Dr. Andrew Kaplan has a way with the four-legged set.   (Photo: Kristine Larsen for New York Magazine)

• City Veterinary Care
  Dr. Andrew Kaplan

  220 W. 72nd St., 212-799-7000

  When Lisa Crawford arrived at her vet’s to pick up her dog Fred after he had undergone tests, the 50-pounder was still a little loopy from a Fentanyl pain patch, and she doubted he could walk the three blocks home. “No problem,” offered Dr. Andrew Kaplan, who volunteered to carry the sluggish pooch home. It’s old-school generosity like that, together with his singular diagnostic skills, that have made him a favorite not only of neighborhood creatures—ask any of their owners at the 72nd Street dog run—but also those who come some distance to see him. Even his out-of-town trips can turn into work: Ask him about his toughest case, and he’ll tell you about a buck that had been hit by a car on a highway. He loaded the creature into his hatchback, took him to his office, stabilized his broken ribs, and treated him for shock. Think of what he’ll do for your cat.

From the 2006 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine