BVA president speaks out about ‘exhausted’ profession
Many practices are becoming overwhelmed by new pet registrations.
BVA President James Russell has called on pet owners "to think long and hard" before taking on a new pet because the veterinary profession is struggling to cope with staff shortages and high demand for its services.
Speaking to BBC 5 Live on Thursday (20 August), Mr Russell explained that many practices are becoming overwhelmed by new registrations and that some are closing their books to new clients in order to care for their existing patients.
“Like many sectors emerging from the pandemic, the veterinary profession is already exhausted,” he said. “We’re facing the triple whammy of Brexit, Covid, and the boom in pet ownership putting unprecedented pressure on veterinary services across the country.
“Unfortunately, some vet practices have had to close their books to new registrations as they simply don’t have the staff or space to provide care for more animals. No one wants to turn away new clients, but vets must prioritise the animals currently under their care.”
He continued: “This means access to routine healthcare may have to be delayed and owners may find they need to travel further than usual to access care. But vets will always be there in an emergency to provide pain relief and emergency care. We know how worrying it is when your pet is unwell, but we’re appealing to owners to respect the vet’s judgement on what constitutes an emergency.
“There’s no quick fix to find additional capacity so we’re asking people to think long and hard before they take on a new pet to make sure they can meet all of its needs, including access to veterinary care.”
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
