(whimsical music) - [Narrator] In the heart of glorious North Yorkshire lies the quaint market town of Thirsk.

(whimsical music) Here the world's most famous vet, James Herriot, lived, worked, and wrote his best selling books.

His former surgery and home are now a museum, but his practice lives on nearby.

(phone rings) - Good morning, Skeldale Veterinary Centre.

- It's a great privilege really, working in this practice, and it very much is in the footsteps, really, of James Herriot.

Makes me very proud, really, to be part of that heritage.

- [Narrator] Julian Norton is the Yorkshire vet.

- Ha ha.

We have a wide range of different species that come in to see us and that gives us this tremendous amount of satisfaction.

I don't think I'd have it any other way.

- [Narrator] Julian runs the practice alongside senior partner and former Herriot trainee, Peter Wright.

- [Julian] Everything's yours, isn't it?

- There is no finer view in England.

I have a long relationship with the Herriot practice and I feel very privileged to work in the most famous veterinary practice in the world.

- [Narrator] Here, together with Skeldale's dedicated team, (cat croaks) they treat animals of all shapes.

- [Speaker] Bloody hell, sir.

- [Narrator] Sizes.

- Go on.

- [Narrator] Types.

- Oh, Cranky, get off me.

- [Narrator] And temperaments.

(pig squeals) It's definitely not glamorous.

- [Julian] Oh, no.

- [Narrator] But it's varied.

- [Julian] Come back in there like that.

- Oh, little Bobby, that's rare.

- [Narrator] It's rarely easy.

(fence clanks) - [Speaker] First one.

- [Narrator] As the Yorkshire Vet carries on the Herriot tradition, treating all creatures great and small.

(gentle music) (birds chirp) (bird caws) (whimsical music) (birds chirp and caw) It's early summer.

On the moors and dales around Thirsk, (bell rings) creatures graze and man toils.

(whimsical music continues) At the surgery, Julian's busy day is just beginning.

- [Julian] Oops.

- [Narrator] His first call is to some of Yorkshire's more unusual residents.

- There's a group of alpacas and they need castrating.

They're beginning to fall out with each other, biting each other and causing a bit of a handfuls.

- [Narrator] The alpacas' owner is Colin Grimston.

- The one right at the front here, beige colored one is Jester.

Right in the corner we've got Jay-Z.

Jay-Z was a little bit wild, didn't like being touched, but we've done quite a bit of work with him and he's much more manageable now.

Jester likes fighting with the others a little bit too much.

And that's Mr. Darcy.

He's just sort of getting into the herd.

- Three of them that I'm doing are quite old.

They're mature alpacas, which always makes things a bit more challenging.

- [Colin] Come on then.

They naturally wrestle.

So they fight with their necks.

Eventually they'll start rearing up and throwing their legs at each other.

The problem with that is then you start getting cuts and grazes, which can be quite nasty.

In you go.

- Colin, the owner, has got some special techniques up his sleeve to soothe the stressed alpaca.

- It prompted us to start having a look on the internet and I was quite amazed at some of the techniques around.

So we've actually started using a technique a bit like massaging and you do little circles across various parts of the body.

- I've not seen this done or heard of it before, so I'm to be convinced as to whether it will be successful.

- So this is Jay-Z, who wouldn't let you touch him a couple of years back.

I'm just doing it down his back.

You can actually feel his muscles along his back just relaxing.

(peaceful music) Couple of years back, if I'd been doing this, I would've been covered in spit by now.

So he's changed dramatically.

(peaceful music continues) We've always been interested in animals.

Farming's in the blood.

We originally got the alpacas because Audrey, my wife, had told us we had to get them.

What I find is coming out on an evening, particularly this time of year, watching the alpacas is really quite destressing.

(funky music) Just massaging the upper gum.

(alpaca hums) Being a very skeptical Yorksman, I thought this isn't gonna work, but we gave it a bit of a try and I was quite amazed at how they do become more relaxed.

(peaceful music) So I'm interested to see how we get on today.

(peaceful music continues) (tires crunch) - Morning, Colin.

- [Colin] Good morning, Julian.

How are you?

- Hello, folks.

Guessing easy, medium, and the black one will be the hardest, is he?

Just looks with his teeth sticking out and his ears sticking up like.

- [Colin] It gives you an evil stare, as well, at times.

- [Narrator] First up is Jay-Z and Colin's using a rather fitting holistic therapy.

