Whatever happened to house calls?

Extract

To the televiewer of the eighties, the expression “house call” in a veterinary context surely conjures up a James Herriot type dropping in for a quick examination of the family pet in the kitchen, followed by a nice cup of tea, or something stronger. When reality enters the picture that thirties-inspired romanticism flies out the window, and the clinical practitioner has a problem with an aggrieved client, who longs for the good old days.