Dr Raftery graduated in 1982 and gained the RCVS Certificate in Zoological Medicine in 2000. He is currently the clinical director of a 5 veterinary surgeon exotic animal clinic in Manchester which has a very varied exotic animal case load of which currently is approximately 50% small mammals. He has contributed book chapters to a variety of textbooks on exotic animal medicine and surgery and has co-edited several textbooks and regularly talks at cpd events.