- We've actually started using a technique called wrapping, supposed to encourage the release of endorphins.

It's basically an elasticated bandage and you wrap it either around the neck or across the body.

- Jay-Z with the neck brace.

I just have a feel first of all, just to make sure he's okay.

(whimsical music) Alpacas, they're curious creatures.

They're normally very chilled out, but when it's being handled, they can be a little bit difficult to deal with.

- [Colin] Come on.

Good boy.

(whimsical music) - Right then, Jay-Z.

Not convinced by your bandaging technique so far.

Anyways, come on Jay-Z.

Let's just chill out.

(whimsical music) We haven't really started yet.

The worst bit's yet to come.

He's got his his neck bandage on, which doesn't seem to be helping much at the moment, but let's see.

See what he thinks when I put this in his nether regions.

Right then, naughty alpaca.

You'll do as you're told.

You don't stand there.

Just standing him there.

He'd be just against the wall.

He's got one less direction to move in.

Get there eventually.

(bright music) - [Narrator] At Skeldale, the majority of animals are a little less exotic.

Their main customers are household pets.

(puppy barks) Young, old, big, small, angry, and happy.

(whimsical music) - Poor soul.

Show your naughty bits.

- [Narrator] Nita Midgley has brought in Mickey, her 11 year old Yorkshire Terrier.

- He has a very personal problem.

His toucher hangs out.

It doesn't go in the shape like it's supposed to and then he starts having sex with the bedding.

It must be awfully uncomfortable.

(laughs) Poor soul.

You see Uncle Peter.

See if he can help you.

I don't know what he's gonna do.

(dog barks) - [Narrator] With five terriers at home.

- Stand.

Stand.

- [Narrator] Nita's yorkies are not strangers to Peter's practice.

- She's doing a wee wee on the floor.

(laughs) - She's had a long wait.

- [Peter] Mrs. Midgley?

Now and later.

Mickey with his John Thomas out.

- Oh we've got another name for it now.

Aye?

- It's out most- - All the time.

(whimsical music) - Hey, bud.

We're seeing if it's sore.

- It is a bit embarrassing, isn't it?

Does he get an erection on?

- [Nita] No.

- [Peter] We just nipped a bit too tight there, didn't we Mickey?

- [Nita] I felt him jump.

- [Peter] His sheath is quite thickened and the end of his penis, it should be smoother and with it being exposed to the air a lot, the skin isn't quite as healthy as it might be.

I know his prostate was enlarged when we had a look before and I wonder what that's looking like now.

You're better off not looking at this, you know.

- Good boy.

Good boy.

(whimsical music) Good boy.

- [Peter] His prorate is slightly bigger than it should be.

I'm just wondering- - [Nita] Could that be connected then?

- It could be connected.

It might be worth castrating him.

See if that that improves it.

It might just help him.

I could give him some Tardak to mimic castration and- - [Nita] And see how that goes.

- See how that goes for a month or so.

- Right.

Well, we'll try this injection rather than put him through an operation, you know.

Should I hold him.

(whimsical music) Good boy.

- I'm hoping this should shrink his prostate down a little and I'm just hoping that penis there now stays where it should be.

Well done, Mickey.

Never complained one little bit did you?

Good boy.

(whimsical music) - [Nita] And we will see you in a month's time.

- Very good.

Thanks Nita.

- Yeah, okay.

- All right then.

I'll see you soon.

- [Narrator] Coming up.

Jay-Z's definitely not crazy in love.

- [Julian] He's not being a very well behaved patient so far.

- [Colin] Good boy.

Good boy.

(fence clanks) - [Speaker] Bottoms up.

- [Peter] Bottoms up please, yes.

- [Narrator] Can Peter help some under the weather athletes?

- [Speaker] They're just not right.

- Just not right, yeah.

The problem is it damaged their gut.

You get diarrhea and they just don't perform.

- [Narrator] And it'll take teamwork.

- Right, shut your eyes everybody.

- [Narrator] To save a stray cat's leg.

- Oh, bloody hell.

(bright music) (birds chirp) - [Narrator] On a small holding near Thirsk, Julian is castrating male alpacas to stop fighting in the herd.

(gentle music) - [Julian] The first step is to numb the area and that's the bit that usually stings most actually.

- [Narrator] First up is Jay-Z.

He's got 99 problems and this vet is one.

- [Julian] Oh, yeah, that thing.

- [Narrator] His owner, Colin, is trying a calming technique called, ironically, wrapping.

- [Julian] He's not being a very well behaved patient so far.

Right, you can stay like that.

Good boy.

- [Colin] Good boy.

Good boy.

- [Julian] If you can hold his tail just up out of the way.

Come on, little fella.

Please.

(gentle music) He's fairly chilled out now when it's come to the big moment.

Suddenly gone very settled.

Maybe realized there's no way back from here.

There you go.

(gentle music) (fence clanks) Right, he's done now.

Let's let him go before he causes any more mischief.

- That wasn't too bad, was it.

- [Julian] Wasn't too bad, was he?

It could have been... - I was talking to Jay-Z, not you.

- [Julian] Oh, sorry.

(laughs) Right.

Shall we do Mr. Darcy next?

What's he doing with his- - It's another method that's used, to rotate the tail or the ears.

(alpaca hums) - Very tantric.

It works though.

It's a good thing isn't it?

(alpaca whines) - I know.

- [Julian] Good boy.

(alpaca whines) - [Julian] Yeah.

Perfect patient, Mr. Darcy.

No commotion at all.

Who's the next one?

Jester?

- [Colin] Jester, the white one.

- [Julian] I think when we do the last one to be done because he's been able to see what his mates have been through, it often adds to the- - [Colin] Oh, right.

- [Julian] Trauma.

Are you alright just to take his tail?

- [Colin] Oh yeah.

- [Julian] And maybe do your tail waggling technique.

- [Colin] I could just hear the skepticism in your voice then.

(Julian laughs) - No, I think anything that that will add to the relaxation of the process has got to be a positive thing.

I'd have to say it's working a trick so far.

- Brilliant, isn't it.

- Yeah, yeah.

I think I'll remember this technique for next time I'm castrating alpacas.

It's very straightforward.

I'd have to say I'm more impressed by your tail waggling technique than your bandages.

Very good.

So that one's done, as well.

Now they're castrated, then everything will be neutralized.

Off they go.

Could have been worse, couldn't it?

It amazing isn't it, how considering it's a reasonably involved procedure, they don't ever seem bothered by it.

They just carry on just as they were before.

(gentle music) (Colin laughs) - Really chilled out.

(alpaca hums) (country music) (birds chirp) - [Narrator] High up on the moors lives a champion pigeon fancier and he's got the name for it, Graham Bird.

- These are me mean racing team.

Nine cocks.

What?

Every one of them are different.

I know they all look the same to someone who doesn't keep.

You just get to know 'em.

They get to know you.

This is a typical Van Loon.

Nice eye, nice wattle, nice shape.

Beautiful pigeon.

I'll just let him go and he'll go in his box.

Wrong box but that doesn't matter.

I will describe it as a curse 'cause once you get 'em, you just like get addicted.

It's an addiction.

- [Narrator] This bird knows how to make his flock fly fast.

- There he goes there.

There he is.

He'll cheer sitting in that box nonstop until she lays that egg.

They don't see their hens much.

They keep 'em separated so it motivates 'em to come home quicker.

They're little ornery boys and the hens run about like little floozies waiting for them.

Race day, out them wagons fast as you can to get back for their little jewelry and it's as simple as that.

The promise is sex all week and then the definite sex on the set there.

We only get it once a week, don't I?

Bit like me.

(laughs) - [Narrator] Graham lives with his long suffering wife, Christine, (upbeat music) two daughters, and their flock of young human birds.

(kids cheer) - You did it.

- Are you helping me now?

Eh?

The kids help a little bit.

Let 'em out when they shouldn't.

Look at 'em in the little house.

We're looking at you.

Scare them up when they shouldn't.

- That bird.

That bird sat.

- He's around the pigeons every morning.

It's quite a big thing for him.

When we first met, we were invited to his cousin's wedding and I got all myself done up and it was a big national race.

We never made the wedding because the pigeon didn't come back till late.

So we missed his cousin's Jennifer's wedding.

- He spends more time with the pigeons than he does anyone else.

(laughs) (upbeat music) (whimsical music) - [Narrator] Graham knows his birds so well, he can tell when something's not right.

- Well, I know if they're not coming race wise, I know there's something wrong 'cause as far as I'm concerned, me systems are right.

Well this loft hasn't been coming in as well as it should have done.

