World Veterinary Day 2022 recognizes veterinary resilience

World Veterinary Day on April 30, 2022 is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate all the contributions veterinarians make to the health of animals. The theme this year is “strengthening veterinary resilience.”¹

The World Veterinary Association (WVA) first created World Veterinary Day in 2000 as an annual celebration of the veterinary profession and the hard work all veterinary professionals do each year. World Veterinary Day takes place on the last Saturday of April each year.²

Every year the theme changes and it is usually a reflection on that year’s top clinical concerns and topics. For example, last year’s theme was “veterinarian response to the COVID-19 crisis.”²

With the recent crises happening around the world today, like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, people in general have been facing large amounts of adversity. And in the veterinarian profession, stress, burnout, and other mental health issues have risen in recent years.¹

Before they can properly take care of their patients, veterinarians need the proper tools and support to maintain their own personal health and wellness. The World Veterinary Day theme highlights that “resilient veterinarians are better equipped to handle the daily challenges and crises that may occur in their practices,” according to an WVA press release.¹

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is excited for this year’s theme because they believe USDA veterinarians have been doing a lot to show their resilience, according to a press release. “From responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to inspecting livestock and poultry slaughter facilities to combating animal health threats like the recent detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza, USDA veterinarians are on the frontlines protecting public health and animal health every day.”³

To honor resilient veterinarians, WVA is also hosting the World Veterinary Award for any WVA associations who demonstrates this year’s theme.¹ The WVA started granting an award to accompany the World Veterinary Day celebration back in 2008. Associations can apply or nominate a veterinary association that best promotes the theme by May 30, 2022. More information on eligibility and criteria for the World Veterinary Day Award is available on the WVA website.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) won last year’s award for “its immediate response to the pandemic,” and the development of “an online COVID-19 resource center that was first made available to veterinarians around the world in February 2020.”²

According to an organizational press release, the WVA says that resilience “requires appropriate support by associations, institutions, and governments to ensure adequate education, training, mentorship, and collegiality. It also requires ongoing research to better understand the mental and physical burdens veterinarians face and the opportunities to provide greater support.”¹ The WVA is looking forward to celebrating the “efforts from veterinarians, veterinary associations and others to strengthen veterinary resilience and bring attention to this important cause”¹ on this year’s World Veterinary Day.

References

1. World Veterinary Day 2022 – theme announcement. News release. World Veterinary Association. March 1, 2022. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://worldvet.org/news/world-veterinary-day-2022-theme-announcement/
2. World Veterinary Day 2022 focuses on strengthening veterinary resilience. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. March 17, 2022. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://www.avma.org/news/press-releases/avma-joins-world-veterinary-association-highlight-importance-wellbeing-world
3. Recognizing the Resilience of USDA Veterinarians this World Veterinary Day. News release. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 27, 2022. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2022/04/27/recognizing-resilience-usda-veterinarians-world-veterinary-day