by a vet at a London animal charity

'Heartwarming and hilarious' Telegraph

'With as many horrifying stories as heart-warming ones, this is a fascinating look at the year in the life of a vet at a London animal charity hospital. There are some proper belly laughs as well as some insights that will truly stick with you.' - Alexandra Heminsley, Grazia

An unusual 'dalmation', a TV star with cancer, an out of control budgie. Charlotte Rea has seen them all, and more.

Animal Matters is Charlotte's diary of real-life cases written during a one year of her work as a veterinary surgeon in a 24-hour inner-city London animal charity. The diary reveals the reality of working as a vet, how it can be both emotional and amusing, one minute you can be consoling an owner on the loss of their much-loved pet, the next trying to catch an escaped budgie. Charlotte mixes deeply sad moments with amusing and unimaginable ones along with more detailed accounts and reflections back on her training and the experiences she has come up against over the decade since she graduated.

Throughout the book you will get to know both the animals and the people and how close the bond between us can be. Charlotte also discusses contemporary issues in veterinary medicine such as animal euthanasia, RSPCA welfare cases, mental health issues within the veterinary profession, ethical concerns around pedigree dog breeding and the laws on dangerous dogs.

Animal Matters is a moving and heartwarming book about the unconditional love between animals and humans.

About the Author

Charlotte Rea is a veterinary surgeon currently working in a large London animal charity hospital. She graduated from vet school in 2008 and has since gone on to complete a post-graduate certificate in small animal medicine.

She has spent several stints abroad working with various animal charities including in Nairobi for Kenya Wildlife Services and Worldwide Veterinary Service projects in Lisbon and on the Greek island of Samos.

She is passionate about animal health and welfare and has spent nearly a decade of her life dedicated to the animals of London, including pampered dogs and cats, homeless and stray pets and city farm animals.

Charlotte lives in north London with her husband, young daughter and eccentric, fluffy cat.