Missing Link w/ Doug Mader

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How a Vet and His Father Bonded Over a Dog

About The Episode

In Doug Mader's home growing up, his father did not want to have any pets. But when he left for war in Vietnam, his mother asked if the family could have a dog around for protection. His father obliged, and that kicked off Doug's love for dogs.

As Doug grew older, his father envisioned him joining the military to follow suit and be a soldier as well. However, Doug had other plans. He had developed a strong connection to animals and wanted to become a veterinarian. His father was not pleased, as he felt it was a waste to pursue – a waste of time, a waste of education, a waste of money. There was always disagreement and conflict around the decision.

It wasn't until much later that things took a turn. Unfortunately, it happened when Doug's mother passed away. She left behind her Yorkie, who then came into the possession of his father. While he had clearly been anti-animals beforehand, Doug's father ended up taking a liking to this small dog – which became his life at that point in retirement.

A bond, after years of conflict, started to form. He would ask Doug questions, send photos of the dog, and they developed a true rapport for the first time. After decades, they finally had something to share and talk about: this tiny dog. However, his father still did not acknowledge that being a vet had value or was worthwhile.

Soon, he would find out how valuable those skills can be. The dog got sick quickly and since his father was located in Hawaii, where they had no board-certified specialists or proper equipment at the time, Doug was unable to help (since the dog wasn't able to travel either). The dog had to be put down, and his father took it hard.

A year or so later, his father got sick too. Doug flew back to be with him. As he sat bedside in the final hours, his dad finally told him that he was proud that Doug became a vet. Finally, an acknowledgement. A sense of peace, of closure. It took his father getting close to this dog himself for him to finally realize the power of that bond, and why Doug's work was (and continues to be) so important and worthwhile.

Doug recently also wrote a book called The Vet at Noah's Ark, about a year in his life in the 90's, living and working in inner city LA – which happened to overlap with the Rodney King riots. The hospital he was working at was right in the middle of it all, and it was an intense time of working to give back to the humans and animals of the community. Now, Doug is back in his home of the Florida Keys, and tries to give back to the community there as well. While he focuses on wildlife now, he still does work with dogs as there's no other board certified vet in the area.

About The Guest - Doug Mader

Dr. Doug Mader has been working in the veterinary field for several decades now, and also does speaking and writing around his work with animals. He is triple board-certified in medicine for dogs, cats, reptiles, and more. He currently focuses his work more on wildlife (such as sea turtles or alligators), but still does dog work as the only board-certified specialist in his area. Doug lives in the Florida Keys with his wife and their two dogs: Aragon, a whippet rescue, and Atigun, a pitbull mix.

Featured Links

InterviewJack SommerFamily, People Working w/ Dogs