NARRATOR: Across Yorkshire's moors and dales,
James Herriot's work established him as the world's most famous vet.
And just as he'll always be remembered,
so are the animals we love.
The Yorkshire Vet team, who follow in Herriot's footsteps...
It's coming, isn't it? Slowly.
..and other like-minded souls... Steady, girl, steady.
..who spend every day helping animals...
You're nearly ready for a feed, aren't you?
..are coming together.
A fitting tribute? Definitely, yeah.
..for a mission born out of passion.
Are you happy with that? I think it's perfect.
They've always guided pet owners through the toughest times.
I think the time is fast approaching, Bridget, sadly.
Are you all right? Oh...
It's awful, Julian, watching him. It really is.
Now they want to help them move on
when their four-legged friends are gone...
He's absolutely made me feel like I'm starting to mend again, and...
That's so nice to hear, honestly.
..with a vision... Five seconds, four, three...
..of spreading their message far and wide.
We are joined by the Yorkshire Vet himself, Peter Wright.
Hello! How good to see you. Morning.
Because devotion to all creatures great and small...
I know it's something that you would wholeheartedly approve of.
..lasts forever.
I've dreamt for some time
that we should have somewhere where we can go and remember our pets.
In God's own country, animals are worshipped.
Yorkshire folk and creatures of all kinds
live peacefully and work happily side by side.
Eternal bonds are forged.
So when those special relationships come to an end,
our much-loved companions need to be remembered,
commemorated and celebrated.
James Herriot once said,
"If having a soul means being able
"to feel love and loyalty and gratitude,
"then animals are better off than a lot of humans."
And up on the North York Moors, a Highland cow called Big Girl...
OK, right, we'll just get Big Girl her treats.
..has been Bridget's soulmate, incredibly, for nearly 30 years.
I've had Big Girl since the year 2000, when she was two.
And she came with her half-sister.
And she's now 27.
I just love her to bits.
She is just a lovely pet, very nice-natured.
Over her lifetime, she's had three calves.
And I've got a feeling that she's probably outlived all her calves.
The half-sister died several years ago.
I did think about getting Big Girl another cow friend.
But she just seemed quite happy by herself.
But I think, you know, 27-and-a-half,
she's now feeling her age.
With Bridget concerned that Big Girl is nearing the end,
recently, Peter treated her joint issues.
And although it's not unheard of for Highland cows to make their 20s,
he recognises that Big Girl is special.
I can't think of ever treating a cow of this age or anywhere near it,
so this is unique, as far as I'm concerned,
to see a cow at this age still wandering about in the field.
And I'm just hoping that she's doing OK,
but we'll soon see how she's getting on.
Morning, Bridget!
Now, then, good morning, Peter, nice to see you again.
Nice to see you. How's she been?
Well, I was away for ten days seeing my family,
and then when I came back,
I noticed that she'd really lost a bit of flesh. Yeah.
And her shoulder's still bad. Yeah.
I would have expected that,
especially with this cold weather, to be honest.
You know, like elderly people,
they say, "Oh, this cold weather doesn't suit my joints!"
I'm getting there myself, Bridget. I concur with you as well, Peter.
I can certainly agree on that count.
Now, Big Girl.
I can see from here, Bridget, that she's lost condition.
I can see her. Yeah.
Yes. Right.
She really has dropped some conditional significance.
There's nothing underneath her.
The way she's moving on those hind limbs as well
is not good. It's awful. Big Girl...
Yeah.
I think the time is fast approaching, Bridget, sadly.
Yeah. I know, it's on my mind,
but it's that awful, awful pulling on the heartstrings, isn't it?
Oh. Particularly when it's, you know, when it's a pet.
But dare I say this as well, Bridget - a big chunk of your life.
Mm. Mm, yeah.
And, you know, to look in this field one day, and Big Girl isn't there.
I know. Oh, it's horrible. It will be horrible.
But, you know, if it's the kindest thing for the animal...
You know, so...
And that's what a true animal lover would say, you know.
I think the time is coming. Very soon. Yeah.
I think so, Peter. Good girl.
Hey, who's a good girl?
Good girl.
'As I drive away from Big Girl,
'my heart really goes out to Bridget at this moment in time.'
