What is it about?
A survey was used to understand the experiences and needs of different veterinary team members when encountering and responding to animal cruelty. The main findings were that veterinary professionals benefit from having training about animal cruelty and a clear workplace policy outlining how to handle suspected cruelty cases.
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Why is it important?
The finding was that veterinary professionals need training and workplace policies to support their handling of suspected cases of animal cruelty. These were not just self-identified needs but correlated with higher levels of detecting and responses, such as making reports to law enforcement. This provides concrete targets for assisting the veterinary professions.
Perspectives
This research helped me better understand the somewhat conflicting literature on this topic. I was particularly struck by the need to pay more attention to veterinary technicians/nurses, who often play a key role in observing animals and interacting with clients. See: https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/ethics-welfare/animal-cruelty-detection-and-response/
Dr. Emily Patterson-Kane
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Veterinary needs for animal cruelty recognition and response in the United States center on training and workplace policies, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, November 2022, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA),
DOI: 10.2460/javma.22.02.0084.
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