Pets and the City

True Tales of a Manhattan House Call Veterinarian

One of Washington Post’s 5 “Feel-Good Books” of Summer 2024

New York City’s premier “house call veterinarian” takes you into the exclusive penthouses and four-star hotel rooms of the wealthiest New Yorkers and shows that, when it comes to their pets, they are just as neurotic as any of us.

When a pet is sick, people—even the rich and famous—are at their most authentic and vulnerable. They could have a Monet on the wall and an Oscar on the shelf, but if their cat gets a cold, all they want to talk about are snotty noses and sneezing fits. That’s when they call premier in-home veterinarian Dr. Amy Attas.

In Pets and the City, Dr. Amy shares all the funny, heartbreaking, and life-affirming experiences she’s faced throughout her thirty-year career treating the cats and dogs of New Yorkers from Park Avenue to the projects. Some of her stories are about celebs, like the time she saw a famous singer naked (no, her rash was not the same as her puppy’s). Others are about remarkable animals, like the skilled service dog who, after his exam was finished, left the room and returned with a checkbook in his mouth. Every tale in this rollicking, informative, and fun memoir affirms a key truth about animal, and human, nature: Our pets love us because their hearts are pure; we love them because they’re freaking adorable. On some level, we know that by caring for them, we are the best version of ourselves. In short: Our pets make us better people.

Great story!

I found this book by accident and so glad I did! As an animal lover, I appreciated all the heartwarming stories. It was well-written, and the narration was perfect; I was hooked from the start.

The devotion of the vet to animals and their owners.

I loved the book, but did not agree that all pet store dogs come from puppy mills and are sick. All of our dogs have been rescues, except for my two beautiful labs, Mia, a yellow lab, and Charley, a chocolate lab. They were healthy, precious, had beautiful dispositions, loved each other, and both lived to 16.

I want a dog

Charming and easy to read. Really sums up pet love. Glad I found this book.

Feel good story

My book club loved this book! So well told. Narration was perfect. It touched our hearts.

Listened to this one twice!

Magnificent and full of poignant anecdotes (and advice). Might just listen again. Brilliantly and beautifully read! It will tug at your heartstrings one moment and make you giggle or gasp the next.