30/11/2019
When clients lash out, it is so disheartening. Luckily it is usually in the moment and can be moved past quickly. But sometimes someone is not just lashing out in an uncontrolled outburst of emotion, sometimes they take it a step farther into actual abusive behavior. Such as using their position in things like social media to attack a person or business. These behaviors are NEVER ok. This changes from a heat of the moment interaction to a premeditated abuse. And must be addressed as such. If you are the recipient of an attack like this, please talk about it. Tell your team, your management, and get help from your family, friends, or a professional if needed.
Hi Everyone,
We believe in transparency and holding everyone accountable for their actions. We won't, however, tolerate threats and abuse towards our staff.
Recently, an owner encouraged their 17k+ followers to review us online negatively. Over 40 negative reviews and some calls to the hospital later, our staff has been threatened with physical violence based on this owner's perspective.
Bullying like this can sometimes shut down a business, but more importantly, it works directly to the detriment of our staff's mental health.
Veterinary medicine has one of the highest su***de rates in the country, and anxiety and depression run rampant.
The people targeted in these comments, calls, and reviews are people. They work at animal hospitals because they want to help animals, not because they intend to harm them. They come in early and stay late. They lie on the ground or in kennels to comfort animals. They hold your animals when they are hurt, sick, and scared. They work hard to get your babies back on the road to recovery. They stand by your pet to comfort them as they cross the rainbow bridge, so they don't go alone. They go home to take care of their own families and pets after that. They also get berated and threatened almost daily by clients.
It's not uncommon to come across an upset pet owner in our field, especially in an emergency and specialty hospital. We see animals at their worst, and we understand the pain and fear their families feel in these moments of vulnerable uncertainty. Often, we're able to work with the client to get them to a point where they can reasonably articulate their feelings and issues at hand. But there are many times in which our team members are, quite literally, screamed at, threatened, and insulted. With veterinary su***de at an alarming level, we are making it a point to advocate for mental health services and the appropriate treatment of veterinary employees.
We ask of you, our pet owners, clients, and community members, to remember that the people you are unloading on are people. We are here to help you and sort out any issues—perceived or otherwise—together. Participating in mob reaction without all of the details of a case, which most often are not shared with anyone but the authorized agents on the chart, is irresponsible. Unfortunately, it is also too familiar in our field.
Instead of tearing down a doctor or business, we encourage you to support—use your time and energy for good. Donate your money or time to the organization for which you feel so passionately.
Clients will sometimes ask what they can do for us. The handwritten cards, hugs, kind words, and online reviews are such an excellent reward for our work. Now, we ask that you stand with us in support of the fair treatment of veterinary medical staff and their mental health. We recently launched the Make It Zero campaign, our mission to help reduce the su***de statistics in our field. You can donate to mental health organizations or wear a Make It Zero pin that you can pick up for free at any one of our hospitals.
If you are a veterinary professional in need of mental health resources, please visit https://accessanimalhospitals.com/zero/ for some suggestions.
