Supervet Professor Noel Fitzpatrick has revealed that his famed vet practice is going through a tough business period.
The Laois man who stars in Channel 4’s The Supervet, runs Fitzpatrick Referrals in Surrey in the UK, where clients have included Brian Maye, Meghan Markle and Russell Brand.
He is renowned for his innovative surgical techniques including creating bionic limbs.
However despite its high profile, the business has “dramatically shrunk” in recent years.
The Ballyfin native spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live this week.
He explained why the company is finding business harder than ever.
“Several companies have bought many vet practices and I have chosen to stay independent.
“I believe all of the animals deserve all of the options all of the time and there are some options that don’t make any money, so they’re not on the table unless I stay independent. My biggest challenge is to stay solvent.
“If an elderly lady has a dog and that’s all she has left in the world, the operation costs X and she has Y, I want to be able to help her.
“In order to do that, I need to see all the routine cases, the bread and butter. But they are elsewhere because of the business model. As a result, my practice has dramatically shrunk in every way,” Professor Fitzpatrick said.
He has had to let some staff go.
“I am busy because what I do nobody else does. But I’m a dinosaur and I will be extinct.
“The important thing for me is to do the right thing. It’s fine, the business world can go on.
“But people have no idea, I finished work last night at 5am. I start at 9am, I’m working harder than ever, I’m getting older, and it’s harder than it’s ever been.
“People need to send us the routine cases, not just the ones that take me 10 hours to fix. If I can’t get the bread and butter cases, I can’t do the extraordinary things, that don’t make money,” he explains.
He is asking Irish people to support him.
“One thing that would help keep me going is if people look at our YouTube channel, SuperVet ER, with a new episode every Thursday, and they like and subscribe and share. Then the more likely we are to get work. People need to know they can come.
I would really appreciate it if the people of Laois and Leinster would support me in that way.”
He spoke ahead of his appearance as the special guest at a gala dinner for the new Lovely Laois Homecoming Festival.
He warmly praises its organiser, Laois country singer Trudi Lawlor.
“She is our queen. She’s doing it out of love and compassion for everybody in Laois. I think it’s a beacon of hope for all of Ireland, we should be proud of our heritage and look after each other,” Professor Fitzpatrick said.
Read also: ‘This is misogyny’ Laois businesswoman calls out men requesting ‘sexual services’
He is shortly releasing a new children’s book about grief called Over the Rainbow Bridge.
The Lovely Laois Homecoming Festival takes place on September 5, 6 and 7. Tickets for the gala dinner on Saturday are €59. It will include live music by The Muskateers, Trudi Lalor, Damien Bowe, Shawn Cuddy, presentations to four Laois ‘unsung heroes’ and a four course meal in the Midlands Park Hotel.
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