You don’t go into this profession to make money. But try telling that to some pet owners
. In recent years, our industry has become heavily dominated by women, but many are leaving or being forced to go part-time after having families.
With more pets in the system, there are angry outbursts when it isn’t possible to see one at the practice. Recently, a man became violent when we recommended that his dog be transferred to a different clinic, as we couldn’t accommodate him. He kicked off about the bill and started threatening legal action. Eventually, he got so frustrated that he kicked a wall and we had to call the police. I couldn’t believe he lost his temper like that so publicly.
Since the pandemic, we have also seen a big rise in the number of anxious pet owners. Increased levels of worry often come with irrational behaviour and make people more demanding. We have one client who is very anxious about her animals and always expects instant care and attention. Recently, I made a small mistake on her pet’s prescription.
As a result of worrying about costs, some owners delay calling us when their pet becomes unwell. This causes increased anxiety and sometimes makes them more likely to lash out. One woman called us at 4pm on a Friday afternoon about her pet, which had been sick all week. I established it wasn’t an emergency and told her she would have to come back the next day, because we were fully booked. She became verbally abusive and demanded an appointment.
I have been doing this job for a long time, so I try to take the bad behaviour in my stride, but some of the other staff find it really upsetting. It is hurtful to be told we don’t care or that we’re “in it for the money”. It’s a compassionate career and I have only ever wanted to help pets and their owners.
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