Such was the case with Dr Hasnul Ismail. As a veterinarian of over 20 years, he is driven by his desire to nurse sick animals back to health.
“There’s nothing more fulfilling than that. And that’s why I became a veterinarian in the first place, to treat animals,” the 54-year-old shared with FMT Lifestyle in conjunction with World Veterinary Day today.
Hasnul set up his private practice, Heshmael’s Clinic For Pets, in Dataran Sunway here in 2002. Of all the animals he has treated, one case stands out: a stray cat whose face was ravaged by a wound infested with maggots.
“The cat’s condition was so bad. Some people would have put it to sleep and called it a lost case. But we tried our best to save it,” he recounted.
It was a touch and go case for sure, but Hasnul and his team stuck by the cat, from maggot removal to reconstructing the animal’s fractured jaw.
“We didn’t think it would survive, but the next day, the cat was alive and well. It was very rewarding,” reflected Hasnul.
Beyond his profession, Hasnul observes a regimen of jogging and yoga to remain in tip-top shape so he can perform his job well. And accompanying him on his daily jogs are his four canine companions.
“If you have a dog and you can’t bring it out for a walk or run, what’s the point in keeping one? They need exercise, too,” he said.
Besides his four dogs, Hasnul shares his home with an Amazon parrot and 21 cats. For Hasnul, this bustling household echoes the menagerie of his youth in Singapore, inspired by British naturalist Gerald Durrell.
“As young as 10 years old, I had this passion for animals. Not just pets but wildlife as well,” he said.
Watching documentaries and reading works by Durrel, British veterinary surgeon James Herriot, and adventure novels by Willard Price fuelled his drive to become an “animal doctor.”
But his family had reservations about his career choice, and so he studied biochemistry in Australia instead, and worked at a virology laboratory in Singapore upon graduation.
Yet, his heart remained tethered to the world of animals as evidenced by his weekend stints at a private pet clinic as well as the Singapore Zoo.
Here, he got his first taste of what being a veterinarian was all about. Once, he was allowed to use a blowpipe to administer medication to a sambar deer – and the experience blew his mind.
Upon securing his father’s blessings, Hasnul commenced his veterinary studies in Universiti Putra Malaysia. But it was his stint at a dairy farm in Denmark that gave him the practical experience he so craved.
Hasnul said working at the zoo and later the dairy farm helped train him to think on his feet, without relying too much on technology. “If I’m doing a house call, I can’t bring large equipment with me,” he laughed.
Hasnul encouraged those wishing to study veterinary science to volunteer at animal shelters, zoos and clinics for hands-on experience.
“They should also get themselves dirty by picking up poop and urine and getting used to the smell. If you want to be a vet, you can’t be squeamish,” Hasnul said.
Hasnul also talked about the financial realities of running a veterinary practice. “People always assume vets make a lot of money. Most of the time, that is not the case.”
And then, there are the unrealistic expectations of some pet owners. “People think that with one injection their pet will be cured. No. Which is why I tell my staff to lay down all possible treatments to the client.”
Despite the challenges, Hasnul finds great fulfilment in his job.
“It’s so rewarding to see the animal eating well or wagging its tail or brushing itself against you. It means they’re healthy, and that makes what I do worth it,” he said.
Heshmael’s Clinic For Pets
21, Jalan PJU 5/13,
Dataran Sunway,
47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours:
11am-6.30pm (Monday-Thursday)
11am-5pm (Friday-Sunday)
Contact: 03-6156 2478
Follow Heshmael’s Clinic For Pets on Facebook.