The veterinary industry needs support to retain staff as work pressure forces many out before retirement.
Pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has published research showing fewer than half of veterinarians intend to stay in the profession until retirement.
The report, Taking animal health forward, showed that from more than 600 veterinary professionals surveyed across New Zealand, only 40% of vets and 26% of vet nurses expected to remain in the profession until retirement.
“Burnout and mental health pressures are driving many out of the field – 43% of clinic decision-makers report difficulties in hiring skilled staff,” the report says.
Staff shortages, insufficient investment in training, lower wages than other sectors and a misconception of the value of veterinary services are other woes the sector faces, the study says.
The head of NZ animal health at Boehringer Ingelheim, Paul Fitzpatrick, said vets protect the agriculture industry.
“By 2025 export revenues are expected to reach $58 billion. The strength of the domestic economy depends largely on the health and welfare of our production animal population.”
Salaries in vet services are well below those in human health, the report shows.
Nurses in human health start on a base salary of $70,000 or above, rising to around $163,000.
“Veterinary nurses often earn barely above the minimum wage, equating to around $54,000 for a full-time position.”
The report calls for legislation to enable allied veterinary professionals (AVPs) to take on more skilled work.
The president of the New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association, Laura Harvey, said globally AVPs take on new roles and responsibilities.
“Regulation of AVPs in Aotearoa is one way we could help relieve the ongoing staffing shortage. Robust legislation may give workplaces the confidence to fully embrace the skills that vet nurses and vet technicians bring to the table,” Harvey said.
Around 70% of animal health practitioners believe the scope of their work is not well understood.
“Many rural veterinarians are performing a consultancy role on behalf of farming clients, such as how to improve fertility and growth, advice on breeding and selecting alternatives for certain geographies, and much more,” Harvey said.
Kevin Bryant, CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, said fully leveraging the knowledge of vet professionals to support business growth is an untapped opportunity.
“We’ll spend hundreds on our own dental work, but a similar veterinary treatment, which requires similar skill and equipment, is considered too expensive, even at much lower cost.”
The study shows only 44% of clinic decision-makers have a succession plan.
Clinic owners and management should be looking for other opportunities to offer career development to members of the team who might be willing to step up, Bryant said.
General manager for farming excellence at Beef + Lamb NZ Dan Brier said vets and animal health experts play a pivotal role in clinics and on farms, but also in producer and meatworks locations.
“These roles are often overlooked by new graduates, but they are key to the ongoing profitability of our agriculture sector.”
Professor Jon Huxley, the head of Massey University’s Tāwharau Ora, the School of Veterinary Science, said veterinary science is not funded to the level it needs to be to address the shortage of professionals in the industry.
“We receive about 300 applications from domestic students every year, but the government constraints mean we are only able to take on 125 students.”
