A new white paper from Zoetis reveals that almost half (48 percent) of UK veterinarians surveyed have considered leaving the field, despite growing global demand for veterinary services. Now 78 percent of UK vets are calling on industry leaders, policymakers and the veterinary community to make the systemic changes needed to address the urgent retention issue.
Why this matters
It comes at a time when the demand for veterinary services continues to rise, due to factors like increasing pet ownership, the need to ensure food safety in expanding livestock industries, and the emergence of new zoonotic diseases that require veterinarian-led surveillance, prevention and control.
The research shows 75 percent of vets in the UK have taken time off work at least once in the last year due to work-related mental health issues (versus 70 percent in Europe). However, the data suggests this is not an endemic well-being issue, as previously thought, but rather a symptom of the working environment itself, fuelled by structural, cultural and economic factors. Focusing on individual resilience as a solution, therefore risks misdiagnosing the problem - a new approach is needed that addresses the environmental factors at play.
Three areas for change
To help address these issues and support the veterinary profession, the white paper identifies three key areas for improvement:
Reimagining veterinary practice
Just as in many other professions, there is a need for more flexible and sustainable working models within veterinary workplaces. This includes considering more flexible work rotas, utilising technology to ease workloads, and enhancing the supporting roles for veterinary nurses. Even small changes like mentorship programmes and structured breaks have already shown positive results in some workplaces.
Adapting to meet client needs
With rising expectations from clients, many vets report struggling to meet the many and varied demands. The white paper recommends enhancing communication training, adopting technology for better client management, and offering more support for vets when managing emotionally challenging conversations with clients.
Broadening the professional pipeline
Cultivating a diverse workforce is key in helping to meet the long-term demands of the profession, however, the industry currently draws from a narrow talent pool: 96 percent white, 29 percent fee paying and predominantly female. To ensure a steady flow of new talent, the profession must expand its talent pool. This includes more inclusive recruitment practices.
Driving sector-wide change
Dr Stephanie Armstrong, veterinarian and regional president at Zoetis, emphasises how supporting veterinary professionals requires a broader, sector-wide effort: “Addressing retention in the veterinary field requires looking beyond individual well-being to systemic factors. By fostering better work environments and providing support, we can help ensure that veterinarians continue to provide vital services to our communities.”
A call to secure the future of veterinary medicine
The Zoetis white paper on veterinary retention serves as both a wake-up call and a blueprint for action. It underscores that veterinarians’ work underpins much of society’s well-being – from the care of pets that are family members, managing the health of farm animals to ensure food safety and security, to the surveillance of diseases that can transfer from animals to humans. As the demand for veterinary services continues to rise worldwide, addressing the factors driving vets away from the profession has become an urgent public concern.
Dr Gunila Pedersen, veterinary surgeon comments: “The challenge is that most of us don’t realise we’re in burnout, we just keep going, thinking there’s something fundamentally wrong with us. It’s easy to think we’re simply not made for this profession, which many of us have wanted to be in from as young as 5 years old. As vets, just ‘getting on with it’ becomes second nature, but something needs to change - we need the right tools and structures in place to ensure we’re not taking the stresses of work home with us.”
Workplace culture continues to emerge as a major contributing factor to retention challenges. Dr Rob Williams, junior vice president of the British Veterinary Association, explains: “Recruitment, and perhaps more pressingly retention, continues to be a challenge across the veterinary workforce. Whilst external factors are at play, data from BVA’s Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey show that workplace culture is a major contributing factor. Great Workplaces by BVA is helping vet businesses get to the root causes of retention issues, giving vet teams the tools to celebrate what is working well and empowering them to take action where issues are arising. Becoming an accredited practice makes good business sense – it’s good for vets and vet practices, good for clients and ultimately, good for the animals in their care.”
Zoetis urges stakeholders across the veterinary and animal health sector to review the white paper’s insights and join a collective effort to implement solutions. By investing in the people who care for animals, we safeguard animal welfare, protect our food supply, and strengthen public health for everyone. It’s vital our veterinarians continue to thrive, innovate, and contribute to a healthier future for animals and society alike – the time to act is now.
You can read the full whitepaper here.
