HarperNonFiction pre-empts vet memoir

HarperNonFiction has pre-empted Call the Vet, a “rich and warmly funny” memoir by Bruce Fogle.

Publishing director Kelly Ellis struck the pre-emptive deal with Martin Redfern at Northbank Talent Management. It will publish in hardback and audio on 29th October, with Fogle reading the audiobook.

The publisher explained: “When Bruce Fogle arrived in London as a newly trained vet, he 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 Knightsbridge. Just five minutes’ stroll from Harrods and its 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."

Fogle said: “Fifty years ago, I was a newly qualified James Herriot vet, trying my hand at any treatment on any animal. If I did today some of the things I did then I’d rightly be struck off in an instant. Working at the most respected veterinary surgery in London, I had zero understanding of the people who brought pets to vets and not much more understanding of the ‘swinging London’ culture I had dropped in on. It took years for me to comprehend and come to appreciate the culture I found myself in. When it comes to animals, people let their guard down. They’re honest with their feelings and let me in on that honesty. I’m honoured to be sharing some of my experiences and the valuable lessons I’ve learned about both pets and their humans.”

Ellis said: “From the moment I read the first page of Bruce’s memoir I knew I had to publish this book. It is a charmingly written tale of a young vet’s adventures in wealthy west London in the 1970s. A book that informs as much as it entertains, it’s a wonderful exploration of how we care for our animals and why pets are so important to us. I see it as a much-needed tonic for animal lovers everywhere.”