Equine Veterinarian Pleas Guilty in Federal Doping Case
Equine veterinarian, Dr. Louis Grasso, has pleaded guilty to his role in the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs to racehorses. In the announcement, on May 11th, Dr. Grasso admitted to accepting payment in exchange for prescriptions of performance-enhancing drugs and to creating, distributing, and administering custom-made performance-enhancing drugs in distributing performance-enhancing drugs to racehorses.
The plea was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The charges have arisen from an investigation looking into a group of racehorse trainers, veterinarians, and distributors of performance-enhancing drugs. The group is thought to have sought race-performance drugs and obtained prize money from racetracks in New York State, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and the United Arab Emirates.
Read the full story, here.
Galaxy Vets Foundation Launches Free Telehealth Services For Ukrainian Pet Owners
Galaxy Vets nonprofit organization, Galaxy Vets Foundation, has launched a free telehealth service for Ukrainian pet owners. The telehealth service was launched as a response to the war in Ukraine and consequent animal welfare crisis.
The free, chat-based telehealth service enables pet owners to share their pet-related concerns with veterinarians and veterinary technician volunteers. The telehealth service includes a built-in translator to ensure both sides can communicate effectively.
Helen Singleton, a Galaxy Vets Foundation volunteer said “[Ukrainian team members have] always been the kindest, most hardworking, just all-around lovely people. What’s happening in Ukraine is terrible, and this just really stood out as an opportunity to give something back and provide some help,”.
Find out more, here.
DIWP Celebrates Role Models
Throughout June, the VN Diversity, Inclusivity, and Widening Participation Working Group (DIWP) are calling on the profession to celebrate its inspirational role models with a new campaign.
Role models recognized include:
- Black, Asian, and minority ethnic RVNs.
- LGBTQIA+ RVNs.
- RVNs with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities.
- RVNs with mental health troubles.
- Neurodivergent RVNs.
The DIWP stated: “We know there is a lack of diversity within the VN profession, and we need to attract more people to the profession from different backgrounds and with a variety of experiences.
“There are so many important reasons to diversify our workforce. This includes providing a broader range of perspectives into our work, strengthening teams and, ultimately, benefitting the welfare of animals and the experience of their owners.”
Find out more, here.
COVID-19 Pet Boom Puts Spotlight on Veterinary Investment Opportunities
The latest statistics by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) have revealed that more than 23 million American households (and nearly 1 in 5 globally) adopted a pet during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The increase in pet ownership has triggered a soar in the veterinary sector demand.
With the rise in demand, veterinary clinic owners and their stakeholders should keep an eye on future treatment trends and, changes in pandemic policies, as the world returns to ‘normality’.
Find out more, here.
RCVS Suspends Vet After Fraud Conviction
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RVCS) has suspended veterinarian, Daniel Doherty, for one month after his 8-month stint in prison following his conspiracy to commit fraud.
The vet was convicted due to his involvement in puppy farming. Doherty was thought to have misled members of the public to believe that puppies being sold were ‘home-bred’.
RCVS committee chair, Cerys Jones, said: “The committee decided that the seriousness of Mr. Doherty’s conduct merited a period of suspension to meet the justice of this case, and in the interest of the public to maintain proper professional standards and uphold confidence in the profession.
“It determined that a period of nine months would be appropriate. However, as Mr. Doherty had been unable to practice during his incarceration, it considered that this should be fully reflected in the length of suspension so as to reduce the period that would otherwise have been served.
“On that basis, it determined that the ultimate period of suspension should be that of one month.”
Read the full story, here.
Celebrating Pride – How To Be Inclusive at Work
Across the globe, the month of June marks LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. Pride month is celebrated annually to honor the 1969 Stonewall Liberation, raise awareness of injustices, improve societal attitudes, and encourage inclusiveness of LGBTQIA+ community.
So how can you support inclusiveness at work?
- Educate yourself and encourage peers to do the same: as part of being an ally, it’s important to get up to speed. Equally, don’t assume that just because someone is gay, they know everything about the LGBTQ community and are here to educate you.
- Be respectful: Avoid pushing someone to ‘come out’ to you before they are ready. Even if a co-worker is out to you, that doesn’t mean they are out to everyone.
- Don’t assume someone’s gender or sexuality: We suggest using gender-neutral pronouns such as ‘they’ if the gender of a new employee is unknown. Asking new employees their preferred pronouns can also help them feel ready to share. However, never push someone to reveal their gender or sexuality. If they do share their preferred pronouns, respect them accordingly.
- Be part of a supportive culture: this doesn’t mean you need to work in a practice full of rainbows and pride bunting, but it does mean that you should be a part of a team that respects open conversations and feedback surrounding inclusion.