And Bridget has got to try and come to terms with losing Big Girl.
She may be just a cow, in some people's eyes,
but to Bridget, she's much more than that,
and I fully understand what Bridget's going to go through.
300 miles south, in Sussex,
for people dealing with pet loss, help is at hand.
Come on, then! Good boy! In we go.
At first glance, Maria Brett...
PHONE RINGS
Good afternoon, Downwood Veterinary Centre. How can I help?
..appears to be like any other
dedicated veterinary practice manager.
OK, take care, bye-bye!
But as well as being a reassuring presence for clients...
Hi there, good afternoon. Hello!
Picking up medication for my cats.
..and their four-legged friends...
Good boy! Good boy.
..Maria is the UK's first animal chaplain in an Anglican parish.
So given the countless animals he's seen pass away over the years...
Hello. Hi, Peter, lovely to meet you.
Maria, is it? It is indeed, yes.
Very nice to meet you. Thank you.
..Peter wants to find out more.
Maria, can you tell me exactly what an animal chaplain is?
My role is to support people who are going through pet bereavement,
because it is vitally important
that people are going through pet bereavement
are supported and treated with the empathy
that anybody going through any bereavement should be,
because grief is the same.
You know, you love that animal, you love that person,
the grief isn't any different.
We don't have funerals or wakes and things like we do for people,
so there's no real closure.
And some people do need that,
which is why we set up our pet memorial garden, really.
So if they want some prayers,
I can come alongside them and do some prayers for them.
If they're not people of faith, then they can just come.
We've got pebbles.
They can write the names on the pebbles, any message,
and then place them at the foot of St Francis,
who was the patron saint of animals.
Well, that's very fitting, isn't it, really?
It's very fitting. Yeah.
Do you know, you've got me thinking now.
It's such a wonderful idea.
Every one of those names is meaningful to somebody,
and it's going to evoke an awful lot of memories.
These stones, they all have so much to say
to the people that come and visit them. Yeah.
Can't tell you how much I've learned from you,
and I would like to take the ideas of what you've put in place here
back to Yorkshire.
You fully understand what it means when people lose a pet,
and that's lovely to hear.
Thank you. So, who knows?
In future, you may visit Yorkshire,
and you may see a memorial there,
very similar to what you've got here.
I'd love that. I'd love to see that.
Thank you, Maria. Thank you. Lovely. Thank you, Peter, thank you.
I think he would wholeheartedly approve.
Peter looks to the past to plan the future.
It's a place where they can collect their thoughts. It is.
Julian helps a friend on their hardest day.
Is it time to, erm...? I think so.
And awareness of pet grief is raised in Yorkshire...
Is there anyone in particular you're walking for today?
Yes, well, I've had many pets in my life,
and I absolutely treasure them all.
..and beyond.
I'm in the big city now.
My hair doesn't behave itself as much as it used to do.
'And certainly, I'm under the spotlight in more ways than one.'
I was racking my brains as to what we could do to help this situation.
In North Yorkshire,
for 45 years, Peter Wright has been a man of veterinary science.
But now he's also focusing on the spiritual side
of our relationship with animals.
It is very obvious for a lot of people
that pets are part of the family,
and I've been thinking for some time now
that it would be lovely if we had a memorial garden for pets.
I've been racking my brains for somewhere suitable,
and I think I've got just the solution.
23 Kirkgate in Thirsk is where Peter worked for Alf Wight,
who used the pseudonym James Herriot
when he wrote his best-selling books,
which inspired the All Creatures Great And Small TV series.
His old friend and mentor's former home and surgery
is now a museum, managed by Ian and Kate.
Well, it's nice to see you both hard at work.
Oh, hello, Peter! Hello, Peter.
I'd offer you some Yorkshire tea, but it's for display only.
I've a bit of a favour to ask.
I've been down in the South of England recently,
dealing with a chaplain there.
She had a memorial garden
where people could put little emblems of their pets
and sit there quietly... Oh, how lovely.
..and just think about their pets.
I was thinking we haven't got anything like that round here.
We haven't, you're right.
I've been racking my brains as to where might be a suitable place,
and then it came to me - the World of James Herriot.
