Sustainability in practice: an overview for small animal veterinary professionals

Abstract

This article will focus on what individuals can do in practice and when talking to clients, to help combat the climate crisis. It will discuss actions that individuals can take at home and at work, and look at ways that practices can become more sustainable through their operations, responsible resource use and responsible medicine use. The article will cover how to inspire the team and engage with management on this topic and signposts to further helpful resources. The article also explores some of the main elements of the ‘carbon pawprint’ of pet ownership, and how to have conversations with clients to help them understand these impacts and reduce them – which often has additional benefits of improving animal welfare and saving clients money.