So if they're not coming right, it's a health problem what I can't spot just looking at 'em.

So then I need Peter.

(whimsical music) (kids play) - [Peter] Morning, Chris.

- [Chris] Good morning, Peter.

- [Peter] How is Mr. Bird?

- [Graham] Hi, Peter.

- [Peter] How you doing?

- [Graham] Not too bad.

- [Peter] You've haven't been kicked out the house, have you?

(Graham laughs) - This is where I live.

Can't live in there with all that noise.

I live in here with a few more birds.

- [Peter] Few more birds, yes.

Yes.

- I need you Peter.

Performances are down rapid.

- [Peter] Are they?

- [Graham] Three weeks now.

- [Peter] Really?

Okay.

I'll go put my gloves.

- [Graham] No problem.

- All right.

If the pigeons just aren't quite a hundred percent, like any athlete they won't perform to the best of their genetic ability.

Two of the commonest problems that we see is parasitic problems, particularly a thing called coccidiosis.

It's a parasite that passes easily from bird to bird through droppings and it damages the gut lining.

So these birds will often have dirt around the bottoms.

So we're gonna take some feces samples and we're probably gonna take a couple of swabs from the throats and see what we come up with.

(whimsical music) Looking after Graham's birds isn't easy.

He's an unusual client in many ways because he is different, shall we say.

- See the expert catch there?

- Yes, I was impressed.

- Got it right down.

- [Peter] I never quite know what he's going to say next.

- [Graham] Bottoms up.

- [Peter] Bottoms up, please.

Yes.

More often not it's a little bit flippant.

- [Graham] Bit of a bum job, isn't it?

(laughs) Bet he's glad you came.

(Peter laughs) - So if I come here and I'm a bit down in the dumps, I never leave here down in the dumps.

- [Graham] Bet you're used to bigger bottoms, are you?

- Yes, much bigger bottoms that I can get me arms into.

(whimsical music) - Oof.

- [Peter] Have you heard any abnormal noises at all?

- After exercising, they're landing panting and a little bit of sniffles, yeah.

They're just not right.

- Just not right, yeah.

(gentle music) The problem is it damages the gut.

They get diarrhea and they just don't perform.

The next three or four weeks, you got a race coming up, haven't you?

Yeah.

- So I need 'em right.

So do you get the results of that- - [Peter] Yeah, yeah.

They'll curry it to the lab tonight and then I'll have the results probably by tomorrow.

(upbeat music) - [Graham] I'll see you later.

- [Peter] I'll be in touch.

- [Graham] Will you ring me?

- [Peter] I will, yeah.

Very good.

- All right, Peter.

- See you later, bye.

- See you.

- Bye.

(upbeat music) (pigeons coo) (gentle music) (sheep bleat) - [Narrator] With spring now a distant memory, young lambs are growing and thriving.

(gentle music continues) (sheep bleat) But away from this idyllic rural scene, nature can be cruel.

(upbeat music) At Skeldale, sheep farmer, Janet, has rushed back a 12 day old lamb that's struggling.

(door thumps) - Come along, little one.

(solemn music) He's got a very swollen tummy and it's all water inside and that's all that's wrong with, he's not scaring or anything but he's very lethargic.

And it came just over 24 hours ago.

He had a steroid injection and antibiotics things and he perked up for 12 hours but he's gone into a decline again.

So I think it might not be very good.

He's gone very weak.

It's a bit heart wrenching, I say, on my stomach 'cause you try so hard.

I mean really, it might be too late but we'll give it one last shot, you know, see if we can save him.

- Good morning.

- [Janet] Hattie knows I'm on the way.

- Right, I'll let her know.

Just have a seat a moment.

- [Narrator] Janet's a familiar face at the practice.

A former dentist, she now lovingly tends her flock and she prefers her elderly ewes to live out their days in the lap of luxury.

- You mama, little holy buns.

Ooh, you've eaten a lot, girls.

For you.

I'm a softie, I suppose.

I've got enough ground and they do keep the grass down for me.

- [Peter] I wouldn't mind being a sheep here, you know.

- [Janet] That's what me husband says.

- I often think this is an ovine restaurant for ladies of distinction.

(laughs) - [Narrator] As well as nurturing her sheep, Janet's always ready to step in and play mum to needy little lambs.

- His mum has not been very good.