We agree with you. Where could we have as a better place
for a pet memorial garden than here?
I think that's a really lovely place.
Absolutely. Yeah, lovely idea.
Really? Yeah, I do. Brilliant.
Excellent. Yeah, lovely idea.
This is where I would think of a lovely place
with Alf looking over them. What do you think?
Do you know, I think it's an excellent place, really.
So when people want to come and visit, it's a good place
where they can just collect their thoughts, isn't it? It is.
If the plaques were on this wall,
a lovely seat over there, they're just watching over them.
And a small fountain. Yeah.
I think it'd look really lovely there. By crikey, yes.
Well, that's a superb place, yep.
Couldn't have anywhere any better.
I mean, when we were here, when it was our veterinary practice,
dogs could come and walk out here quite safely, exercise out here,
because the walled garden was so high. Yeah.
And I think he would wholeheartedly approve.
And I think we need to get down to business now
and get it sorted, don't we?
Sounds like a good idea, Peter. Absolutely.
Excellent. Fantastic.
Thank you, Ian. Thank you, Kate. Thank you, Peter. Great.
I'll be in touch soon.
Every vet practice has regulars who are big characters.
CHUCKLING
You're getting all excited, sweetheart, aren't you?
And in Wetherby, one of them is Jos...
Come on, then, Jos. Hello. Hello, Jos.
..an elderly Belgian hare who's always made Julian jumpy...
I don't know why, but he's just slightly frightening me a bit.
LAUGHTER
..while everyone else just feared his next pun.
I'm a bit worried that we might have a "hare-line" fracture.
I think it'll be a frightening operation.
I'd find it very "hare-raising".
Jos was once a prize-winning Belgian hare...
To be fair, he does look a bit more handsome than those two.
..before age and arthritis got the better of him.
So, this rabbit's third...
Did he really say he's third? Yeah.
But he's always been number one to owner Polly.
I'm not upset at the fact that he's got third.
I'm happy that he's got third. He could have got nothing.
We love you to bits, don't we, Jos?
Two years on, it's Jos's latest visit to the practice.
I have been treating him for a long time,
but the last time I saw him, he was going downhill a little bit,
and I'm suspicious that today might be the time
when Polly's decided that we need to make a big decision over his future.
So I think the time is getting quite close for poor old Joss.
What a sad, sad day.
Well, the last time, we came in and had his injection for his joints.
We were sort of borderline then,
but he's gradually got... he's got worse.
So when he tries to get up, he now falls over.
He won't come out and play.
So, obviously, very uncomfortable, and we don't think it's fair.
So we think it's time that he now calls it a day.
As sad as it is, and I'm gonna start blubbing in a minute, so...
SHE EXHALES
..it's time. Yeah, it's time.
Polly. Are you all right? Oh...
It's awful, Julian, watching him. It really is.
He won't... You know,
like bunnies sit like that with their feet tucked under.
He can't, his legs are straight out at the back of him,
and he's spending 99% of his time like that.
And that's not a natural position, is it?
It is not a natural position.
The skin is just hanging off him, where flesh used to be.
So he's lost a lot of muscle, then, as well.
Oh, he has lost a lot... But he won't move, so...
you know, what can I do?
Is it time to...? I think so.
I'd prefer it that way.
Jos, oh, dear.
We'll need to sedate him because he's always so twitchy,
and I'll give him an injection that takes about ten minutes to work,
and then it'll be easy to do it
without him knowing what's happening.
Oh, I'm so sorry, Jos.
WHISPERS:I'm so sorry.
I just can't do any more.
So, this is the sedative.
We'll just... Are you all right just to steady him there?
Yeah. Good boy.
That was fine. All done, there we are.
You're all right, it's OK.
There you go. There you go.
I can't see him suffer. Gorgeous boy.
It's always a difficult part of the job to put down people's pets.
And it's made even more challenging when we know the owners very well.
He's been a star, hasn't he, though? I mean, a little character.
He's had a lot of firsts with him and best in shows, so...
Yeah, he's done very, very well.
He really has been a star for me.
In a way, it's, I suppose, a privilege to be there at the end.
And as the main vet responsible for the health during his life,
I think it's the right thing to be there when the end comes.
It's quick, and it's peaceful.
