Why we’re celebrating veterinarians

Veterinarians are an important part of our community. They put so much time, energy and expertise into helping animals live their best lives.

They enrich the lives of families who have companion animals and support farmers and their livelihoods.

But short staffing and overworking, particularly since the pandemic, are affecting the health and wellbeing of vets and vet nurses. Burnout and compassion fatigue are high in the industry.

It’s not just a problem in New Zealand. Veterinarian organisations in the USA, UK and Australia have reported high levels of stress among those in the industry.

Burnout and compassion fatigue are common, very common, in the veterinary industry. It’s like running a mental marathon every day.

One of the reasons for this stress is the pressure from the public. Because veterinary care isn’t subsidised like human medical care is, some people see pet health care as expensive. This can lead to heart-breaking decisions and tough conversations about what’s affordable and what’s best for the animal. It’s one of the reasons why we believe pet insurance is so important.

Despite the challenges, vets go on caring for their patients, playing an important role in our community and supporting everyone who has animals in their lives.

The value of vets

Everyone I know in this industry joined for one common reason and that’s to help animals.

We work closely with vets and are partners of the NZ Veterinarian Association. We know how hard vets work and we want them to know that their hard work is noticed and appreciated. That’s why we’re supporting the Your Vet Cares project alongside others who work closely with vets across New Zealand and Australia.

The project aims to show how much hard work and reinvestment goes into caring for animals. It’s also an online space where we can show our appreciation of vets and all the incredible work they do for our animals.

Visit Your Vet Cares to read the messages and share your own.

Here’s to Vets

It’s so much more than a job. Let’s celebrate vets and all they do for our pets.

Five ways to thank your veterinarian

• Just say ‘thank you’. Simply remembering to say thank you to your vet can make a big difference.

There’s nothing quite like a ‘thank you’ to give you the reassurance that people really appreciate what you’re doing.

• A card from you (or your pet). A card is a great way to show your vet their work is appreciated, even if the outcome isn’t what everyone hoped for.

• Update them on your pet’s progress. Your veterinarian cares about your pet too and they want to know how they’re doing.

Just knowing that your animal is doing well [...] that really makes our week.

• Trust your veterinarian. They’re experts in their field; your trust gives them the confidence to do what they do best.

• Give them a 5-star review. Tell the world how great your vet is and help other pet owners find them by leaving them a review on Google.