Petco to Buy-Out Thrive Affordable Vet Care
The pet store chain, Petco, has agreed to buy out 50% of Thrive Pet Healthcare stakes in nearly 100 hospitals.
After the sale to Petco, Thrive Pet Healthcare (who recently changed its name from Pathway Vet Alliance) will own 340 primary, acute, and specialty care practices across the country.
The Thrive-Petco separation is expected to close by June and will offer more than 800 Thrive employees the opportunity to join the Petco network.
Once the deal is confirmed, Petco is set to run the practice under its Vetco Total Care brand.
The financial terms of the deal are yet to be disclosed.
To read the full story, click here.
Pet Blood Bank Urges UK Vets to Join Virtual Fund-Raising Event
The charity, Pet Blood Bank, (which supports vets by providing a blood service for pets) is calling on veterinary professionals to join a virtual Around the Coast in 30 Days event. The virtual event calls on participants to walk, run, swim or cycle to help reach a collective target of 11,232 miles (the distance of the UK mainland coastline).
The event begins on Sunday 1 May and aims to raise £10,000. Money raised will help save the lives of pets across the country by supporting Pet Blood Bank services.
A spokesperson for Pet Blood Bank UK said: “The funds raised from the challenge will help to save the lives of pets across the country by supporting the blood bank service.
“They will also allow the charity to invest for the future through vital research and education, as well as continue to do things like provide free blood for veterinary charities and subsidise the cost of blood.”
To get involved, visit the Pet Blood Bank UK website.
Veterinary Shortage to be Addressed In Alberta
A resolution to address the veterinarian shortage in Alberta has passed at the Rural Municipalities of Alberta spring convention in Edmonton.
The resolution was put forward by Mountain View County councilor and veterinarian Dr. Gord Krebs after it was estimated that there is a current shortage of at least 864 veterinary professional vacancies in Alberta, including 377 veterinarians and 487 veterinary technologists.
In an interview, Dr. Kerbs said: “Our rural communities are impacted acutely in the current environment and face restricted economic growth post-COVID without targeted and immediate actions to address the shortages,”
“Attraction and retention of rural based veterinary medical professionals has not been keeping pace with increasing demand.”
To read the full story, click here.
The Australian Veterinary Association is Calling on the Government to Cover the Costs of Veterinary Care in Natural Disaster Responses
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is asking the next federal government to cover all the costs of veterinary care for wildlife and unowned animals affected by natural disasters.
The request comes as a result of the current floods in Queensland and New South Wales which have left large numbers of animals in need of veterinary care.
In a recent interview, the AVA head of Veterinary and Public Affairs, Dr. Cristy Secombe, said:
“There are vets right across the flood affected areas of NSW and QLD who are themselves covering the costs of essential veterinary care for animals,”
“This is an all too familiar situation. We saw it with the 2020/21 bushfires, we’ve seen it with floods before, and we’re seeing it again now.
“The community rightly has an expectation that these animals are cared for, and the government has a responsibility to step in with assistance.”
To read the full story, click here.
Afghan Vet Forced Into Hiding By The Taliban Resumes Career in Gambia
Haida, (whose name has been changed for this article), was forced to flee Afghanistan after fearing for her life late last year. As a working woman and a Hazara Shi’a (an ethnic group heavily persecuted by the Taliban), Haida and her family found themselves in grave danger.
The veterinary surgeon reached out to Vet Times for help and luckily the British-based veterinarian, Dr. Graham Duncanson, was able to intervene and secure a visa for her through contact with the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.
After a dramatic border crossing into Pakistan with her family, Haida has arrived safely in Gambia where she hopes to volunteer before sitting her Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) entrance exam and moving to the UK for work.
“I am so happy to be here, and so thankful for all the help I have had from the kind people in the UK and the wonderful people here at the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.
“Everyone here is so lovely and kind, and they have made me feel so welcome. It has been so hard these past few months, but now I feel safe and secure.” Haida said.
To read the full story, click here.
How to Be Happy at Work
In a study by The University of Warwick, UK, it was revealed that employees who are happier are up to 12% more productive than professionals who were unhappy. This happiness also helped equate for good healthy and good personal and professional relationships, which overall proved more beneficial for the whole organization (Oswald, Proto, & Sgroi, 2015).
So how can we be happy at work? Here are five tips from positive psychology to help make your workday a little happier.
- Declutter Your Workspace
‘Decluttering’ and organizing your workspace can refresh the mind and help reinforce concentration. Which in turn, can help you declutter your mind and create a sense of happiness.
- Mindfulness
We’ve all heard of ‘mindfulness’, it’s the latest corporate buzzword for improving employee mental health. Whilst it’s easy to dismiss, studies have shown practicing mindfulness before or after work can help you feel more emotionally stable (Hölzel et al., 2011).
- Work it out
Working out for just 15 minutes a day can help reduce toxins, create endorphins, and help you to feel more productive throughout the day.
- Engage in Feedback Mechanisms
Having immediate feedback between employers and employees can help acknowledge achievements, reduce conflict, and create a happier team culture.
- Start Your Day on a Good Note
Setting up your day on a positive note can help with productivity and mood throughout the day. Starting your day with a walk, a list of goals for the day, or a gratitude journal are great ways to collect your thoughts and plan your day ahead.
For more tips on finding happiness at work, click here.
