mental health & wellness
Exhaustion. Burnout. Compassion fatigue. Stress. These are, sadly, part and parcel of being a vet in today's world. Add to that a perennial staff shortage and the emotional toll that comes with the darker parts of the job - like euthanasia, angry clients, and online slander - and it's no wonder that veterinarians have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the world.
If that weren't enough, vets also struggle tremendously with maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Animals do not get sick or injured only when it's convenient, and the compassion that drives many vets also makes it extremely hard to say "No" when they get an after-hours call from a desperate client. Without a health amount of separation from the inevitable stress of their everyday professional lives, vets can reach their emotional breaking point very quickly.
Founded by a veterinarian, Dr. Will Taylor, who knows firsthand the psychological burden that being in vet medicine can impose, the Maggie T Foundation places a great deal of emphasis on providing mental health and wellness resources. Veterinarians are under almost unbearable pressure - to be available, to lower their care costs, and to help clients face difficult realities about their beloved pet - and yet there remain very few focused resources to which they can turn.
The Maggie T Foundation connects veterinarians with individuals and other organizations that can provide caring, empathetic, and knowledgeable mental wellness support no matter where they are located. Contact us to learn more.