Hope is Needed
Why Veterinary Mental Health Matters—and Why Hope Is Needed Now
Veterinary professionals dedicate their careers to caring for animals and the people who love them. Behind that commitment, however, are pressures that can take a significant emotional toll: demanding workloads, difficult clinical decisions, financial pressures, compassion fatigue, challenging client interactions, repeated exposure to grief and loss, and the responsibility of caring for animals at their most vulnerable.
The mental health challenges facing the veterinary profession are real—and addressing them requires more than simply raising awareness. It requires connection, prevention, early intervention and practical, evidence-informed support.
That is why the Veterinary Hope Foundation exists.
Vet Hope brings veterinary professionals and mental health professionals together to create supportive spaces, develop meaningful programming and help build a healthier, more sustainable future for the veterinary profession.
Pyschological Distress
9.7% of veterinarians and 18.1% of veterinary support staff reported serious psychological distress in the 2021 Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study.
High Levels of Burnout
30.5% of veterinarians and 49.6% of veterinary support staff reported high levels of burnout in that same study.
Mental Health Gap
In the 2023 Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study, only 36% of veterinary teams reported that wellbeing and mental health were openly discussed in team meetings somewhat or to a great extent.
Elevated Suicide Risk
A CDC/JAVMA study examining deaths from 1979–2015 found that male veterinarians were 2.1 times as likely and female veterinarians 3.5 times as likely as the general U.S. population to die by suicide.
Why This Work Matters
Research continues to demonstrate the need for focused mental health support across veterinary medicine. These numbers reinforce why prevention, early intervention, connection and access to meaningful mental health programs remain so important.
There Is Hope
The challenges facing veterinary professionals do not have to be accepted as simply part of the profession. Change is possible when people have opportunities to connect, learn new skills, seek support earlier and know they are not alone.
“We can change the mental health crisis in the veterinary profession. The challenges are real, but they do not have to define the future of veterinary medicine. There is hope—and at the Veterinary Hope Foundation, we provide that hope by creating opportunities for connection, support and evidence-based programs designed specifically for veterinary professionals. By working together, we can create meaningful change and build a healthier future for the profession.”
Blair McConnel, VMD, MBA
Co-Founder, Veterinary Hope Foundation
Turning Awareness Into Action
The Veterinary Hope Foundation brings mental health professionals and veterinary professionals together to develop programs designed specifically for the veterinary community.
Through evidence-based programs, educational opportunities and professionally facilitated connections, the Foundation is working to reduce stigma, strengthen mental wellbeing and create meaningful change across the profession.
Veterinary professionals spend their careers caring for others. They deserve a profession that cares for them, too.
There is hope. And together, we can change the future of veterinary mental health.
“During my career in health and human services, specifically mental health, for more than two decades, I have seen stigma decrease and more individuals and families seek the help and support they need and deserve. This same change needs to happen in the veterinary profession.
At the Veterinary Hope Foundation, mental health professionals and veterinary professionals come together to make that change possible. We are introducing new programs and services based in evidence-based strategies to move the needle on the mental health crisis and improve the lives of veterinary professionals worldwide.”
Denise L. Kolivoski, MBA
Executive Director, Veterinary Hope Foundation
Be Part of the Change
Creating a healthier future for the veterinary profession will take all of us.
Whether you are a veterinary professional seeking connection, an organization looking to support your team, or a partner who believes in advancing mental health across veterinary medicine, the Veterinary Hope Foundation invites you to be part of this work.