Manhattan veterinarian tells all in new memoir after 3 decades of house calls for pets
MANHATTAN (WABC) -- Doctors who make house calls for patients? Yes - it's a thing of the past.
But veterinarians who make house calls for pets? That still happens. And one veterinarian in Manhattan says she's been doing them for three decades and ready to tell it all.
Doctor Amy Atta's new memoir "Pets and the City" explores her more than 30 years in the practice.
"All of the stress that's associated with going to the vet's office is eliminated when I come to his home," Atta said while caring for one of her many patients, a 19-year-old cat named Puddy.
Atta opened her practice "City Pets" after leaving her job at an animal hospital on the Upper East Side. She thought the house calls would be temporary. They were not, and soon her convenience began to appeal to celebrities.
Some of Atta's clients include the late Joan Rivers, Cher and Billy Joel.
"Billy Joel has been a client for a really long time," added Atta. "I recall going to his apartment. I was about to knock on the door, but I could hear him playing the piano inside, and I knew if I knocked on the door, that would end my private concert. So, we stood outside the door until the song was finished."
Atta's house calls cost about 30% more than a typical visit to an animal hospital in Manhattan, but her clients appreciate the most cost-effective approach.
"This is our child, and we would do anything for our children, so it's worth the cost." said client Lisa Healey. "It's worth every penny. I don't even think about it."
"Pets and the City" goes on sale June 18.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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