Animal Magic: People who have inspired me

I knew when I went up for an interview to try to get into vet school at Cambridge, that if I was asked why I wanted to be a vet, it would probably be best not to mention James Herriott.

I also knew that probably every other teenager being interviewed would have been influenced by him. Because back then the weekly television series ‘All creatures great and small’ featuring James Herriott’s autobiographical adventures had been essential family viewing on Saturday nights since 1978.

This was back in the days when there were only 3 channels to choose from on the TV, and‘ All creatures’ was one of the few programmes that was so popular that our whole family made a point to settle down to watch it together.

I adored the lifestyle and strange family dynamic that Alf White depicted, as played by Christopher Timothy, with Robert Hardy and Peter Davison also playing veterinary surgeons.

I could think of nothing more wonderful than joining a profession where the care of the animals, who had no voice of their own came above all other considerations

Of course Alf’s stories are set in the 1930s, in Yorkshire, so were already forty years out of date when I was a child. But I devoured his books, and dreamt of a life being of use to sick animals.

Later I discovered some of the problems that I might encounter. My teachers and parents pointed out that girls did not become vets. They should see the profession now! They also pointed out the near impossibility of getting into vet school, with hundreds of applicants each year for each place available.

Luckily I was then, and still am now, not only determined but a bit of a rebel, so I followed in James Herriott’s footsteps anyway.