He's a triplet, so he don't stand a lot of chance do you kid, really, with a mum that doesn't bother about you?

But you could, you know.

War is not quite lost yet, is it?

(uplifting music) - Hi Janet, do you wanna come through?

(uplifting music) - So his tummy's not very good.

Is that another reason why he could have a bad tummy?

- You know, potentially yeah.

- Because he's not scaring and his temperature's normal.

- [Hattie] Still wanting to... - [Janet] Well it's making the motions but he's not taking anything in.

- That's have little feel.

Everybody feel.

Is he urinating normally?

- [Janet] No, I don't know that he is.

- I'm just getting a general feel of his abdomen, see if I can feel his bladder, See if that's hard or full, and just to get a general feel of his guts.

(whimsical music) What I think we'll do as well is just tap his belly and just make sure if he isn't urinating... - [Janet] Just to make sure.

- Make sure that there isn't any actual fluid or urine in his abdomen cavity.

If his bladder has ruptured, there could be urine burst into his abdomen, which obviously isn't what we want to see.

(suspenseful music) - You've got something?

- Yeah.

It's not urine.

- [Janet] Oh no.

- [Hattie] It's fluid within the abdomen cavity.

Bear with me one moment.

I'm just gonna ask one of the others what they think of that.

- He's trying, aren't you kid?

(sad music) We're not giving up yet, no.

No, we'll try everything.

Throw everything at you, won't we kid, before we give up, yes.

(sad music) (upbeat music) - [Narrator] Coming up.

- One end of the bone has starting to seal over actually.

- [Narrator] Can Julian save a stray cat's leg?

- This is where you think it's gonna be dead easy and you get down there and it's not as easy you'd expect.

- [Graham] That's roughly the measurements I need.

- [Narrator] Has Peter worked his magic on Graham's birds?

- [Peter] Eight, two, five.

- And that one could be the winner.

Who knows?

- [Narrator] And is it too late for Janet's lamb?

(uplifting music) (upbeat music) - Earlier, Janet brought her poorly 12 day old lamb into Skeldale.

- He's got a very swollen tummy and it's all watery inside.

- [Narrator] After being looked at by vet Hattie, Janet still had hope.

- He's trying, aren't you kid?

(uplifting music) - [Narrator] Hattie's turned to fellow vet, Helen, for some advice.

- [Helen] Clearly, it'll be acidic there.

- Yeah.

- [Helen] It's probably something metabolic going on with that.

This is not a good sign.

So you want a better quality of life.

- Yeah.

Okay, so we'll just go tell Janet that.

So Janet, I've had a word with Helen and it looks like what we call acidic fluid, just clear fluid that basically is a sign that his organs are kind of shutting down, yes.

- Oh right.

All right.

He has gone downhill.

I mean he's not gone yet- - He's not looking- - It's just not fair, is it?

- No.

- [Janet] To just let him fade out.

So you think we'll put him to sleep?

- [Hattie] Yeah I think that would be the kindest thing for him.

- Okay.

Yep.

- Do we do that now then?

- Yeah, better do it now.

- Yeah, okay.

Bear with me.

I'll just get the drug for him.

- Thank you.

Oh, dear.

I thought you'd be all right.

I did.

Still you can't tell him to slowly deteriorate.

You know, it's not fair.

(solemn music) - Right, little lamb.

- Come on, little one.

(solemn music) - [Helen] There we go, little fella.

Sorry about that Janet.

- No, that's alright.

I mean, it didn't have a very good start in life.

- No, being a triplet.

We do have to put animals down and it is probably the most difficult part of our job and you never get used to it, but I try and deal with it by thinking that we are ending suffering.

- [Janet] Thank you.

- [Hattie] All right, no problem.

(solemn music) (upbeat music) - [Narrator] At the surgery... (Peter mumbles) As Peter finds time to send Graham Bird's pigeon poop samples to the lab... - Jolly good.

I'm gonna send them one.

- [Narrator] The waiting room seems like an oasis of calm.

(upbeat music) (soft music) But behind the scenes, the team are battling to save a life.

- I think that the dog has very few blood cells still going round because her body's destroying her blood cells so she's gonna be really weak and struggling 'cause the blood cells carry oxygen around your body.

Her body's gonna be struggling to to support itself.

We're giving her this blood transfusion to try and increase her blood count.

Poor girl.

(whimsical music) - [Narrator] The hero of the moment is a dog called Buddy.

