World Veterinary Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the amazing work that veterinarians around the globe do on a daily basis to ensure our animal companions stay happy and healthy. There’s no doubt about it, this is one annual event that’s well worth getting behind.
While a lot of attention is given to our pet pals throughout the year, World Veterinary Day is a chance to shine a light on the people who work tirelessly day in and day out to make sure that every animal gets the care it needs.
Whether you’re the proud pet parent of a cat, dog, bird, fish, rabbit, horse, or another animal altogether, chances are that at one time or another you’ve called on the expertise of your local vet to provide your pet with routine or lifesaving medical care.
Now it’s our turn to say thank you. And what better time to do that than on World Veterinary Day. Below, we walk you through everything you need to know about this annual event, including how it got started, what the theme is for 2022 and the many ways you can celebrate and show your support.
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What is World Veterinary Day?
World Veterinary Day was created in 2000 by the World Veterinary Association as a way of highlighting and promoting the amazing work carried about by veterinarians around the globe, from routine care to lifesaving treatment.
Each year, World Veterinary Day has a theme and in 2022, that theme is strengthening veterinary resilience.
The World Veterinary Association recognizes that just like any other profession, veterinarians need tools and support to maintain their own health and wellbeing so that they can continue to look after the animals in their care.
“Healthy animals require healthy advocates,” the World Veterinarny Association said in this year’s award announcement. “Resilient veterinarians are better equipped to handle the daily challenges and crises that may occur in their practices. The 2022 World Veterinary Day will celebrate efforts from veterinarians, veterinary associations and others to strengthen veterinary resilience and bring attention to this important cause.”
When is World Veterinary Day?
This super special day is held annually on the last Saturday in April, which this year, falls on April 30th.
How can you celebrate World Veterinary Day?
There are so many ways that you can celebrate this World Veterinary Day and show some love for all the care, support, advice and guidance that veterinarians around the world dish out, not just to our animal companions but also to all of us who are pet parents. Here are a few of favorite ideas:
1. Shower your vet with appreciation
World Veterinary Day is the perfect excuse to express your gratitude to your local vet and all the love and care they’ve shown your pet when they’ve needed it most. Why not send them a thank you card or email, have some flowers delivered to the office, or treat the team to a delicious morning tea? You could even post a positive review on Yelp or Google so that others in the area know where to head if their animal is in need of treatment.
2. Take to social media
Another great way to celebrate this special event and show your local veterinarian some love is to say thank you on social media. You could do this in the form of a quote or by sharing photos of your pet. Be sure to tag your local vet team if they have an account and use #WorldVeterinaryDay so that others from around the world can see the great work that’s being done.
3. Donate to an animal charity
Animal charities always welcome donations, whether that be money, food, blankets, toys or other resources that they can make use of. The more animals that are well cared for, the less pressure is put on the veterinary profession, so if you’re in a position to help out, choose a charity you’d like to contribute to or ask your vet if there’s one that’s particularly close to their heart.
4. Schedule an appointment
World Veterinary Day is a great reminder to make sure your pet is mentally and physically fit, so why not book them in for a routine checkup? If your pet hasn't been seen by a vet in quite some time, now's the perfect time to make an appointment for a routine health check.
