As society progresses in terms of animal respect and awareness, our behavior as ARISTOPARENTS is also evolving. We are becoming more demanding about everything related to our ARISTODOGS or ARISTOCATS: from their food, through pet-friendly spaces, to veterinarians.
To us, they are another member of the family, so we expect everyone who interacts with our pets to do so with respect, professionalism, and affection.
That is why it is surprising, though not particularly so, that according to data from the General Council of Veterinary Colleges, complaints filed by ARISTOPARENTS against veterinarians have increased. Specifically, they have tripled over the past seven years.
There are several reasons for this increase. The main one is that, as we said, our concept of animals has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years (about time!). Where there was once an object, in the eyes of the Civil Code, for example, we now have living beings. Every bit as alive as we are. And in many cases, nobler than we are ourselves. Hence the greater demand for medical outcomes.
This paradigm shift has also meant that clinical case treatments have now increased. Veterinarians did not do this half a century ago. When a dog had a serious illness, the recommendation was “to put it out of its suffering.” Today, however, dogs undergo clinical and oncological studies, in the case of dogs with cancer, for example. We want our ARISTOPETS to be with us for as long as possible. We are willing to do whatever is necessary; pay whatever is necessary; and exhaust every possibility. Just as we would with a family member. It also works in our favor that veterinary medicine is advancing. According to the Organization, this is accompanied by increased hope. And when expectations are not met… it ends up becoming a weapon we hurl at veterinary staff themselves.
According to this Organization, complaints occur almost daily in veterinarians’ lives. They are filed extrajudicially and judicially. Basically, this means that owners complain verbally to veterinarians. They express their dissatisfaction or disagreement with the results… or with the lack of results. Something that has always been known as the “right to vent” and that, for the first time, we are beginning to exercise openly against professionals whom no one has challenged for decades. Judicial complaints are filed with consumer protection offices and also in civil courts. This route is, unsurprisingly, much more aggressive, and the consequences for the veterinarian are far more serious. They may result in disqualification from practicing the profession, financial penalties, and even prison sentences.
However, it is worth highlighting that although complaints are increasing, they do so in a very low proportion compared with the number of consultations. This suggests that one of the keys to avoiding problems of this kind lies in communication. Clients must know at all times what risks their pet is exposed to so that they can make an informed decision.
Likewise, this news story also highlights those “trusted veterinarians” who have been there for our pets from the beginning and always work with affection, rigor, and professionalism. If you have one like that, appreciate them. As is often the case, finding a professional you can trust on every level is a great stroke of luck.