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Check out the latest news and events happening at Hugh's Animal House.
Interview with our very own Hugh Duffin! 
We thought it was about time we interviewed Hugh Duffin. As Head Vet and Clinical Director of the Animal House we to wanted to know his responses to these questions.
Q. When did you know you wanted to be a vet?
A. In 1969 at the age of 7 I helped my dad rear a litter of puppies. Four of them died and I was very upset. I remember desperately wanting to be able to do something about it. In 1972 I read my first James Herriot novel and my determination was set.
Q. It is anything like James Herriot led you to believe?
A. Not a scrap of it.
Q. Why did you set up The Animal House?
A. Having worked in different practices and a partnership I felt they did not reflect the commitment I had in veterinary medicine. I wanted to put my own ethical and clinical stamp on what we did and I am proud of what our practice does.
Q. Have you toyed with changing professions?
A. When I was small I wanted to be a paratrooper for a time but my first experience of an assault course proved that I have a pathalogigal fear of heights so that put paid to that. I was head hunted by Lloyds Bank but despite the incredible salary I could not see myself happy with a desk job.
Q. What does a Head Vet/Clinical Director do differently to any other vet? 
A. I do the same job as every other vet at The Animal House but I have more responsibilities. Any drug that we buy is ultimatley my decision. I have to make sure that Health and Safety. COSH, insurance and all these areas are covered. I also do the hiring and firing. I conduct performance reviews and ensure that all staff know what we want them to do, where we want them to be and that we are all happy. Its a bit un-ending but essentially if anything goes wrong at The Animal House I am personally liable. The paperwork is immense but it has to be done to keep us running. I can match any time I spend treating animals with time I spend on paperwork.
Q. How many hours do you work?
A. I officially work a 72hr week but anyone who is either a)a vet or b)in business, knows that you are never off duty, so if a week ever happened where I only worked 72hrs I would think there was something wrong.
Q. What is good about your job?
A. Every day is a different story. There is no 9-5 monotony and I get to meet lots of characters and loads of wonderful pets. There is a massive euphoria when you diagnose and treat a difficult case.
Q. What's the worst part of being a vet?
A. Long hours and rubbish pay.
Q. What would you say to people who want to be a vet?
A. If its not a vocation for you then forget it. It takes a particulat dermination and character to make it. I am the only practicing vet left out of my flat mates from Vet College. They have all diversified into other careers. If you can graduate from vet college you can choose from different careers which is a bonus, and the UK is short of vets at the moment. The burn-out rate is high due to the long hours and poor pay and I can't see this changing in the future. Take it very seriously because if it is not the right choice for you you will be miserable. Vets accept long hours and poor pay to be allowed to do what they love. Don't expect much of a social life or hobbies as you won't have time. You will probably marry (if you get round to it) someone in the veterinary profession as these will be the only people you meet. This is just as well because anyone outside of it won't understand the commitment and lack of home-time and would probably divorce you. I am actively encouraging my children away from a veterianry career, even though one is determined-at least she can see the pit-falls at first hand. If you seriously love it then there is no other career for you.
Q. What does your typical day look like?
A. 7.30-9.30 Admin and planning and/or horse calls.
9.30-1.30 consulting/operating
1.30-2.30 horse calls/reps meetings
2.30-3.30 consulting
3.30-4.00 lunch/case histories/planning/phone calls to clients
4.00-6.30 consulting
6.30-7.30 inpatients/emergencies/operating
7.30 + Admin/calls/ inpatients/horse calls -go home when finished. Typical arrive at home 9.30-10 pm if lucky.
Q. What would be your fantasy perfect work day?
A. Wake up and have breakfast with the family. Consulting and operating until 12.30. Lunch with colleagues, 2-3.30 consulting. 3.30-4.30 The gym. 4.30-6.30 consulting and home by 7.30.