Sweetheart. He's at peace.
Oh, my beautiful bunny.
You're going to do a lot of running in heaven.
You'll be the proudest bunny up there.
Bit feisty. But lovely all the same.
We loved you.
A famous poem describes the pets we've lost
playing in a heavenly place called Rainbow Bridge, for eternity.
And after tears flow, there are always brighter times ahead.
Golden moments to look back on.
Every second Sunday in September is National Pet Memorial Day.
And to mark the occasion, the RSPCA has launched Walk To Remember
for people to come together
to reminisce about the pets they've loved and lost.
Wait, wait.
Like Julian, Yorkshire vets David and Rohin
have witnessed heartache first-hand.
Ready? Yep.
So, with their dogs Yogi and Rupert, they're joining a local walk...
..with Faye from the RSPCA.
Is there anyone in particular you're walking for today?
Yes, well, I've had many pets in my life,
and I absolutely treasure them all.
There was one stray that I found, a little Staffy called Jem.
Aw, yeah. She hadn't been vaccinated, unfortunately,
and she passed away from parvo two weeks after I found her,
and it totally broke my heart,
so I'm definitely walking in memory of her today.
It's such a devastating condition, isn't it? It's terrible, yeah.
It is horrific, but it inspired me to start working for the RSPCA,
and it's where I found my beautiful angel, so it's all worked out. Aw!
David might have found a new practice recruit in Bethany.
I heard you're studying to be a veterinary nurse.
Yeah, so, I'm going into my third year now.
Was there any particular reason you decided to be a vet nurse, or...?
It kind of kicked off when...
So, I lost my cat when I was 15, maybe, maybe 14. Right.
And seeing the way the nurses cared for her in her last days,
it made me realise that's what I want to do.
Something you wanted to be able to do for other people.
Like, the compassion they showed. Yeah.
It's a really tough situation from every perspective,
and, you know, I remember lots and lots of those conversations
where you're breaking that news
and then trying to guide people through it... It's tough.
For some walkers, emotions are still raw.
It's been a bittersweet time for Sara.
How long have you had Max for?
So, he's a foster, and I fetched him last Saturday,
so I've had him one week and one day. Right. OK.
And did you lose your previous dog fairly recently?
I did, yeah, five weeks ago. OK. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, yeah.
Thank you, yeah, it was pretty... pretty, pretty tough.
I swore I wasn't gonna do it again.
I couldn't go through the heartache and the pain again.
And I didn't go particularly looking, I just happened to see him,
and since he's been here,
I've smiled again for the first time, and...
Yeah. I've felt a little bit less heavy
and a little bit less confused,
so he's absolutely made me feel like I'm starting to mend again.
That's so nice to hear, honestly.
It's been a really positive day today.
I'm hearing all those stories,
knowing how much pets really mean to people
and being able to discuss it and talk about things in a positive way.
I think it's a really, really good initiative, don't you?
Yeah, I think it's a really good idea.
Should we get a photo? Down in there?
Nice way to remember the walk.
Just like everybody else,
we've lost really close pets and animals to us before.
It's not an easy subject, but I think its a really nice thing to do,
to be able to discuss and remember all our lost pets.
Right, have we got everybody in?
Got it? Right, OK.
As work begins in Thirsk's Memorial Garden...
Are you on? Yeah, I'm on.
..Peter's looking further afield...
If you're telling me
that we've got other accessible areas throughout the country,
that sounds absolutely perfect with what I got in my mind.
..and wants national coverage.
I've come to book in for the Jeremy Vine show.
Have you read all your papers, done your homework? Some of it.
I never was very good at homework, really.
The benefits of remembering and commemorating the animals we love
is something they understand at Cannon Hall Farm in South Yorkshire.
It's something I like to do every other day, this.
For Rob and Dave, it's always been the way.
Whenever one of our dogs passes away, Rohin, we bury em.
And we plant a fruit tree.
So I'll go and dig a hole this afternoon and, er...
lay him to rest.
HE GROANS Right.
A recent loss that hit them especially hard
was the passing
of their three-year-old prize Shire horse, Herkules,
because of a sudden colic.
Heartbroken's an easy word, but we are.
