In his hilarious heartwarming book, Marcus Taylor recounts his experiences as a young vet, caring for creatures big and small, going on some hair-raising adventures, and searching for true love. His story starts towards the end of his time at vet school and includes a highly amusing account of Marcus taking part in Mr. Vet, the vet school’s infamous annual male beauty pageant.
As part of their training vet students are required to go on several placements to gain practical on the job experience. Keen for an adventure he chooses to travel to the Australian outback to a huge cattle station where he is charged by a wild cow. He avoids being flattened by a hair’s breadth.
Then, just seven weeks into his life as a newly qualified vet, he has a horrific accident. At a stag party for a friend a daredevil jump and a frayed rope lands him in hospital for many weeks with massive injuries. But he is determined to get back on his feet and make an almost full recovery.
Marcus is a rolling stone, always keen to head overseas for a job or a holiday. He travels to England, Hawaii, Newfoundland, Brazil, and the Middle East. In between these overseas veterinary adventures, he does locums at a Canterbury veterinary practice, a large rural practice which mainly services dairy farms but also has a small animal clinic attached.
What they never teach you at vet school is how to deal with an often stressed owner as well as the sick animal which makes his life as a young vet full of highs and lows. One of his most heart wrenching stories is about a 12-year old’s immense grief when Marcus has to put his beloved cat down after it was hit by a taxi. There’s also a very heartwarming story about Fortune the Lamb:
'There is something magical about witnessing the courage of a little lamb to overcome such overwhelming odds. His owner’s willingness to invest the time and money to save him moved my heart!'
Marcus cannot resist embarking on further daredevil adventures. He risks his life in Mauna Loa to have an encounter with giant mantra rays and swims in shark infested waters in Maui. Occasionally he does ponder what motivates him to be so reckless.
As the story progresses Marcus falls deeply in love several times and the reader is left wondering, will he ever find the true love of his life?
In the final chapter, Marcus is in the Middle East working with Bedouin on an animal health project. He had to take a blood sample from an enraged bull camel who was behaving like a dragon dragged from its cave. He writes: 'Surprisingly the camel wasn’t added to the long list of the ones that bit me.’
Marcus is a very engaging spinner of yarns. His captivating tales left me wondering what other adventures he will have in the future as a mid-career vet.
So hopefully there will be a sequel.
Reviewer: Lyn Potter
Massey University Press