It's probably fitting that a day in the life of Dr Chris Brown begins with a surf at one of Sydney's beaches. The unpredictability of the waves is matched only by the day that lies ahead. For once he hits the sand and swaps the surfboard for the stethoscope, Chris could be tending to anything and everything in the animal world from the smallest of city-slicker pets to the biggest of bovines.
It's fair to say that Chris' knowledge of animals is as much instinctive as it is taught. Growing up in the suburbs of Newcastle with his father as the local vet, its easy to see why Chris' four legged brothers and sisters far outnumbered the human variety. The backyard played home to chickens, ducks, koalas, kangaroos, penguins, horses, cows and a donkey as well as the more standard dogs, cats and birds. However, it was the sudden decline of his dog and best mate, Claude, that convinced him he had to become a vet. "I was 17 at the time and it really shook me up. I wanted to know everything about the heart condition that killed him. It showed me that caring for animals was what I was all about."
Current work
Chris continues writing for Burke's Backyard magazine as well as Woman's Day magazine and website. Chris works extensively in the corporate world most particularly as a corporate ambassador for the well known pet brand Purina.
2009 sees the most exciting period of Chris' career to date, as host of the new prime time Channel Ten program, Bondi Vet.
Chris splits his time between his Sydney base (where he counts two chickens as pets!) and the family farm in Stroud, NSW. His two dogs, Rosie (a kelpie x koolie) and Rusty (a kelpie), are never too far away.
Chris is also an ambassador for Assistance Dogs Australia, a charity that aims to increase the independence of people with physical disabilities, the spokesperson for AMRRIC (Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities).
Previous experience
Education: After graduating from Sydney University with First Class Honours, Chris took up an offer to work in a clinic on Sydney's north shore. Yet, despite a busy schedule, he still managed to find time to travel to remote Aboriginal communities in the deserts of the Northern Territory to improve the health of animals that had never seen, let alone been treated by a vet. Despite the extreme temperatures and basic conditions, Chris still regularly visits and conducts research in these areas, drastically improving the health of the animals as well as the local Aboriginal people.
TV: Three years into his veterinary life, Chris was spotted by an agent in a pub telling stories over a few beers. A screen test with Seven Network was the result and two weeks later, Chris began filming as the new vet on Harry's Practice. His impact was immediate, and soon found himself up for a Logie award for Most Popular New Talent at the 2004 TV Week Logie Awards.
Burke's Backyard: In March, 2004, Chris appeared as a presenter on Channel Nine's Burke's Backyard program alongside the pioneer of lifestyle television Don Burke.
Author: In October 2005 Chris released his first book, The Family Guide to Pets, through Murdoch Books. Despite his busy schedule, Chris still practices as a vet and wrote the book to help people make the right decision when choosing a pet, while showing them how to have some fun along the way.
