Dolphin Doctor: A Pioneering Veterinarian and Scientist Remembers the Extraordinary Dolphin that Inspired His Career

by Sam H. Ridgway

129 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dolphin Doctor is a fascinating g look at dolphins and theework that goes into training these animals. The author writes with viv8d descriptions so that the reader can visualize the experiences he’s describing. He also defines unfamiliar medical and scientific terms so that the average reader will understand.

[Cherilyn Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was something I won at the IMATA conference in 2004 and may have never come across it otherwise.

It is the personal story of Sam Bridgeway, one of the first Vets to work with marine mammals for the Navy. It was hilarious to hear about the relationship he had with the dolphin that inspired him to write his story. I really enjoyed the learning about the history in that time era, when dolphins were first being brought into oceanariums and marine parks. It is a short story, comical, and sometimes bittersweet.

[Terri Kempton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This somewhat dated tale sheds light on some of the first captive dolphins, early behavioral experimentation, and friendships with humans. As a kid I thought it was cool beyond cool; as an adult I raise an eyebrow at the Navy's involvement and the assumption that dolphins are "just" animals that we have the right to treat as we see fit (capturing them, keeping them in small containment areas, etc).