Professor Noel Fitzpatrick has dedicated his veterinary career to saving as many animals as possible, developing world-first procedures to give pets a better quality of life.
The world-class orthopaedic-neuro veterinary surgeon earned a Guinness World Record for being the first to apply an amputation prosthesis to a cat called Oscar who had lost both front paws in an accident, and has invented 30 new techniques to offer animals a second chance.
But it’s not just other people’s pets he’s helped to live a longer, pain-free life - last October, Noel was forced to operate on his own dog, Keira, when her pelvis was shattered after being hit by a van.
While he described it as one of the most nerve-wracking moments of his career, he was able to share another 12 months with the border terrier before she passed away in September.
The Irish vet has often spoken of how Keira inspired his life work, and now, the bionic vet is releasing a children’s book based on his career.
Fresh out of the operating theatre, Noel showed his 174,600 followers the front cover of Vetman and his Bionic Animal Clan, in a video posted to Twitter.
He recalled how he came up with the idea of Vetman when he was just 10 years old, and said: “This is Vetman and all of the animals that he has saved by developing bionic solutions for them.
"He came into my mind when I was 10 years of age because I didn't feel clever enough - I didn't feel good enough.
“I was out checking the sheep on the farm at home in Ireland where I grew up and unfortunately a lamb died, and I lay in the icy grass looking up at heaven and saw all the stars and wished on the brightest star that I could be more clever and I could be stronger.
“I thought about how love is in the stars, and from that love Vetman was born in my imagination. He’ll fly around the world and save all of the animals, and ultimately save humanity from ourselves.”
The Supervet has saved the lives of hundreds of animals, including the pets of celebrities like Meghan Markle and Russell Brand.
He went on to establish Fitzbionics, a company that designs, develops and manufacture new implants to relieve pain and suffering of animals with bionic solutions.
The animal lover hopes that the 300-page book will inspire youngsters to look after animals and the planet, and even to consider a career in the veterinary profession.
He added: “ I think his [Vetman’s] message is that we need to look after all the animals on planet earth because they represent the very best of us. We need to look after their habitats. We need to look after the world they live in; both wild and companion animals.
“And I hope the book shines as much light for children as Vetman has throughout my life, and inspires them to want to be working in a rescue centre, for example, or want to be a veterinary professional or a veterinary nurse.”
Noel opened up about how he was bullied at school, and how the idea of Vetman got him through the tough times in his life, from exams at school, to building his career.
The 53-year-old said: “I always believe that Vetman was a guiding light and inspired many of the inventions that I've made to try and find solutions for animals and to look at the ethics and possibilities for the future.
“He represents everything that I want to be and hope to be and everything that i try to be every single day.”
When 13-year-old border terrier Keira passed away, he revealed in a tribute that the pup would love to sit on his knee while he wrote.
He told his followers in an emotional message: “She sat on my knee when I was writing lectures or doing reports whether it was happy or sad. She liked it when I was sad because she would lick my tears because she liked the salt.
“But most importantly she was the best friend I could ever want and she gave me hope.
“She made me the best I could be. She saved me from all of the ups and downs. She knew everything about me and she kept it all to herself.”
Vetman and his Bionic Animal Clan is out on October 28.
