VetCare On The Prowl For Veterinarians This Valentines To Remedy Canada’s Shortage

Media Release
02/14/2023

VetCare has launched a Valentine’s Day themed marketing campaign to help combat the critical shortage of Doctors of Veterinary Medicine (DVMs) throughout Canada. The Canadian-owned acquirer and operator of veterinary practices has created a mock online dating site called ‘Vettr’ that looks to match pets with dreamy DVMs from Canada and around the world. ‘Vettr’ will be featured on the VetCare website for a month with ‘dating profiles’ written from pet’s perspectives. 

The profiles include cats and dogs seeking “nice and friendly doctors from Ireland”, “a pawsome DVM”, “a vet that enjoys what they do and has a passion for working with furry friends”. 

“A life goal of mine is to find a vet who loves me for all that I have to offer, snuggling, snoring, and all day long siestas,” stated Gertrude the French Bulldog, “I want to be the reason you keep coming to work every morning.”

The shortage of veterinarians in Canada has been a persistent problem even before Covid-19. A 2020 survey by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) revealed that prior to the pandemic and its associated pet boom, half of all veterinary clinics in Canada were seeking new veterinarians.

The same study showed that Canada’s five university-based veterinary programs are graduating approximately 350 students each year, around 3% of the current workforce—a number which does not address the rapidly increasing demand for veterinary services. This demand has resulted in prolonged waiting periods for appointments and limited access to specialized care for some pet owners, as well as heightened workloads, high levels of burnout, and compassion fatigue for veterinarians.

“As the pet population continues to grow in Canada, it is becoming increasingly important to bring doctors from other countries as the number of graduates from Canada simply cannot fuel the requirements of our busy industry.” Said Brian Dawson, VetCare’s Manager of Talent Acquisition. 

“Sometimes finding the right fit for a veterinarian is more challenging than navigating the dating world! We need to cast our line out internationally as the domestic pool is quite small compared to demand, and has already been fished extensively. Our international friends sometimes work