The UK is a nation of animal lovers, demonstrated by the growing popularity of pet ownership. People form strong attachments with their pets, making them an integral part of our homes, families, wellbeing and lives.
As a result, Veterinary Social Work is fast becoming a valued and recognised specialism across the world. Its purpose is to attend to the emotional, social, and psychological needs of pet owners and veterinary teams.
This episode of Let’s Talk Social Work delves into the model in detail, exploring how it should work in daily practice, the interplay between Social Workers and Vets, the expectations on both professions, and the challenges it throws up. The conversation also considers how Social Work professionals can embed greater consideration of pets in their assessments and when building relationships with people.
Host Jonny Adamson is joined by the UK's first Veterinary Social Worker, Rebecca Stephens, and dual Qualified Social Worker and Vet Surgeon, Yasmin Amer. They discuss the link between abuse of animals and people, animals as a strategy of coercive control, pet poverty and loss, and whether Veterinary Social Work can become a thriving specialism in the UK similar to other countries.
Our thanks to James Ede at BeHeard Productions for producing the episode.
","author_name":"BASW"}