We never planned to have any pets. At least not until my husband buckled and agreed our animal-loving son could have a fish. Which, naturally, became three fish (one would apparently be lonely and he couldn’t decide between the other two). Then our youngest child wanted in on the act. Quickly it became four fish. Plus a fish tank, stones and plants (to replicate a fish’s natural habitat), a pump to oxygenate the water, fish food and on and on …

The look on my husband’s face when he returned from that shopping trip was a picture. He’d belatedly remembered why pets had always been a hard “no” in our household. But there we were. Bona fide pet owners.

Veterinary medicine
Despite this mostly-pet-free upbringing (or perhaps because of it?) my middle son decided at a very young age that he wanted to work with animals. This desire didn’t waver and he’s currently just over halfway through his veterinary degree.

Veterinary medicine is a popular university course, but it takes a lot more than a love of animals to succeed. The amount of study is off the scale, you’re on a conveyor belt of exams for six years, you need a way with people (the owners are the ones who pay for the treatment after all) and the job has a large practical element.

The universities are understandably keen to determine a student’s aptitude for the work ahead. So in addition to stringent academic requirements, they demand several hours practical experience on farms and in veterinary clinics. Without this you cannot apply.

Supporting the next generation
If you don’t have contacts in the field, this can be difficult. You are down to cold-calling vet practices, hoping they’ll agree to take you on for the required number of days.

Enter the ARCHE Tierärztliches Zentrum in Gstaad. When my teenage son asked if there was any way he could help around the surgery, Silke Frohloff didn’t hesitate. She let my son join her practice for a few weeks over two summers. Not only did this give him invaluable handson work experience, but he was also exposed to the level of care available to animals in the region – from cows to goats to dogs and cats. He will be forever grateful to her.

Animal friendly
A friend of my son had a similarly positive experience at the veterinary practice in Saanen. This confirmed what I had already guessed: the Saanenland is an animal-friendly place. Consider the happy-looking cows frolicking in fields across the region (though I’m never entirely sure how they feel about wearing those ornate flower headdresses when they parade through the streets). The farmer’s cat in a neighbouring field spends hours stalking what I assume to be mice and there are dogs aplenty when I’m out for a run. The grocery shops sell very fancy-looking cat and dog food (when did gourmet animal fare become a thing?) and Landi stocks a hugely impressive range of items for farm animals. So if you’re visiting the Saanenland and your pet gets poorly, rest assured you will find excellent care here, even though we’re deep in the mountains and far from a city.

The fab four
As for our four fish, they have long since gone to the great fishbowl in the sky. I like to think they led happy lives and although I would never admit as much to my family, I did rather enjoy their company. It was a treat to watch them swimming around their tank and through the rock arch that my husband had so carefully picked out.

ANNA CHARLES