By Anna Holton-Dean
Veterinarians are always there for us. Now, thanks to the Veterinary Hope
Foundation, we as the pet community are there for them too. Veterinary Hope Foundation was founded in early 2021 by two veterinarians, Drs. Elizabeth Chosa and Blair McConnel, who saw the need.
The reason veterinarians need us may surprise you — “surely, veterinarians have it good,” right? But what often goes unseen are the struggles they face.
According to a CDC study, veterinarians in the United States are at an increased risk of suicide, a trend that has spanned more than three decades. More precisely, according to VHF, they are three times as likely to die from suicide due to emotional and financial stress.
The new nonprofit foundation’s goal is to offer veterinarians something profound — hope. Its focus is on support, education and connection programs tailored specifically for the animal-care community.
The foundation consists of a team of committed, caring professionals. Its board members and advisory panel are composed of respected veterinary health professionals representing a range of perspectives.
According to its website, the foundation “will offer multiple interactive support groups for veterinarians, each one led by a mental health professional. Groups will focus on issues meaningful to practicing veterinarians, such as dealing with distraught clients, balancing family and work, handling grief and building emotional stamina.”
Dr. Heather Owen, owner of Animal Acupuncture and Canine Sports Medicine Facility in Tulsa, recognized the crisis. She joined the foundation in May 2021 as the board secretary to help save her profession. She further explains the mission and resources of the organization.
“NOMV (Not One More Vet) was started, and they are there to help veterinarians and their teams when a crisis is occurring, but no one has come forward to help prevent a crisis from occurring,” Owen says. “That is where our organization comes in. Veterinary Hope Foundation was started to help give veterinarians the tools they need to endure the daily demands of our profession.
“By counseling veterinarians and working in support groups, we can teach them how to de-escalate clients when they are angry, how to help counsel clients on financial requirements, how to help them cope with the emotions involved in not being able to save an animal because finances prevented it and how to cope with the natural loss of pets, as well as the unexpected loss of patients.”
While veterinarians have the highest rate of suicide of any profession, Owen says she believes they are losing even more to veterinarians and vet techs walking away from the profession.
“Animal Emergency Center, an icon of the Tulsa area, is operating on very limited hours now due to vet and vet staff shortages. There are simply not enough vets to fill the shifts,” Owen says. “One of my vet techs left emergency vet medicine because of abusive clients. The owners told her it was her fault their pet died when they couldn’t afford treatment. The pet had ingested antifreeze at home in the owner’s garage. … We all have to self-reflect and take responsibility for our own actions as pet owners, as veterinary professionals, as humans. I had to remind her it wasn’t her fault. She is in this business because she cares about pets, and she could work at McDonald’s for the same pay. If this is happening to us, and we are just one team, this is happening to all of my colleagues; we have to save our profession.”
How You Can Help
Collectively, as the pet community, there are many ways you can help prevent crises, and it starts with understanding, Owen explains. “This is not an attack on the public but more of an educational tool. We are seeing the shortages, and it’s only going to get worse. What can we all do and how can we stop people from leaving the profession? There’s awareness, there’s education, and there are solutions.” Here are several ways pet owners can take action:
1. Understand you shouldn’t create online smear campaigns. If you have a problem or complaint, speak directly to your veterinarian to resolve it. “Your veterinarian is human and will make mistakes. Instead of trying to destroy their business by smearing their reputation online, go to the source. They want to help.”
2. Understand vet care is expensive and learn to save for an emergency or acquire pet insurance. “As the cost of human medical supplies rises, vets purchase these same supplies,” Owen says. “The cost will continue to go up, not because the margin is rising. Our margin has never been lower. There is no margin for vets to be able to afford giving away anything for free, nor is there any wiggle room. When there’s a need, prices go up to reflect that. Pet parents don’t understand they, too, are recipients of the increase in medical supply costs. For an average $2,000 vet bill — which the owner just sees as $2,000 that went to the vet — the vet walked out with $20 in his or her pocket. If you’re going to be mad, be mad at the right place; that’s the cost of doing service. I could flip a hamburger for the same profit.”
3. Understand you need to communicate in a civilized manner.
Yelling and screaming at your vet or vet clinic staff are never productive. To have a valid patient-vet relationship, it requires effort from both sides. “We are stepping up for our profession and reporting abusive clients,” Owen says. “We have got to save our profession.”
4. Understand you can show your support. Veterinary Hope
Foundation is calling on all pet owners to show their appreciation for the veterinary community. One way to help is by posting pictures of your animals on social media with the hashtag #sharevetlove (be sure to give a shout-out to your own vet too!). You can also spread awareness with VHF Facebook frames and Instagram filters. If you would like to donate monetarily, you can do so at veterinaryhope.org. Click the red “Donations” button in the top right of the home page. To learn more, contact [email protected].
