On April 24 we celebrate World Veterinary Day, a tribute to the driven and dedicated veterinarians, who work tirelessly to keep advancing animal health. This year’s theme focuses on the veterinarian response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The pandemic has put a lot of pressure on veterinary clinics all over the world. Already facing a shortage of veterinarians prior to COVID-19, they are now confronted with additional risk mitigation measures, travel restrictions, curbside drop off, video consultations, etc. On top of that there is an increased demand for veterinary care due to an uptake in pet ownership (Pandemic Puppies) and people spending more time with their pet. It is evident that this puts a strain on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the veterinary community.  

Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, our large network of veterinary investigators has shown their ability to cope, adjust and adapt. They keep putting the care of their patients first while, at the same time, continuing to progress veterinary medicine through the clinical studies that they are involved in. And we applaud them for that.

In addition to our investigators, we also want to highlight the veterinarians in our own organization. At Argenta, veterinarians play a key role in the operation of the company. All eleven of them have spent time in either large animal, small animal, or mixed animal practices. The skills and experiences that they have gained from practicing veterinary medicine transfer to their various roles and responsibilities.

“In private practice, we connect to customers, we diagnose their animals’ diseases, and we treat their animals. At Argenta, we also work with customers, we troubleshoot the challenges that they face, and then we provide solutions that can make a difference for their businesses and their customers,” said Edward McGruder, Global Head of Research, Development & Innovation at Argenta.

He continues, “While I certainly enjoyed private practice and working with pet parents and their four-legged family members, I certainly enjoy providing innovation for those same customers.”

The veterinarians at Argenta use their talent and training in a variety of roles and responsibilities. Whether it is as Clinical Research Associates, as Project Managers, as Chief Scientific Officer, in Business Development or in Executive Leadership, they use their veterinary skills and experiences to support our key goal: to collaborate with our global partners to advance animal health.

While some of our veterinarians had different ambitions as a child, like becoming a farmer or a barrel racer, most of them knew very early on that this was going to be their career path. On our LinkedIn page we shared their stories: what inspired them to become a veterinarian and what motivates them today.

On World Veterinary Day, we profoundly thank and celebrate all veterinarians worldwide. And as Jonathan Hopper, one of the Argenta veterinarians, said: “Be kind to your pet’s veterinarian and hospital staff. COVID-19 has put tremendous stress on veterinary clinics worldwide.” So, keep this in mind the next time you take Fido or Felix to the vet.