Falconridge Animal Hospital

It is with heavy hearts that we have to write about this topic. The Calgary-area vet community lost a member this past weekend, one of the good ones. We stand with her team, Happy Paws Veterinary Clinic Airdrie, heartbroken that she will not be part of our amazing, caring, skilled profession going forward.

Our profession is made up of people who have devoted their lives, both personal and professional, to fostering care and compassion towards animals and their humans. Every day, vet teams make sacrifices to make an extra phone call, to stay late to ensure a delayed client gets to pick up medication, to lend an ear when a client is struggling, to mend that Pokémon stuffie with the ripped ear, and to be there for the happy moments and the sad ones. This compassion takes bits of our hearts.

Like many others, our industry is grappling with rising costs and lingering post-pandemic strain. Frontline staff are frequently subjected to verbal abuse, support personnel are accused of indifference, and professionals are publicly criticized on social media. These experiences take a real toll—teams are made up of people who care deeply, and such treatment is taken to heart, often too much so.

And so, losing one who cared deeply, reminds us to hug loved ones, to look after ourselves, and reach out to others who might be suffering. And most of all, remember we’re all in this for those who cannot speak for themselves.

We aim to raise awareness of this issue, as su***de rates within the veterinary profession are alarmingly high.

You may be familiar with NOMV (Not One More Vet), an organization that supports veterinarians, technicians, and clinic staff through:
* Mental health support and resources
* Peer-to-peer connection
* Crisis support for those in the veterinary field
Consider visiting the NOMV website, https://nomv.org/, but better yet, be kind to your vet teams.