- This is our blood donor, aren't you?

It's quite a young, bouncy dog.

Keep still.

Bring his nose down.

Good boy.

A little higher.

No, it's in.

It's in.

It's in.

It's in.

Good boy.

(mellow music) We've got a little bit of a donation here.

This could save her life.

- Heart rate's a hundred at the moment.

(mellow music) (dog barks) (uplifting music) - Well, hello.

She says, "I can sit up.

I feel so much better.

Thanks, Buddy."

Her heart rate is good.

Her pulses are good and strong.

(uplifting music) Let's hope you've saved a life, hey.

(uplifting music) (dramatic music) (dogs bark) - [Narrator] The staff at Skeldale are used to animals of all sorts and species coming to the practice with their owners.

(dramatic music) - [Speaker] It's all right, darling.

- [Narrator] But every so often an animal's brought in as a stray.

- I hate seeing it when you come in like this, sweetheart.

All right darling, we've just had a cat handed over to the front desk that's got a leg in two pieces.

It's a stray cat.

- [Narrator] Time to x-ray the mystery moggy.

But vet, Esme, has something important to do first.

- I think, can we call her something?

Can we call her Frodo?

(giggles) - [Hattie] It just amuses me that you all of a sudden decide on Frodo.

- [Esme] She is called Frodo.

- She's called Frodo.

You just named her.

(dramatic music) - Oh no.

- No, that's good.

- [Speaker] It's a nice, clean break.

- It's a fairly clean break.

There's potentially a little chip here but it hasn't been completely smashed into multiple pieces, so it should be quite an easy fracture to repair.

- [Narrator] Julian's hoping they can save poor Frodo's leg.

(dramatic music) - The only way to get the two ends of the bone together is to get right down to the bone.

Has he just done it?

Must have done it recently, has he?

I guess we don't know when.

We don't know when it was done do we?

- No.

- It has actually been done a while 'cause the one end of the bone is starting to seal over actually.

(dramatic music) This is where you think it's gonna be dead easy and you get down there and it's not as easy as I'd expected.

(dramatic music) (dog barks) (gentle music) (birds chirp) - [Narrator] At Graham Bird's place, Peter's been in touch with the test results of his poorly pigeons.

- That's roughly the measurements I need.

- [Narrator] He was right.

They have coccidiosis.

- Been on the front of me, two pigeons he swabbed have cocci, so I'll assume the rest of them have.

He's given me some medicine to treat them.

I've treated them and now they're back as fair's apples in the full fall.

(upbeat music) - [Speaker] Three, two, two.

- [Narrator] It's the day before race day.

- [Speaker] Eight, two, five.

- [Narrator] And the pigeon club is all of a fluter.

- [Graham] Pull where you normally pull.

I'll get 'em out.

- [Narrator] Graham has brought along his much perkier pigeons.

- [Speaker] Hi.

How are you?

- [Graham] How are you?

Go to hens first, three.

- [Narrator] All the birds are ringed and registered.

- That's just life in carefree mode.

Readied out the lady to pass at three four 60.

Just the last numbers.

Then this ring goes on it called a rubber ring that has the number on, which she writes down.

- Every bird has to have one of these on.

If you don't have one on, it doesn't qualify.

- And that one could be the winner.

Who knows?

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Graham checks out his main competition.

- Is that the one?

Last week's winner, Desi's.

In case they get lost, he has a number stamped on the wing, his phone number, but it's no good phoning him after six o'clock.

He's in the pub.

- [Speaker] Can we have that?

- [Narrator] Everyone's birds will be driven 300 miles to the starting line at Little Hampton on the sunny South coast.

- The amount of pigeons we'll be taking will be about 1200.

I won't get down there until about three o'clock in the morning.

Time for the morning is depending on the weather.

Let them go as soon as it's sunny.

(crates slide) - [Speaker] Five, four- - [Narrator] Everyone's racing clocks are synced.

- [Speaker] One.

Whoop.

- [Narrator] Ready for the big day tomorrow.

- See you in the winning enclosure.

Good night all.

(people laugh) (bright music) (birds chirp) - [Narrator] Back at the practice, Julian and Hattie are trying to save stray cat, Frodo's, badly broken leg.

- Choose one that's the right size.

We'll need to put the two ends back together with a pin down the middle of the bone, which is just like a big metal rod.

Try that one.

