The Dark Side Of Vet Industry In Australia
Pressure On Vets Tragic - 4x More Likely To Take Their Lives Than Other Professions
Antoinette Milienos wrote a blog for the Daily Mail Australia. She expressed her opinions in writing. The blog was published. No further details about the blog were provided.
Blog posted at 12:27 BST, 28 May 2023. It was updated at 12:47 BST, 28 May 2023.
A vet committed suicide and her family is sad. In the vet job, suicide is common. They say it happens four times more often.
Gary and Kate Putland say two main reasons for the tragic statistic are the cruel abuse vets suffer from pet owners, and the distress they experience when they can't save an animal and have to put it down.
Sophie Putland passed away at the age of 33 in Melbourne. She died by suicide in September 2021.
Before she died, someone who owned a pet was very mad at her and kept yelling at her.
Mr. Putland said that she was a perfectionist who always wanted to do the best thing. But, people would yell at her for no reason. This was told to The Project.
. Sophie Putland was a veterinarian in Melbourne. She died in September 2021. She died from suicide. She received abuse from an angry pet owner. The abuse was relentless.
Ms Putland said they don't blame anyone for their daughter's death. They want young people in the industry to be safe and cared for better.
When you meet the vet, Mrs Putland says they might be smiling but you don't know how they really feel inside.
Veterinarians have a higher suicide risk compared to the general public, as per the Australian Veterinarian Society.
A study looked at vet deaths in Western Australia and Victoria. The study found that vets were four times more likely to die than the national average. Every 12 weeks, a vet took their own life.
Suicide rates in the veterinarian industry are impacted by several things according to psychologist Nadine Hamilton. These include pet owner abuse, money troubles, compassion fatigue, and administering euthanasia to animals.
Ms Hamilton stated that dealing with difficult people and their unrealistic expectations are among the many factors that contribute to the situation.
Financial problems are common. It's hard to keep feeling compassionate. Sadly, putting animals to sleep can happen too.
People enter stressed. This stress can come from traumatic events or health concerns for their pets. They may not be aware that their behavior is affected by their stress levels.
Gary and Kate Putland, who are Sophie's parents, are advocating for pet owners to be kind to their vets. This is their first public statement since they launched a campaign in honor of their daughter Sophie. The campaign aims to help reduce the alarming suicide rate among veterinarians.
Sophie's parents started a campaign called 'We're Only Human' on Sunday. The aim is to remember their daughter and help stop the high number of suicide cases among vets.
The campaign wants pet and animal owners to be nice and considerate. They should also be aware of the problems that affect vet workers.
Mr. Putland said that Sophie saw the industry needed change. They wanted to honor their daughter.
Sophie's loved ones made a fundraising page for her family. The page raised $50,000.
Money collected was utilized to create Sophie's Legacy website and launch the We're Only Human campaign.
Sophie had two brothers named Tom and Oliver. They made a website called Sophie's Legacy. The family asked over 600 veterinary staff some questions on the website. They wanted to know what challenges the staff faced.
The survey found that client abuse is a big problem. Many people said it affected their mental health. 67% of people said this.
Mr. Putland wrote on the website that the survey found that clients abused staff, especially regarding vet bills. This is the biggest issue found in the survey.
The top concern that impacted people's mental health was agreed upon by almost everyone asked.
Psychologists say that different things lead to suicide among vets. These include being mistreated by pet owners, struggling with money, feeling too exhausted to care, and having to put down pets. Pictures of Sophie Putland accompany the article.
Research reveals that vets are more prone to committing suicide. Compared to the national average, they are four times more likely to do so. Shockingly, every 12 weeks, a vet ends their life. (The picture shows Sophie Putland.)
Sophie went through all of these things. The last abuse that happened was really bad. We think it was too much for her to handle.
The campaign is done with the Small Animal Specialist Hospital. They put thousands of posters in vet clinics all over the country.
The posters display Dr. Lauren Bielby taking care of a dog. The headline says 'We're Only Human'.
The posters have a QR code. Pet owners must scan it. They pledge to treat staff with respect.
