What do you think of the media response to the latest DC

RE: What do you think of the media response to the latest DC

Clive Ansell — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 19:06:25 GMT

[quote userid="8663" url="~/f/non-clinical-questions/31053/what-do-you-think-of-the-media-response-to-the-latest-dc/245646#245646"]How is this not dishonest?[/quote]

Sorry, I could have worded it better I suppose, but you have taken the word out of context.

I actually said "the RCVS DC found she acted more out of poor judgement and decision, rather than a dishonest act for personal or monetary gain"

It was in itself dishonest, particularly going to the trouble to remove a microchip, but the intention was not dishonesty for personal or financial gain.

RE: What do you think of the media response to the latest DC

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 18:11:48 GMT

[quote userid="5012" url="~/f/non-clinical-questions/31053/what-do-you-think-of-the-media-response-to-the-latest-dc/245633#245633"]dishonest act[/quote]

How is this not dishonest?

RE: What do you think of the media response to the latest DC

Judith Joyce — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:22:14 GMT

I was surprised at the leniency of RCVS too, with the published evidence, but also assumed a significant back story in mitigation. Sensationalism is the job of the media, but there are too many errors of fact for my liking and they had to trawl several years to find their examples.Would online hate be too strong an expression? Not in the interests of animal welfare or vet welfare. As the Australians said, 'we are only human', we err. The media might like to ponder that in the light of our suicide rate.

RE: What do you think of the media response to the latest DC

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:54:38 GMT

My first thought was that this was an extreme manifestation of the different way that vets and pet owners approach the treatment of animals.

This is the draft script I have written for a film about it. I stress, a very rough, early draft. Not sure it is quite right yet.

You want to know why your vet bills have gone up so much? One of the biggest reasons, one that underlies almost everything else, is simply the difference in mindset between vets and pet owners. Vets grew up wanting to help animals. They spent 6 years training for a degree in the subject and continue to train throughout their career. So their number one priority, above all else, is the animal’s welfare. Making it better. They even swear an oath to that effect. As a pet owner, though, you have a different perspective. You will almost certainly say you want the best for your pet, but in reality it probably wont be your number one priority. You will have other competing demands on your wallet. That difference in mindset can cause friction for two reasons. Firstly, your vet will likely recommend what they think is best for the animal first, when what you actually want first is what you can afford. Secondly, because owners always say they want the best, vets feel obliged to offer it. So the moral of this story for pet owners is - do not be afraid or ashamed to ask your vet for a cheaper solution to the problem. It does not make you a bad pet owner.

In other words, I have some sympathy for this vet. She has grown up loving animals, been trained to deliver the best care, sworn an oath to put welfare first, probably worked somewhere which 'strives for clinical excellence' - and with the background of this culture, it is understandable how she might have felt and acted as she did. OF COURSE, it was wrong, and very few people would have done the same, but I do think it is symptomatic of a broader problem.

RE: Media response

Clive Ansell — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 06:15:05 GMT

[quote userid="9179" url="~/f/non-clinical-questions/31053/media-response/245630#245630"]I was struck by the leniency of the decision given the wording and force of some other decisions they've made in years past [/quote]

Me too.

Although, the RCVS DC found she acted more out of poor judgement and decision, rather than a dishonest act for personal or monetary gain. Doesn't make it right of course, but maybe individual and extenuating circumstances???

The reason I started the thread, was really a tangent of Arlo's one about the Times article - how the vet bashing media, particularly the tabloids, jump on it and seem to portray it about money, whereas the DC findings were clear it was not.

RE: Media response

Chris Milligan — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 23:44:01 GMT

I was struck by the leniency of the decision given the wording and force of some other decisions they've made in years past

RE: Media response

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 21:54:32 GMT

Regardless of how the media responds, how can it ever be right to lie to a client and steal their cat? Then instruct a colleague to remove the microchip?

RE: Media response

Clive Ansell — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:28:03 GMT

And the Stun

Vet sedated & took home cat she had been told to put down as owner left grieving while thinking pet was dead | The Sun