You know, I never thought we'd have an animal like him here on our farm,
so it is a blow.
Now Herkules' legacy is the focus.
'Ey up! Hiya, Shona.
And Shona's come from the Huddersfield practice
to see if Ruby is pregnant with his foal.
I don't think we'll ever really get over it,
cos you're always thinking what might he have done,
what shows could you have gone to,
you know, what would his future have looked like?
But the only future we've got from him
is in this girl here and a couple of the others,
and some straws of frozen semen
which we hope to be able to use in the future,
so that's all we can pin our hopes and dreams on now.
Absolutely, and that's the purpose of our visit today, isn't it?
To scan Ruby, and hopefully, she's pregnant with Herkules' baby.
She looks quite trim, though, that's my worry.
You know what I mean? Well, yeah. Early days, isn't it? Yeah.
With the Shire horse species endangered...
Right. Scanner?
Looks like something from Star Wars. Yeah. Good girl.
..Ruby being pregnant would give everyone a lift.
We're just gonna try with this probe on the outside
to scan between her legs and see if we can see the foal that way.
But so far, Shona's ultrasound scan isn't looking promising.
I think we're gonna have to go for the rectal approach,
cos I'm not seeing anything. There's not a lot there.
There's just black fluid,
which could be bladder, and it could be uterus,
and I can't really see deep enough to see which it is.
And she's hoping the rectal approach
will help her get to the bottom of things.
So, what's the verdict, Shona?
Ah, we've got some good news. Oh, brilliant.
We've got a foal in there. She's eating for two.
She is eating for two. She is, in fact, eating for two.
Well, that's fantastic news, Shona. Thank you very much.
It is good news, isn't it?
It's definitely nice to be the deliverer of good news for once.
Today has helped ease the pain of Rob and Dave's greatest loss.
Thank you, Shona. You can definitely come again.
Thanks, Rob. CHUCKLING
And they also want in on the special plans in Thirsk.
I've heard that Peter Wright has had the idea
of having a pet memorial garden at the Herriot Centre.
What about a bench to sit and reflect and remember Herkules, Dave?
I think that's a fantastic idea,
cos he was the best Shire horse we ever had.
What better place to remember him by?
Fantastic idea. If we get foals from him, Dave,
and we get a great bench, then we've cracked it both ways.
In the Howardian Hills National Landscape in North Yorkshire,
Peter's mission to help grieving pet owners
has brought him to one of the country's most iconic stately homes.
A magnificent example of Baroque architecture, Castle Howard.
So we've now got plans in place to site a memorial garden
at the World of James Herriot.
Rob and Dave Nicholson from Cannon Hall
are very kindly delivering a bench, and on the back of that,
I thought it would be a really good idea
if we could have other strategically placed benches
at beautiful locations throughout the countryside,
where people can just go and sit quietly
and think back to the wonderful times
that they've had with the pets that they've lost.
He's arranged to meet up with Francesca from National Landscapes,
whose team look after
some of the UK's most outstanding natural beauty spots.
You couldn't have chosen a better day, really, could you?
It's beautiful. Absolutely stunning.
Well, I thought this would be an ideal place to start,
near Castle Howard. Yep.
And I just hoped that you had somewhere in mind
where we could place a bench. Definitely.
It's a little bit away
from the hustle and bustle of the actual house itself,
so you're not gonna be harangued by tourists and things,
but it's on a really beautiful, peaceful area.
That's exactly what I want, you know, for people to get away
from the noise of this world that we live in now,
where people can just go and gather their thoughts.
Well, one of the special qualities of most National Landscapes
is that they're very tranquil places.
There are 46 National Landscapes within the UK.
So I'm sure that some of the others would also be happy to host a bench.
If you're telling me that we've got other accessible areas
throughout the country that's on a par with this... Absolutely.
..then that sounds absolutely perfect for what I got in my mind.
Thank you.
So, this is the spot I was thinking about,
because we've got this beautiful, iconic view.
And behind us, we've got the North York Moors.
We have, yes.
It is a 360-degree panoramic view, isn't it?
Yeah, it is, yeah.
I think it would be a lovely place to sit and contemplate.
I think you're right.
Are you happy with that?
I think it's perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Back in Thirsk, work on the pet memorial garden has begun.
