Adventures of a Country Vet: True stories from the horse’s mouth, from England to New Zealand

Funny and heartwarming stories from a Northland country vet


In the rolling green hills of Kaipara, Scottish vet Rory Dean and his two fox terriers, Scrappy and Alfie, are on call day and night for whichever animal emergency awaits.

In Adventures of a Country Vet, Rory shares stories of the livestock and pets he’s cared for as a rural vet in New Zealand and southwest England. From calving in a blizzard to a dog wounded in a pig-hunt, a horse castration gone wrong and warming a baby alpaca in the footwell of his ute, life as a vet is all-go.

It isn’t all rosy: Rory’s sworn at, called every name under the sun, even threatened to be shot; and, some days, bad news can make the toughest Kiwi bloke cry. Working with farmers who are at the mercy of extreme weather, Rory knows when to stop and listen over a strong cuppa. These are entertaining, heartwarming tales of animals in need and a picture of the communities who care for them.

Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Imprint: HarperCollins NZ
Publication date: 30/10/2024