Technology key for vets

Veterinary surgeons are morally bound to embrace technologies that enhance the lives of animals, said Noel Fitzpatrick, an Irish neuro-orthopaedic veterinary surgeon.

A guest speaker at the Veterinary Ireland conference in Galway, Mr Fitzpatrick is the star of the BBC’s Bionic Vet series and Channel 4’s The Supervet. He rose to fame as the first vet in the world to apply a cutting edge amputation prosthesis to a cat named Oscar, who lost both of his hind feet in an accident with a combine harvester.

“I believe it is our moral responsibility to embrace medical advancement responsibly. It’s really down to us to shape that change for the greater good of animals and society. I believe the litmus test of a compassionate society is how we look after our animals,” said Mr Fitzpatrick, whose orthopaedic referral practice in Surrey, has 100 staff.