Do you want it on the grass, or do you want it on the thing?
Erm, let's put it on the grass.
Peter's called in a favour from his friends Dave and Mark,
who are showing due respect to his old boss, Mr Herriot.
We're covering it so we don't splash it with cement,
just protecting the statue, and then we don't upset anybody.
The first job is to prepare a spot for Rob and Dave's bench.
Bedding the flag solid into the concrete, so it keeps...
It's just a solid base.
And while these two are hardened builders,
they don't have hearts of stone.
It's so sad when you lose an animal.
We had a rescue dog, and we lost that recently,
and I cried like hell.
They become part of the family.
They just... They give you true love for nothing.
Stone slabs setting...
Got it? Yeah, right. OK.
..it's onwards and upwards.
Are you on? Yeah, I'm on. I'm on something.
This is the trellising for people who are putting plaques on
when their pets have died.
And the idea with the bench opposite,
people who come and put the plaques on
will be able to sit on the bench seat and admire their plaques.
Here to admire his mates' handiwork...
Good afternoon, gentlemen.
..Peter's adding to their workload.
I've just dropped off this water feature,
which I think you're going to install for us as well.
We are, we are. Where do you want it putting, Dave?
Do you really want to know? Politely, please.
Just there, please. Just here? Yeah. Right. OK.
I suppose I might as well unpack it while I'm here, mightn't I?
Excellent, right. Shall we get this in position, Dave?
OK, if you'll pass it over to me.
There we are. Thank you.
Got it, got it. It's heavier than it looks.
I think that looks... looks rather good there.
Shall we try it, Peter? Yeah.
There you go. D'you know, I'm really pleased with that.
Brilliant, pleased you're happy. Very happy, very happy.
Do you smile when you're happy? Sometimes. Oh, thank you.
With the pet memorial project coming along nicely in Yorkshire,
Peter has an early start down in the capital.
Thank you very much. You're welcome.
Keen to spread the word nationwide,
on a chilly December morning, he's at London's ITN studios.
I've come to book in for the Jeremy Vine Show.
He's appearing on Channel 5's daily topical debate show
hosted by Jeremy Vine.
I'm here to talk about a pet memorial initiative
that we're setting up
and also just to talk generally about people losing pets
and the grief that they go through when they lose one of the family.
But as with most live morning shows...
Morning! Good morning.
..he'll also be joining the discussion
on today's other hot topics.
And researcher Tamika is running him through them.
I've got your stories for you, so...
we'll have a chat with you at the beginning.
I'm feeling a little bit nervous
knowing that we're on live television,
so I better not make any mistakes.
We've given you this story in the Daily Mail.
About this, yeah, reindeer. HE LAUGHS
There's gonna be no reindeer left in the country.
They're all gonna be killed, aren't they? It's just... Yeah.
Who's gonna deliver the Christmas presents?
I mean... this is the thing.
This is what the council aren't understanding.
I'm in the big city now. Life's a bit different down here.
And certainly, I'm under the spotlight in more ways than one.
Good morning. I don't want to interrupt. Is it Carole?
It is Carole. Lovely to meet you. Peter Wright. And you.
We'll talk shortly, only because... Carry on.
They've changed the bloody debate. I understand. I understand.
As regular panellist Carole Malone does some last-minute cramming,
Peter has more pressing concerns.
Yeah, I did mean to have a haircut before I came. I didn't...
I've been working so hard, I didn't get a chance to have it done.
Hi, Peter, do you want to come through into make-up?
Thank you.
It's fair to say this isn't Peter's typical morning.
But Justine can spare his blushes. And sort his barnet.
Right, would you like anything in your hair, Peter?
Well, I might, it's... it's... Product?
It's not quite as, erm...
My hair doesn't behave itself as much as it used to do.
I meant to have a haircut before I came. Oh, it looks fine.
What I'll do is I'll give it a little spray. Oh, well done.
And I think that's fine. Thank you.
Then you're good to go.
With not a hair out of place... Right, there you go. You're done.
Thanks, Peter. Thank you.
..it's show time.
Read all your papers, done your homework? Some of it.
I never was that good at homework, really.
Five seconds. Four, three, two...
Still to come...
