Examentrainers

Animal Hospital

Whether it’s a much-loved, sick family pet or the victim of a cruel owner, Animal Hospital vet
Bairbre O’Malley wants to save them all.

Millions of viewers know Bairbre		Love for an animal can be just as strong
O’Malley as the vet with the gentle touch in		as love for another human being. And when
the TV series Animal Hospital. Dressed in a		a pet dies, the grieving process is similarly
green surgical gown, her blonde hair pushed		intense. “For older people especially, it’s a
under a headband, she repairs the torn flesh		terrible loss. Their pet is often the only
and broken bones which are the result of		living thing they have. When the animal
man’s cruelty towards the creatures that		goes, they’re devastated, yet they are also
share our planet.		amazingly unselfish about it - they’ll have
What they don’t see, as Bairbre works		their pet put down rather than let the animal
with her needles and scalpels, is her		[id:27786].”
frustration and [id:27782]. She keeps them hidden		Bairbre herself knows what it’s like to
beneath the smile, which has made her one		lose a pet. “I’ve lost two dogs I adored, both
of the best-loved figures in a television		killed by cars. The first was my childhood
documentary series. But it’s there all right.		joy and it was killed outside my front door. I
“Of course you get affected,” says		was 13 and I remember I cried for days.”
Bairbre, 35. “You wouldn’t be human if you		Bairbre’s work is often [id:27787], with the
didn’t. Much of the cruelty isn’t actual		operations lasting anything up to three
assault on an animal, but [id:27783]. Some people		hours. “I remember a dog that got impaled
just don’t give a damn. I’ve known cases		on some railings on Hampstead Heath. The
where a person has moved out of a flat,		firebrigade had cut him free and he was
locked the door behind them and left their		brought in here with the railings sticking
dog to starve to death.”		right through him. The dog made a full
In the four years Bairbre’s been at the		recovery - but the amazing thing was, he
RSPCA2) Harmsworth hospital in London,		had a doggy girlfriend who stayed with him
there’s little she hasn’t seen. The biggest		all the way through. She wouldn’t leave his
surprises often come when she opens an		side.”
animal’s stomach because it has an eating		Now that she’s a TV star, she gets
disorder. “Some dogs are [id:27784],” she smiles,		fanmail by the sackful. There are fourlegged
“In my time I’ve found socks, tights,		fans too. “Someone sent a photo of a
walnuts, doorknobs - you name it.”		cat sitting in front of the TV watching me. It
Thankfully though, for every bad owner		was flattering until I realised that
there are scores of caring ones. “You can’t		also on screen was a parrot. I know cats and
fail to be moved by people’s kindness. The		their instincts. What it was really doing,
pets that flood our lives with love come		was looking at the parrot and thinking ‘[id:27788]’.”
in all shapes and sizes.
There are lots of rats being kept as
pets these days,” says Bairbre. “Don’t
knock it - rats make great pets. They are
very friendly and intelligent. Trouble is,
their owners love them so much they [id:27785] them.
I think someone ought to set up a diet club
specially for rats.”		‘Woman’s Own’

RSPCA = dierenbescherming