If you put your finger there or index finger on there.

Hattie's just putting the pin up the top part of the fractured bone.

Then, align the bottom parts of the fractured side, if you like, like that.

And then, we'll push it back down so it goes from the top into the bottom part and then hopefully the two bits of bone will be joined together.

- [Hattie] It's hard.

- Do you want me to?

- Yeah.

(laughs) It's got harder to maneuver so it must be going somewhere.

- Yeah, you're not far actually.

In fact, it's through there.

- I'll probably deal with (voice fades out).

- You've done all right now.

(Hattie laughs) And this is fine.

You've just got to be a little bit careful that you keep everything in a nice straight line.

You can fracture the bone and obviously it's a complete disaster.

(dramatic music) Now the next part of the procedure is to get obviously the pin there lined up with the top bit.

Right, come on.

This is fairly fiddling.

(dramatic music) All right, that looks like it's kinda lined up now.

Definitely in.

- [Hattie] Yeah, definitely in.

- Just unscrew that chuck.

(dramatic music) The next thing we'll need out of the cupboards is the cutters for cutting the pin with.

This is a job for me.

You need to be quite strong for this.

All right, shut your eyes everybody.

(dramatic music) Oh, bloody hell.

(dramatic music continues) (Julian groans) - [Unison] There we go.

- Okay, so this looks pretty good now.

The leg is together.

Obviously the white bit at the top and the bottom, that's the top part of the bone.

That's the bottom part.

And then the metal bit in the middle is the pin that goes all the way from the top to the bottom of the femur.

And so now, when I move this part, instead of it wobbling around there, that's all perfectly intact.

By tomorrow, I would hope she'd be walking quite normally.

Is that okay?

I've not really seen this little cat when she's been awake.

Hopefully she'll be pleased with what we've done today.

(upbeat music) Right.

Hopefully this will show us that everything looks okay.

That's enough to tell us.

- [Speaker] Oh that's pretty good there.

- [Julian] It's definitely better than it was before, yeah.

And the end is perfectly positioned there so we were bang on there.

That's quite a nice, tight pin actually.

- [Speaker] Yeah.

- [Julian] So yeah, good.

Just let her come around slowly I think.

- [Speaker] Yeah.

- [Julian] Just make her comfy.

Give her a little pillow to put head on if you can.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] Still to come.

- It's all right, little cat, got some to eat.

- [Narrator] Julian checks how Frodo's feeling.

- [Julian] We all get attached really to these kinda homeless animals and especially when they've been through quite a big ordeal.

She'll need to find another home.

- [Graham] Here's one.

(whistle blows) - [Narrator] And has Peter worked his magic?

Will Graham's pigeons come home with the trophy?

- I want a drink and a woman.

That's what they'll want.

Well, don't we all?

(laughs) Come on.

(bright music) (birds chirp) - All right, get them poles, the big poles, and pass 'em to people.

- [Narrator] It's a big day at the Bird household.

- We're waiting for my granddad's pigeons to come back.

- [Narrator] Which means it's also family day.

(upbeat music) (people laugh) - [Graham] That's all we need now is a pigeon or two.

We're all ready.

Get the barbecue going.

Boom.

Boom.

A few light refreshments.

- Oh, I've got played rough this morning, have you?

- Kill a bit of time.

Listen to the load of nonsense off that lot.

- Barbecue.

(person laughs) - People don't do it anymore, do they?

It's like the pigeons used to be like really popular when I was young.

Everybody had pigeons and young people had a hobby.

- [Graham] Gonna put some- - Water.

- Some water for the pigeons to give 'em a drink, right?

Are you gonna give Grandad a little kiss?

No?

I'll pinch one then.

We're waiting for 'em now, aren't we?

They'll be here soon.

- We do want his pigeons to win 'cause it's a lot of effort and stuff.

It's quite competitive as a family, as well.

It's nice to see 'em come back.

It is exciting, even though it's a big bar in between.

(whimsical music) - [Speaker] Is it?

- [Narrator] Today, there's a guest of honor.

- Look what he sat out.

(people laugh) - I always enjoy coming to Graham's and the families because everybody's so happy here.

(kids laugh) I think Graham makes a big fuss of his children.

He loves his family to bits.

(crowd claps) - Ta da.

(crowd claps) - Cheers be to that.

(both laugh) (dramatic music) - If the medication's done its trick, then these birds should, well they should be home 20 minutes ago, really, according to our calculation.

