There has been a shortage of large-animal vets in rural areas since 2003. Experts say this is because of a combination of low wages, long hours and fewer new graduates wanting to live outside a major city. Without vets, farmers and the nation’s food supply are more vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
Source: NPR, June 16, 2018. Link.
The death of a cow can set a rancher back thousands of dollars, but Karen Chandler, DVM, sees her work as more important than a bottom line. She said she feels a strong sense of stewardship toward the welfare of animals and to society as a whole.
INSIGHTS: Read between the lines in this article. Animal stewardship and veterinary care in livestock is critical and frequently trumps the economic goals of an urban companion animal practice. Animal owners need to routinely hear stories like this and realize the surveillance aspects of veterinary medicine seldom show up on an invoice.