An equine vet has shared a plea to the public after the loss of two veterinary surgeons to suicide within a week.
The profession has one of the highest rates of workers taking their own lives, with the Not One More Vet (NOMV) charity working to address this serious issue.
An equine vet from Ardene House Equine Vets shared their thoughts following this recent very sad news.
“Many of us dreamt of being a vet long before vet school, but little did we know the challenges we may face,” they said. “We are vets because we care about our patients. We care about their owners and often we take on their emotions as if their pet were our own. It can be overwhelming at times. I would be lying if I said there weren’t times I felt I needed an escape.
“Contrary to what many may believe, we are not ‘in it for the money’. In fact, vet wages are much lower than you may realise and we often work long hours and it would be rare that we are able to stop thinking about our cases when we go home.
“Please remember we are human. We have feelings. We will make mistakes and we will learn from them. We care. We read comments made on social media. We take things to heart.
“We are lucky to have lots of wonderful clients, but this is just a reminder to please be kind and look after your vets.”
The NOMV charity is an organisation working to improve mental wellness within the veterinary profession by providing education, resources and support. It was founded by Dr Nicole McArthur in 2014 after the suicide of world-renowned vet Dr Sophia Yin. To find out more click here.
