No one should ever have to choose. When we, the practice owners, cover the cost of care for employee pets.

I was on a veterinary hospital owners FB page the other day. While there a veterinarian practice owner posed a question to the group. It was essentially a long drawn out description about an employee with a specific patient ailment which led to the question; 

When should the veterinary practice help a staff member with the care of their own personal pet?

I was a little taken back by the responses. Most, (I am sure they are classified as "well managed" aka the varsity letter for "highly profitable"), clinics had some long verbose lawyer-ey written up explanation for what discounts staff get and when these apply. It was all very cut-dry-to-the-letter. It was sadly indifferent and cold. In essence there was an algorithm set up in advance to "assist" with very anemic access. A discount is given, but a yearly cap was also applied. In essence, for most veterinary hospital employees who can barely cover their own housing and food costs it would never be enough to help in a bad case of any pets ailments.

Bica gets a hug of reassurance.

I read the feed, chewed on it all night, and the next day replied with the following;

"Why do we set our staff up to fail? What the hell is this "accountability over compassion" crap. The culture breeds indifference and neglect and yet we spend every professional moment trying to harbor the exact opposite with our clients? We know what we pay our staff and we know they cant afford the care we expect our clients to bestow upon their own pets and it is incongruous." (,,and I wonder why other vets don't like me,, ugh, Krista. Shut up more often, or, at least try).

Every staff member at my clinic JVC is treated like family. Yes, we are dysfunctional, and, yes, we are imperfect, but when I take you on as a staff member I help you take care of your own family. In return we all collectively take care of the patients in need within our sphere of influence. 

Kissing my Seraphina goodnight.

If your staff can't afford to care for their pets at your practice I challenge you to think about whether you are a part of the problem that separates the ultra rich from who you are? Telling me that you cannot afford to pay them what they need to to protect and care for their family indicates that you either take too  much off the till, don't charge enough for your goods and services, or, you have lost your way in a profession built upon an oath to serve.

And as soon as I had finished this article I make the mistake of perusing Facebook;

Here's what I found one of my family-staff-members had posted.

..to which multiple other staff members; (you know the same ones I just called "family" above write the following;

"very true"

"I feel this"

"Yes! That's why I'm broke and happy. lol. No more pushing myself too hard." (she quit a few months ago.

"truth"

...and I wonder why so many other vets sell to corporate? Why not cash in and dump your family? 

Rio. I live, and, live for this smile!

I am almost two decades into this profession. It has not been an easy road. But, I think that above all else is the fact that no matter how hard you try, how much you invest of yourselves, people look out for themselves first. I am at peace with this, even as I try everyday to convince them to help those who need us desperately, without judgement for the sake of being true to our purpose and mission. As I try to unite them in one small walk of faith into a place of putting others always before ourselves.

My end of Summer 2021 family photo

I wrote a truly pathetic self-pity blog a few weeks ago about how tender my feelings have become. I believe that the more I convince myself to hold onto this somewhat delusional dream of being a practice owner who still cares much more than she profits, that I could inspire a whole team to do the same. That is the hardest pill to swallow... that it might be contagious for a short time, the desperate case of the day timeframe, but, it might not have legs long enough and strong enough to endure. it wont be the heartbreak of losing cases that I turned away, or declined to help, I never did that, it was the investment in others that never got returned. its the fair weathered friends who will always see you as just their boss. The person who is the unwanted guest at the party. The enemy. The person who makes more money than you do, who profits from the labors and yet cant ever be one of the group. That's the hardest part. Just being lonely and still trying to stay the course of what you think is the right thing to do.

This profession, this place that I hold, leaves me constantly questioning. Who am I? What do I want to be remembered as? And, how can I shape the world, and my little community in a positive way? Even if it isn't always sunshine, rainbows and easily recognized?

If anyone, truly, anyone comes and asks for help we need to remember the following;

First, that is is our calling. Our chosen profession. The place where being needed is also being depended upon. You can't have one without the other.

Instead of being annoyed at the pet parent, the situation, the road to however they got here, we just remember there is a soul in need. We focus on that. 

We offer help in all of its forms. medically, emotionally and, yes, in some cases financially.

As it always is we start at, and end at compassion. The value resides here, and very often the cost of care can be managed adequately so that we all feel we didn't fail our pets from there.

And lastly, it is imperative to every human who loves a pet companion for them to feel hope. If we take away this whether it be in the form of excess cost, lack of access, or apparent indifference to their plight, we lose our ability to keep the staff who keeps us viable and capable. 

Give more than you have to and expect nothing in return is a good motto to live by.

The good life as modeled by my dog Storm