It recently came to our attention that there appeared to be a crisis looming when it comes to veterinary care for pet owners in Grey and Bruce counties.
While this first appeared to be a regional, local issue, indications are that it is far more complex and wide-reaching.
The issue came to the forefront when a notice recently went out to pet owners from eight Grey Bruce veterinary clinics regarding a change to after-hour services, apparently authorized by eight local clinics/hospitals.
Southampton Pet Hospital
Port Elgin Veterinary Clinic
Sunset Strip Veterinary Clinic
Owen Sound Veterinary Clinic
Grey Bruce Pet Hospital
North Heritage Animal Hospital
Wiarton Animal Hospital
Sauble Beach Pet Hospital
An earlier article intimated that several of the clinics were under the umbrella of VetStrategy Network. VetStrategy reached out to us however, to clarify that Southampton Pet Hospital and Port Elgin Veterinary Hospital are the only TWO hospitals, in the eight listed, that are a part of its network. They also clarified that the decision to remove after-hour services was, in fact, made by the eight hospitals/clinics collectively in the Grey Bruce region and was NOT a Corporate Directive.
The notice sent to pet owners stated that “… effective November 15th, if a pet suffers an unexpected emergency outside of regular office hours and requires in-person care, they will no longer have access to it in Grey and Bruce.” It further states that, “If your pet does require in-person care, it will be necessary to travel outside of the Grey Bruce area.”
It further stated that, “With the advancement of Telemedicine virtual consultation, you will continue to be able to speak with a trusted team of RVTs and Veterinarians through the Smart Vet service available to all pet owners 24/7. They will help determine if your pet requires an in-person emergency visit or not.”
Just as with human health care, it appears that animal health care in Grey Bruce is also experiencing various challenges, including recruitment of veterinarians to the region as existing vets begin to close in on retirement, and others who are simply feeling stretched to their limit.
According to one report, the demand for veterinarians has reached a new record high over the past four years and continues to escalate for several reasons – a strong Ontario economy, a growing population, and a high demand for a wide range of veterinary services, all contributing to a surge in demand.
A 2020 Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) workplace study found that “companion animal veterinarians are stretching their capacity to meet an increased demand.” Results, at that time, indicated that vets faced difficulties finding technicians and other vets to fill jobs and that more than 80 per cent of offices were fully booked. Fast forward to a pandemic situation and pet adoptions that were at an all-time high according to a local animal shelter, and the demand rises.
While pet owners may be experiencing difficulties in accessing veterinary care, the problem is far broader in scope.
According to the
Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), “… there is a critical shortage of veterinarians active in large animal medicine and it is one of the biggest problems facing farmers in the province of Ontario.”
OFA points out that the government recently announced expanded funding and support for veterinary services and has also announced “… a
consultation to modernize the Veterinarians Act, the legislation that governs the practice of veterinary medicine in Ontario – it sets the framework for veterinary licensing, accreditation, and oversight, and will be the first substantial review of the Act in 30 years.”
In a more recent
report by the CVMA, it states that ” … the shortage of veterinary professionals is, in fact, a worldwide issue. In Canada, clinic owners and other veterinary employers struggle to hire and retain veterinary professionals while maintaining the highest levels of quality care for their clients. Canadian veterinary colleges’ annual graduation rates for veterinarians barely meet the rate of attrition from the profession.”
Also, in a recent
Report by The Canadian Press first published Nov. 5, 2023 and reported again by CTV, many veterinarians and techs are leaving the profession as a result of mental health pressures and burn-out. In the report, Trevor Lawson, president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and vet of 20 years, said that “… euthanizing animals has a major impact on the mental health of vet staff, who often build long-term bonds with the pets they care for, and the pets’ owners. That connection and those relationships are very important so I think that end-of-life care is a fair bit of weight for our colleagues to carry.”
In the report, Jan Robinson, registrar and CEO of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, added that the veterinary sector is “feeling huge pressures from many different angles” … from understaffing to trying to manage work-life balance.
Therefore, when all is said, the entire issue of veterinary health care for our pet companions, is very complex and, as usual, there are many sides to the story.
