The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is proud to support Boehringer Ingelheim's 'Value Your Vet' campaign which celebrates the critical role vets play in Australian society. Launched in Sydney today, the new campaign calls for greater recognition of the veterinary profession's extraordinary contribution to preserving and protecting the cherished human animal bond.
Backed by a nationally representative research sample that surveyed over 1,100 Australian pet owners – including dog, cat, bird and reptile and other small animal owners - the campaign highlights our deep reliance on vets, while revealing a striking gap in public awareness about the pressures they face. While half of respondents say their vet has saved their pet's life, only one in four have expressed gratitude for this lifesaving work.
The survey also found that nine in ten respondents trust their vet and 86 per cent considered veterinary work stressful. However, many underestimated how often vets perform emotionally challenging duties.
"Vets are faced with unique challenges every day. When you consider the long hours, heavy workload and on-going emotional burden, vets are vulnerable to significant mental health challenges, which can be made worse by a lack of recognition in the community," Dr Gemma Chuck, President of the AVA said.
When given a list of routine veterinary duties, 50 per cent of respondents could identify only half of these tasks, revealing a striking deficit in public awareness of those critical services provided to the community by our veterinary workforce. Frequent visitors to the vet were more likely to recognise their practitioner's contributions, yet just 7 per cent of all respondents showed a full understanding of the duties a clinical vet performs.
Nearly one in three respondents believed tasks such as euthanasia and discussing bad news occurred weekly, but Dr Chuck clarified that, "in some clinics, these emotionally draining duties can occur multiple times a day". This stark contrast shows a significant gap between the public perception of veterinary practice and the reality that veterinarians face. Remarkably, 95 per cent of Australians agreed vets play a critical role in society, although their awareness of the breadth and extent of the role was limited.
"Vets are not only your pet's GP. From emergency care and surgery to dentistry and diagnostic imaging, vets need to have many skills to provide a high standard of healthcare for many different species of pet. This is unique to our human counterparts and underscores the value of campaigns like this," Dr Chuck said.
By using this research, the 'Value Your Vet' campaign highlights the gaps in public awareness to help ensure the perception of veterinary work reflects reality. 'We truly appreciate Boehringer Ingelheim's support for the veterinary profession. This campaign will help highlight the challenges vets face and raise public awareness of the vital contributions they make to the health and wellbeing of animals, people and communities across Australia," said Dr Chuck.