(laughs) (dramatic music) - [Peter] Can these pigeons perform well in this?

- Well, I think this is more of a duck race.

(Peter laughs) - [Speaker] It's raining.

- [Speaker] I know.

- [Narrator] Soon, the heavens send more than just rain.

- [Graham] There's one.

(Graham whistles) (bright music) Come on.

(whistle tweets) Five past.

We're ahead of the time schedule.

- Really?

- Yeah.

- That must be one of the ones we treated good, eh?

- [Graham] Well that's ones you've treated, Peter.

- [Peter] Excellent.

- That's very fast.

Five past two.

(dramatic music) Just have to keep wait.

Keep watching.

That's not one, Peter.

That's a wood pigeon.

- [Peter] I haven't got my glasses on, Graham.

(people laugh) (bright music) (birds chirp) - [Graham] You two stand there.

Keep watching that way.

(uplifting music) (Graham whistles) Come on.

Come on.

(Graham whistles) Look at his leg.

Take the rubber ring off.

Press that and he goes in.

He'll want a drink and a woman, that's what they'll want.

Well, don't we all?

(laughs) (pigeons coo) Here's one.

Here's one.

Come on.

That's one of the fascinations with it.

That wagon opens and it doesn't matter where it is, they're coming home.

Come on.

(whistles) One of the other fascinating things for me is I don't know how far away they are.

(uplifting music) (Graham whistles) Turn together, come on.

Come on.

Come on.

(uplifting music) (Graham whistles) Come on.

(uplifting music) (Graham whistles) (wings flutter) That's them all back now.

All back.

- [Narrator] Time for Graham to see how his main rival has done.

- What time you in, Des?

(suspenseful music) Well that one whooped me very good.

To that.

57 easy and so he's beat me.

(disappointing music) - When he doesn't come first, he pretends that it's not a big deal, but I think that is actually a big deal to him.

- More medicine, Peter.

More medicine.

For me, I mean.

(both laugh) - You've got to appreciate the really good times.

You've got to have the moderate times.

- Shut up.

(Peter laughs) - All right.

I was only trying to- - I wanted to win.

- I was only trying to make you feel better.

- You're not.

Made me feel worse.

(Peter laughs) (mellow music) - When we see our patients, we don't see the side of life really.

We see sickly ones and we try, we don't know until we try and make 'em better, but we don't see what they're actually there for, what their actually main purpose is.

And your main purpose for these is to race.

So, it's nice really to send the other side of the fence.

So thank you very much, Mr. Bird.

- Thanks for coming.

- We'll see you soon.

- Thanks for your help.

(mellow music) (dog barks) (bright music) - [Narrator] At Skeldale.

- All right, little cat, I got something to eat.

- [Narrator] Julian's back to check up on Frodo.

- All right.

It's been a big upheaval for her in the last 12 hours.

She's looking pretty content.

The main thing really is to keep her calm and still.

And obviously we need the bruising to settle down after the surgery.

How about that?

We all get attached really to these kind of homeless animals and especially when they've been through quite a big ordeal.

She'll need to find another home to to stay in.

My mum might have her.

All right, catty, give us a smile.

It's not gonna happen, I think.

I'm just taking this, I'm gonna send it to my mom.

She likes cats and she might just tempted to give her a home.

Can you help??

Emoji do you think?

I could do a cat emoji, but that's obvious.

Or a sad face emoji, how about that?

Slightly sad but astonished face.

Can you help?

I'll just leave it at that, no emoji.

I think sometimes you can go too far with emojis, can't you?

Well, we'll see what comes back from that.

Mom does like cats.

There's every chance the fracture will heal perfectly well and I'm sure she'll find a wonderful home for the future.

Good night, little cat.

(gentle music) (uplifting music) (Cows moo) - [Narrator] Next time.

- [Peter] Go on.

- [Narrator] What will Peter find down on the farm?

- Get on.

This is good for when it's out here.

I like it.

It's lovely.

This is just perfect for me.

- [Narrator] Julian breaks out the big guns.

- This is the electro ejaculator.

You can test it.

You need to.

Ow.

- [Narrator] And after a road traffic accident.

- That's not, good.

- [Narrator] Can Peter save Bertie the spaniel?

(Peter sighs) - [Peter] His pelvis is quite severely damaged.

(uplifting music)