A recent academic article has noted that despite the expectations for appropriate animal care being met in most developed countries there are still major animal welfare challenges seen on an ongoing and regular basis in every area of veterinary practice. The field of veterinary ethics is a relatively new field and a relatively new area of educational focus. This field is said to be “critically important” in assisting veterinarians to create their own approach to case management on a clinical level as well as determining the acceptability of certain practices involving animals.
The article provides an overview of how ethics in veterinary science are taught. Additionally an overview is provided of the manner in which typical ethical frameworks and approaches to ethics are employed. This is accompanied by legislation, guidelines and codes of conduct in the professional arena which are all targeted towards animal welfare issues. The article states that, “Insufficiently mature ethical reasoning or a lack of veterinary ethical sensitivity can lead to an inability or difficulty in speaking up about concerns with clients”. This will ultimately lead to a failure of a veterinarian to perform their duty of caring for animals. As a result there will be poor outcomes in terms of animal welfare. The article provides a number of examples which demonstrate this point. The article goes on to conclude that ensuring a robust ethical framework is in place will help veterinarians to “speak up” in order to be able to address animal welfare concerns and prevent future harm to animals.
One of the unpleasant necessities of veterinary care are small enclosures in which animals may be kept. These enclosures tend to resemble cages and are used to keep animals safe once they have undergone a procedure or are in the recovery phase. This practice does fall within ethical considerations but it is not particularly pleasant for the animals which are required to be confined in this manner. This is why UrgentVet has invested in Casco pet enclosures to help enhance the comfort and experience of pets in recovery.
UrgentVet and Casco Pet Enclosures
UrgentVet was established in the Charlotte area in North Carolina by the veterinarian Dr. Jim Dobies and it is the first dedicated urgent care clinic for pets. The UrgentVet clinics were established to provide pet parents with an alternative to traditional 24 hour veterinary practices. UrgentVet has practices in both North and South Carolina as well as Florida with plans to expand into Texas and Georgia this year. They are currently headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
To enhance the experience of pets in their care UrgentVet has made the decision to install Casco pet enclosures. These enclosures are made from tempered glass and as a result are 70% quieter than traditional pet enclosures. This greatly reduces the anxiety which many pets experience as a result of ambient cage noise. Additionally, the enclosures have heated flooring which can be controlled individually. This allows veterinary professionals to be able to keep certain animals at the temperature which is most appropriate for their care on an individual basis.
The Casco enclosures provide benefits for the veterinary professionals as well as the animals. The individual enclosures have a wealth of features that make caring for animals easier than before. This includes the lighting feature which allows the enclosures to be lit in three colors: green for a calming effect, red for animals which have experienced trauma or surgery and blue to help spot dirt during the clean up process. In addition to this each individual enclosure includes its own exhaust fan, electrical outlet, integrated oxygen chamber and fluid bag hanger. These features make cord management far easier than before for medical equipment. Several case studies have also demonstrated the improvements and benefits which Casco pet enclosures can provide.
Final Thoughts
Dr. Dobies has stated that, “The Casco Pet enclosures are the absolute finest on the market, so it was a no-brainer for us to transition to including them as the standard in our new clinics”. Dr. Dobies and the team at UrgentVet take animal welfare extremely seriously and do not hesitate to put the needs of the animals in their care above their own. This is demonstrated by their passion for animal welfare and their commitment to providing the pets in their care with the best veterinary technology available.