Q. Does this ever happen?
A. No.
Q. What do you see for the future of The Animal House?
A. We would like to establich more practices with like-minded staff to bring our standards to other towns.
Q. What is your attitude towards animals?
A. Owning an animal is a privilege and not a right. I stand by the 5 freedoms and in my job I am the animals' advocate. Any animal brought in to us is treated in the same way. If you don't have respect for all species you are in the wrong job as a vet. I love animals, I have 2 of my own as part of our family. We only have what we have the time, energy and money to look after properly.
Q. What is the most common thing that goes wrong with pets that drives you mad?
A. Feeding too much of the wrong food causes no end of problems. It drives me crazy. I would ban advertising of pet food on T.V. It is a poorly regulated area and the problems associated come thick and fast.
Q. What drives you mad about owners?
A. People not paying-our terms and conditions are quite clear and I feel personally cheated. My other bug bear is people not using prescribed drugs as instucted and then wondering why their pets don't get better. And sourcing drugs off the internet-we just don't know if they're fake and can either do nothing or do harm.
Q. What do you really think about clients?
A. We are very lucky, our clients are great. If there is one who is horrible we write to them and tell them to go elsewhere so we have no horrible clients. I can't do my job without clients. Vets love diagnosing and treating and could do without the people, until you realise that a good ammount of information you need comes from the owner who knows that pet's normal behaviour better than anyone else ever would.
Q. How do you keep up to date with veterinary medicine and procedure?
A. We all have to do a minimum of 35hrs re-training each year. At The Animal House we always exceed this by 75-100 hours. I am studying for a graduate certificate in advanced surgery which will take me 3 years to complete. I give myself a day off a month to do it. Alison and Matt are also studying for certificates in opthalmology and medicine.
Q. How do you relax?
A. I like to socialise with friends, I follow motorsport and I like skiing. I love to watch the occassional polo match-especially when The Animal House team are playing.
Q. What pet should people not have?
A. Dangerous dogs or any pet that does not fit in with your lifestyle. Don't buy anything from a puppy farm or that is ill or deformed from the outset.
Q. How do you choose your staff?
A. We pick personable people who share the same work ethic as I do. This goes for all staff, not just vets. If you prove to be grumpy, bossy, thick or lazy you'll soon be out on your ear. You have to be a bit obsessed in my book to do it right.
Q. What makes you sad?
A. When I euthanase a stray because we can't fix it and there is no one to grieve for the poor thing. Also when we have a long term patient that comes to the end of its life. We can be professional and practical but it weighs on your mind when you go home. No vet takes euthanasia lightly. If you don't care you shouldn't be doing it.
Q.If you could make up a new law for animals what would it be?
A. NHS for pets-run properly by vets.
Q. Could this ever happen?
A. No. The government deems a pet a luxury and not a right therefore the law suggests that there are no unwanted pets as anyone who has one must have planned and bought it in the first place with all the skills and intelligence to look after it properly for life. In reality this is not the case. If a rescue won't give you a pet because you can't afford to look after it properly and you can't spend the time and attention on it to look after it properly for life, at the moment you can go to a breeder and buy one anyway. If pets weren't used as a financial commodity it would help the problem immensely. If you can't sell it you're less likely to breed it and maybe the government would stop thinking of pets as a luxury.
Q. Do you have a favourite type of pet?
A. I love my own dog Minnie and my cat Fitch (They were both brought in to the surgery unwanted-I didn't buy them) Apart from these I love any animal that does not want to bite me. Exotics are interesting but I prefer to see them in tbeir natural habitat. You've got to have a soft spot for a tortoise though.
Q. Anything you'd like our clients to know about you?
A. If I don't return your call its beacause I am with a sick animal and there is no more time left in the day. I am never doing nothing. Where we have strict rules its because we have to to abide by the law and not because we just made it up to make our lives difficult. I don't like clients demanding to talk to me despite being given the correct information from one of our receptionists, interrupting me whilst trying to cure a sick animal won't give them a different answer and has just infuriated me.
I am not fond of whisky and I would probably sell my soul if I could go skiing 3 times per year. Most importantly-I love being a vet.
Thank you for answering the questions. It would be interesting to get feed-back from clients on what they think of your answers. Please let us know what you think of this interview. If you wish to put your own questions to any of our staff-please send them.