Let's get you unwrapped, Alf.
This is our big occasion, isn't it, really?
The memorial garden's grand opening.
Well, I'd like to thank everyone for coming today.
And places to sit and remember
the likes of Bridget's Highland cow, Big Girl.
Or is there a big surprise?
Morning, Bridget. Good morning.
Well, I never thought we'd be meeting under these circumstances.
Yorkshire Vet Peter Wright is down in London... and about to go live.
Five seconds. Four, three, two...
He's appearing on Channel 5's Jeremy Vine Show.
Hello again, welcome back with Carole, Radzi,
and - here's the exciting news -
we are joined by the Yorkshire Vet himself, Peter Wright.
Hello! How good to see you. Morning.
That's a little... No-one gets even a ripple of applause here,
so you've done well.
Peter's joined the show to raise awareness about pet grief
and ways to deal with the loss.
The subject of pet loss, how it affects the owners.
That's true, yeah. Cos people don't...
Often, they don't feel they can grieve.
No, and I was racking my brains
as to what we could do to help this situation.
And I actually met a chaplain in the south of England
who administers to people that have lost pets,
and I thought, "What a wonderful idea."
And there's also a pet memorial garden there where people can go,
there's a plaque up,
and people could go and just sit and reminisce,
bring back the memories, and I thought, "What a wonderful idea.
"Why can't we do something like that in Thirsk where I live?"
With Peter's main topic covered,
he now has to deal with pets and politics.
We've had a story this week
about Labour trying to extend bereavement rights to workers,
so if you're upset about an uncle who lives in the Isle of Skye,
you're not told, "Oh, he's 600 miles away."
You know, "You can't have a day off."
That doesn't matter. If you're close to him, you love him.
And the next thing will be
someone says, "I need a week off for my dog."
Now, what do you think of that?
Well, I've got to say,
and I've seen this on more than one occasion, Jeremy,
where people have grieved more over losing a pet
than they have over losing a husband or wife.
And, erm, I mean, I used to say to my wife,
"You know, if you had to choose between me and Alf, our boxer..."
She would choose the dog! LAUGHTER
He's just making it up now.
Thank you for joining us, Peter, that was fascinating.
We went in all directions.
Job done...
All right, thanks again. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Congratulations, seriously.
..Peter can breathe a sigh of relief.
'I think that went OK.'
It's very relaxed in there,
and Jeremy certainly keeps everything moving along,
so it's quite fast-paced, and I quite enjoyed myself, really.
And with his message delivered to the nation,
he's heading back up north.
I did enjoy getting into the spirit of it
and getting my points across about the pet memorial garden.
So I've had a wonderful morning so far.
Very different from what my life is normally.
I wouldn't swap it. I think I'll stick to North Yorkshire.
I think it's lovely to come down here to London
and see how the other half live, but it's not for me long-term.
Always a pleasure to visit, but always a pleasure to go home.
A few weeks later, back in Thirsk, the big day has arrived.
Yeah, you don't need two the same next to each other. No.
Local pet owners are due at the town's Herriot Museum
for the opening of the Pet Memorial Garden.
Right, let's get them hung up. Let's get them on the wall.
Peter's fellow Yorkshire Vets, Matt and Shona,
are adding some finishing touches. Lovely.
And Rob and Dave from Cannon Hall Farm have just arrived.
Right. God. To me. To you.
They're paying tribute to their beloved Shire horse, Herkules...
Steady there, steady. OK. Who do you think I am? Herkules?
It's certainly solid. ..with a very special bench.
How you doing? Morning!
Hey, Shona. OK, lift it on. Oh, that looks brilliant.
Oh, that is heavy. Right, come on.
One, two, three. Right, back a bit.
Perfect. What do you think?
That's brilliant. It's a right bench, is that, isn't it?
Went down with a right thud. A fitting tribute.
Oh, definitely, yeah. A strong bench for a strong horse.
Exactly that. Yeah, it's really nice.
This is the original Herriot practice,
where Peter was treating pets as a newly qualified vet
over 40 years ago,
alongside his mentor and friend, Herriot himself, Alf Wight.
Let's get you unwrapped, Alf.
This is our big occasion, isn't it, really?
