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Course Description

Veterinary social work is an area of social work practice that supports and strengthens interdisciplinary partnerships that attend to the intersection of humans and animals. Veterinary social workers (VSWs) interact with veterinarians and pet owners in clinics, animal hospitals and other settings in four areas: the link between human and animal violence; grief and loss; animal-assisted interaction; and compassion fatigue management. They work with veterinary interns and residents to combat compassion fatigue, and train clinic staff members on burnout prevention, conflict de-escalation, empathy, compassion, and mindfulness. VSWs can offer families counseling on anticipatory grief and bereavement after euthanasia and consult with veterinarians working with pet owners who are dealing with crises and other complex issues, such as financial, transportation and cultural barriers in accessing veterinary care. VSWs assess pet owner needs and link families to community resources to meet pet-related needs. 

Benefits to the Learner

  • Be able to describe roles of veterinary social workers in supporting families with limited means to access veterinary care
  • Be able to establish effective partnerships with veterinary social workers to increase effectiveness in working with pet owners with complex needs
  • Be able to describe how veterinary social workers can facilitate health and wellbeing in veterinary settings

Accrediting Associations

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