Caring is caring, for animals as for people

Different readers of this article will have different reactions. Some people assume those in veterinary practice are money-hungry opportunists. Others are more aware of the costs of running an excellent veterinary practice that provides pets and their owners with 24/7 service and outstanding care.

I have been in the veterinary sector for over 13 years. I and my elder brother have witnessed firsthand the incredible balancing act that must be performed in order to keep our practice afloat. It not only requires blood, sweat and tears but a healthy cash flow to ensure the sustainability of quality care.

If we strive for excellent care we can’t cut corners. You may be saying, but it doesn’t cost much to look after animals. Would you say the same about a hospital looking after humans? You would expect the best and be willing to pay for quality service. This illuminates the disparity between how animal doctors and human doctors are perceived.

Running a quality veterinary practice involves huge investments. There are essential costs such as rent and utilities as well as costs for surgical instruments, medications and machines to provide effective care to the animals that come through the door with their owners. Some of these machines such as electro-cautery, X-ray and ultrasound are huge investments that may never provide “return on investment”. However they will be a critical part of services and care provided for animals when needed.

Manpower is another essential component of costs for a veterinary practice. Just as with physicians we should expect our veterinarians to be well trained and thus appropriately compensated for their knowledge and expertise. The disparity between human and animal doctors both in terms of salary and respect is vast, yet both are critical professionals.

Also read: What fuels animal cruelty in Nepal? 

If a person is unable or unwilling to pay their medical bills, they might be supported by the government, state, local agencies or even some good-hearted donors. On the flipside, if a pet owner is unable or unwilling to pay the medical bills after the treatment, the Vet Clinic is responsible for collecting what is owed to them in order to pay their staff. And there are many incidents where the owners never show up to get their pets so either the clinic has to adopt them or put them to sleep, which is one of the worst nightmares for the team.

Every veterinarian needs a community of staff around to ensure that both animals and their owners are valued and welcomed into the practice. If you want quality staff their salaries need to reflect the level of respect for the work they do, be they technicians, groomers, dog handlers or cleaners. Part of developing the ethos of a supportive veterinary practice team is ensuring that all members of the team are recognized both financially and personally. This is an investment in excellence of service at every level from a clean and sanitized exam room to a complex diagnosis and treatment protocol provided by the veterinarian.

Human doctors enter the profession to help people stay healthy and well, just like veterinarians enter the profession to help animals stay healthy and well. Veterinarians are passionate about their work and deeply committed yet they are often called “kukur/Gai/Khukhara (janawar) ko doctor” rather than veterinary doctors, which feels like the salutation is not humiliating the person but their profession. They willingly choose veterinary medicine because they love animals, and want to dedicate their lives to helping them live a better life as they can never speak and express their feeling of distress and pain when sick. Why is this then not seen as a noble cause due the same level of respect given to a human doctor in a hospital? We need to ask ourselves this question and to understand the implications of demeaning vets as money hungry rather than admiring them as professionals who are committed to high standards of care and compassion for all animals.

So the next time you’re tempted to shout “All you people care about is money!” at your exhausted, overworked and underpaid veterinarian, please stop and think. Remind yourself that veterinarians are motivated to care in the same way as human doctors and that this kind of care takes energy, resources and deep commitment. Many veterinarians give back to their communities by providing free or low cost vaccinations and spay/neuter clinics for stray animals, which also have a monetary value but they do that for the sake of their love and affection for animals.

The author is Co-Owner and Director at Vet for Your Pet. He works full time with his brother Dr. Pranav at their two clinics in Bhaktapur and Maharajgunj