Vets4Pets, part of the Pets at Home Group, has launched a national campaign that celebrates and gives thanks to the vets, veterinary nurses and support teams that continue to work tirelessly to care for the nation’s pets.
Over the last two years the veterinary industry has faced many obstacles, from the rise in pet ownership and increased demand for veterinary care to ongoing recruitment challenges, and this is continuing to place pressure on veterinary professionals across the UK.
In launching this campaign, Vets4Pets wants to champion everyone working within the industry by showcasing the passion, dedication and commitment that unites them. It forms part of Vets4Pets’ commitment to address the challenges facing the industry and follows its inaugural Project Listen report, which highlighted the need for increased support and recognition for everyone within the profession.
The campaign is believed to be an industry first as it depicts veterinary professionals in a way that they have never seen themselves before. Through an authentic, all-access film the campaign follows Vets4Pets colleagues from its Leeds Birstall and Handforth practices as they deal with the highs and lows of a typical day in veterinary practice.
Leaving no stone unturned, the campaign shines a light on the extraordinary and vital work carried out by veterinary professionals up and down the country. It provides an insight into the skill of veterinary practice teams and the life-changing decisions they are required to make on a daily basis, while giving thanks to an industry that truly deserves greater recognition.
For example, we see Holly, a nine-year-old boxer, brought into Vets4Pets Leeds Birstall after suffering from severe sickness. She is found to have swallowed a golf ball and veterinary surgeon Keith Leonard chooses to retrieve the ball via endoscopic removal. Not only does this mean Holly can avoid the recovery time associated with surgical removal, it also provides a real insight into the innovative decisions that vets make when faced with unique and tricky cases.
Keith features in the campaign alongside his wife and business partner Julie Leonard, as well as their colleagues from the Vets4Pets Handforth practice in Cheshire, including Veterinary Surgeon Hannah Redhead, Practice Relationship Manager Joanne Steele, Clinical Director Mal Chowdhury, Registered Veterinary Nurse Tyler Allion.
Commenting on the campaign, Keith Leonard, veterinary surgeon and practice owner at Vets4Pets Leeds Birstall, said: “While there are no words that can do justice to the sheer passion and determination demonstrated by the entire veterinary community, taking part in this campaign and seeing the result is really emotional.
“After an unimaginably turbulent few years, this campaign makes me feel incredibly proud of my whole team. It genuinely shows what it’s like to work in veterinary practice and I can’t thank each and every one of my team enough for their outstanding dedication to the care of our clients – both the pets we care for and their owners. We all live and breathe what we do, and I hope they feel a sense of pride when they see this campaign.”
The campaign follows several new commitments that Vets4Pets has announced to further support its colleagues and partners. This includes a partnership with the veterinary flexible working group, Flexee, to better support practices with operational demands; the development of a new and innovative practice model to optimise the client experience, increase the proportion of time that vets can dedicate to clinical work, and improve the overall work/life balance within practices; and a commitment to provide a trained mental health first aider in every practice. It is also developing a partnership with VetLed to provide civility training to all Vets4Pets colleagues to support with challenging client and co-worker behaviour.
Gordon Dunn, people director at Vets4Pets, added: “The veterinary sector has experienced immense pressure following years of unprecedented challenges and as an industry we need to do our utmost to ensure that veterinary professionals are supported in their development and careers. But alongside this, we need to understand that recognition goes a long way too.
“Teams across the nation have gone above and beyond to care for our pets when it has mattered most. They have poured their hearts and souls into their jobs, and it is this passion and level of care that really keeps the industry moving forwards.
“This is why we’re launching this campaign – to express an enormous amount of gratitude to our colleagues, along with the entire veterinary industry, for all they have done and everything they continue to do.”
To find out more about the campaign to support veterinary industry heroes, go to on the vets4Pets website.
