Remember the last time you took your pet to the vet?

While you were likely very focused on your pet's comfort level and reducing their anxiety, think about how you felt walking into the lobby or while waiting in the exam room. Did you feel welcome? Were you frustrated with long wait times? Maybe you felt a little embarrassed about finances and did not want to feel judged about what you could afford. Did you see diverse staff or anyone that you could connect with? Were you able to access any accommodations you’d need?

If you’ve always had a comfortable experience at the vet, that’s great! Veterinary staff work hard to keep things running smoothly, and I love that for you. However, for many of us—pet parents and veterinary staff included—that is not always the case.

Let's unpack some facts. Veterinary medicine is arguably the whitest profession in the United States. As of 2022, vet med is 91% white, and every other group is squeezed into the remaining 9%, which is not at all reflective of the US population.

Though 62% of veterinarians identify as women, men still dominate leadership positions and are corporate decision-makers. Disabled people are told to find a new job or quit veterinary school because they would not be able to access accommodations.

The veterinary field is experiencing an alarming shortage, battling a suicide crisis, and most staff don’t make a living wage. The average Veterinarian makes a monthly student loan payment of $2,000. This is the shocking reality that many pet parents don’t know veterinary staff are dealing with. There are multiple reasons why veterinary medicine can be a high-stress, physically hazardous, and emotionally devastating field. DEIB issues should no longer contribute to these challenges.

DEIB and accessibility helps everyone

Recently, discussions about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) have become increasingly important in many workplaces. Creating a veterinary environment that is more comfortable, accessible, and supportive for employees has positive effects on their well-being and performance, which ultimately means a higher level of care for you and your pet.

blendVET is the first and premiere DEIB training provider created by vet med for vet med. Through their training modules, clinic-wide certifications, and virtual cohorts, veterinary students and professionals across the country can earn DEIB credentials and become leaders in their clinics and communities.

blendVET aims to build stronger practices and a healthier culture through research, discussion, workshops, self-paced learning, and one-on-one consulting -all coupled with personal life connections to provide a uniquely tailored approach.

But, does it really matter to your cat or dog if veterinary professionals have DEIB training?

On a community level, redlining and disinvestment have led to high poverty rates and racial and economic segregation, impacting people's access to pet care. Pet-loving families without reliable access to transportation and elderly or disabled individuals may have difficulty traveling to veterinary offices. Pet parents who experience housing insecurity may struggle to afford pet care or find shelters that allow pets.

When underserved communities in rural or inner-city areas lack access to veterinary services, it can lead to disease outbreaks, pet overpopulation, and even abusive conditions. This is often due to a lack of education, language disparities, and limited access to care.

DEIB in vet med helps more pet-loving families access the care they need. It reduces burnout, which reduces turnover and improves employee well-being. This translates into shorter wait times and more comfortable, culturally competent care for you and your pet. When we consider the needs of families and pets in our community, choosing a veterinary team that is inclusive and accessible means everyone wins.

Cultural competency in vet med matters

Each pet's home environment and family's cultural influences significantly impact their daily lives and overall well-being. Just like in human health, a veterinary team's understanding of cultural competence and humility is crucial in building a lasting and trusting relationship with your vet.

blendVET’s certification program provides individual professionals and workplace environments with the tools to ensure team members, clients, and colleagues feel welcomed and treated with respect and inclusivity.

When veterinary businesses display the seal of being a blendVET certified workplace, communities will recognize these establishments as being guided by values that encourage creative learning and are continually building upon opportunities to improve the culture within veterinary medicine each day.

“We want veterinary professionals to know that when they choose to work for a blendVET certified workplace, they can bring their authentic selves to work and contribute to an inclusive culture. We want pet parents to know that by bringing their pets to a blendVET certified hospital, their truth will be heard and care will be offered with all interests and diversities in mind, serving both the pet and client with empathy and compassion.”

- Niccole Bruno, blendVET Founder and CEO

Taking their mission even further, blendVET regularly hosts Pathway events designed to encourage kids of diverse backgrounds who are interested in veterinary medicine and may not have any examples of themselves in the field today.

During Pathway events, immersion areas are designed to educate students on the importance of pet care through implementation and first-hand education.

Middle and high-school-aged students rotate through specialty and medical workstations such as emergency, behavioral, general practice, surgery, clinical pathology, dermatology, zoo medicine, nutrition, dentistry, forensics, and shelter medicine.

(Students interested in veterinary medicine are introduced to basic surgery techniques blendVET Pathway event)

Parents are given guidance on how to support their children’s journey to veterinary school, and blendVET even establishes partnerships with veterinarians in the local community that have volunteered to mentor young veterinary hopefuls. Through Pathway events, blendVET is walking the walk in building a more inclusive future for ALL pet lovers. Everyone deserves to belong in vet med!

blendVET is changing vet med for the better, but they can’t do it without you.

The more diverse and inclusive staff creates a better experience for you and your pet at the vet and a higher quality of life for all pet-loving families.

Ask your Veterinary team what they are doing to incorporate DEIB principles into their everyday practices. Suggest that they follow blendVET on social media and let your vet team know that accessibility and inclusion matter to the community they serve. If you know any children interested in veterinary medicine and would like to attend, host, or volunteer at a future Pathway event, email hello@blend.vet to get started.

For more information about the blendVET program visit www.blend.vet.

Ebony R is the founder of Atlanta Dog Mom, a community founded to bring together diverse dog moms to connect, learn, and encourage each other to be the best dog moms we can be. In real life, she enjoys deep-diving of various topics, studying veterinary nursing, and doing queer things in the streets of Atlanta with a small group of friends.