And I know it's something that you will wholeheartedly approve of.
So it's fitting that on his mission to help pet owners,
the journey's brought him here.
As a community comes together
to honour the four-legged friends they've loved and lost.
Well, I'd like to thank everyone for coming today.
I've dreamt for some time that we should have somewhere
where we can go and remember our pets when they've passed away.
And I can picture now Alf White, James Herriot, here,
walking up and down this part of the garden with his dogs.
So this has very special memories for me.
So now I'd like to ask Shona to unveil the plaque wall.
Oh, look at that.
This isn't a day to be miserable.
This is a day to celebrate our pets
and what they've given us over the years,
because our pets ask for very little,
but they give us an awful lot.
So, on that note,
I'd like now to declare the Memorial Garden officially open.
APPLAUSE
And with that, the people of Yorkshire and beyond
have somewhere to remember their pets who meant so much to them.
Fantastic. It looks brilliant. It's beautiful.
It is an absolute honour to have him remembered here.
Our whole family misses him,
but like it says on his plaque, the sweetest of all the sweet boys.
I think it's such a beautiful place
and a place with so much history as well,
where James Herriot and Peter, back in the day, treated lots of animals,
and I think the whole setting is perfect.
Let's have a seat, Peter. Good idea.
On this nice sturdy bench.
Do you know, it's lovely, isn't it, to have those plaques there?
You've got one up there, have you? I have, yeah.
I've got Alf up there, yes. Oh, bless him.
Who have you got up there? I've got Islay. My little doggy.
I think it's a really lovely thing that you're doing, Peter,
and thanks for getting us involved to help.
Thank you for being involved,
because it's very important that people like you are involved,
because you understand.
As veterinary surgeons, our whole life revolves around pets
and animals in general, and so it's really special that you're here.
Cheers to that.
A few weeks later,
Peter's headed up to the moors to see his friend Bridget,
whose 27-year old cow, Big Girl, had painful joint issues
and had stopped eating.
You know, to look in this field one day and Big Girl isn't there...
I know. Oh, it's horrible. It will be horrible.
But occasionally...
a poorly pet who seems to be on their way out...
..defies the odds.
Today is Big Girl's 28th birthday.
This past year, we were very much on borrowed time.
Even after we had the harsh winter, I thought, you know,
do I phone and say we're about ready to pop her to sleep?
But every time I thought about it, she rallied.
Now we're into early summer,
and it's just a delight just to come down and see her.
It's an old friend, you know.
Morning, Bridget. Good morning.
I never thought we'd be meeting under these circumstances. No.
Here we are, all this time on.
And Big Girl's proved us all wrong. There she is.
I think she's been waiting for you.
When I saw her previously,
I thought she had nothing more than just a few weeks left.
Hello, Big Girl! Look, someone special for you, Big Girl.
And here we are now, coming here to celebrate Big Girl's 28th birthday.
We cannot let this moment go unnoticed.
I've brought her a bit of a present. Oh, Peter, that's gorgeous.
Well, I've put in ingredients here that I think Big Girl will enjoy.
Black treacle. Oh, that's gorgeous.
SHE LAUGHS We'll have a slice later.
We should have a picnic! I know, yeah.
Well, have we got a treat here for you, Big Girl.
I will miss her when she goes. I'll miss her, of course.
But I'm glad she got to her birthday,
and I'm glad the sun's shining on her somewhere.
And it's just been a true delight to have this extra year with her,
when I was all prepared last year to say goodbye to her.
She's just been wonderful.
Just try that.
Ooh, I think it's a success. It is.
How wonderful. Oh, Peter, I like that.
When the time comes, when Big Girl does eventually pass away...
..there's a bench at Castle Howard where Bridget can go and sit
and contemplate Big Girl.
And there are various other benches strategically placed
in beautiful rural locations around the country,
where people that have lost pets can go and similarly mourn,
but also think of the wonderful memories those pets have created.
But at this moment in time, Big Girl isn't going anywhere.
I never in my wildest dreams thought
we'd be having an experience like this.
No, I never thought we'd be here today.
One more piece. Ooh, she's enjoyed that.
She is!
Tell you what, that's probably the secret to a long life.
You've probably given her an extra year!
THEY LAUGH