Most are in my experience, yes. I would assume it's much like those other professions I mentioned, they deal with a lot of people distraught over pets who feel like family to them (and of course the vets get attached to the animals too, after treating them long-term.) We lost a kitty who was almost 20, she had been seeing the same vet the whole time (with the office full of kitties everywhere) and you could tell he adored that cat. It was miraculous that she lived that long anyway, especially in her later condition and nobody knew that better than he did.

There is another vet closer to us, with a much "nicer" office and more high-tech equipment etc. No kitties everywhere, more of a regular doctor-office environment. Those people are more automated and "professional," and don't seem to take such a personal interest in the pets. We drive almost an hour to see our usual vet, just because it is so obvious that he really cares about the pets and goes all-out with a personal interest in his research to help them.

>Disclaimer: I am new to having pets, I am not an animal person but I married a hottie Dr. Doolittle.