We all assume that the majority of Veterinarians would be vegetarians or vegans due to their passion for animals, is that true?
The majority of Veterinarians are meat-eaters with only a small percentage of vets that consider themselves vegetarian or vegan. Although, there are only a small amount of Vegetarian Veterinarians there are still many more when compared with the general population.
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Are Most Veterinarians Vegetarians
One would assume that when a person dedicates their life to caring for animals that they would not eat animal products.
Unfortunately, that is not reality.
Do Veterinarians Dedicate Thier Careers To Animal Welfare
At the completion of veterinary school, a new Veterinarian takes an oath which states.
Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.
I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.
I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.
What Percentage Of Veternarians Are Vegetarian
It’s hard to get an exact number of how many veternarians are vegetarians, a study among veterinary students in Sweden showed that 23% of year 1-2 students were vegetarian, which dropped to 11% by year 3-4.
When compared to medical students with 17% being vegetarian in years 1-2 and 8% by years 3-4, the veterinarian students still have a higher percentage of vegetarians.
When compared to 8% of the world’s population that is considered vegetarian, there are still a higher percentage of vegetarians among veternarians and the medical community.
What Percentage Of Veternarians Are Vegan
The percentage of Veterinarians that are vegan is even less than the number of vegetarians found within the profession.
Overall, there are fewer vegans in the world than vegetarians with only 1% of the world’s population that lives a vegan lifestyle.
One can gather from these statistics that only 2-5% of Veternarians considered themselves Vegan.
Are Farm Veterinarians More Likely To Be Vegetarians
Farm Veternarians are not more likely to be vegetarians.
Many Farm Veternarians grew up on or near farming and are already used to farming practices.
By the time veterinary students complete their studies they have witnessed and experienced many different things making the day-to-day life of a Farm Vet less shocking.
Why Aren’t More Veterinarians Vegetarian
Many Veterinarians grew up just like the rest of us with meat being served on our plates.
Eating meat is a natural habit and part of life for the majority of people.
Once a person enters Veterinary school the normalcy of consuming meat is actually reinforced.
Many Veterinary Schools teach a species approach where companion animals like dogs and cats are different when compared to animals that we eat.
Students are often taught that not all animals can feel the same pain and emotions that we do.
Do Veterinarians Become Less Empathic Over Time
Studies have shown that medical students become less empathic over time as they experience more time in clinical training.
More research needs to be done to determine why this is happening and how we can prevent it in the future.
Are Veterinarians More Empathic Towards Animals Than People
A small study among Veterinary students in South America has discovered that Veterinary Students are more empathic towards people than animals.
The range of empathy towards animals was broad and was influenced by many things including gender, University, program type, age, year of study, and diet.
Do Veterinarians Become Desensitized Over Time
Over time Veternarians are desensitized to death and pain among animals and become more used to these situations compared to when they first started out or the average person who does not deal with these situations on a daily basis.
Does Being A Vegetarian Make You A Better Veterinarian
It can be hard to determine if being a vegetarian or vegan makes a person a better Veterinarian.
As a vegetarian, I would prefer a vegetarian or vegan Veterinarian over a meat-eating Vet because I feel like we have similar beliefs about the care and treatment of animals.
Are Meat-Eating Veterinarians Hypocrites
Whether or not you feel as if meat-eating Veterinarians are hypocrites or not is a personal belief.
Many Veterinarians choose this as a career choice based on reasons besides the love of animals. Not everyone enters Veterinary care for the same purpose.
We as people automatically group together all Veterinarians as being animal lovers that would do anything for the life of an animal.
On the other hand as an animal-loving vegetarian who has chosen vegetarianism due to animal cruelty, I have a hard time understanding how someone could enter veterinary care with the intent of caring for animals without considering how animals created for food are treated.
Should Veterinarians Be Vegetarian
I don’t ever want to tell someone that they should or shouldn’t be a vegetarian but if you are considering being a Veterinarian based on a passion for animals and their wellbeing I ask you to consider the unethical treatments of “food animals”.
Should Veternarians Be Vegan
Do we need to take it to the next level and be Vegans if we are Veterinarians?
Which diet you choose is often based on your upbringing or beliefs. Veganism is very much a passionate lifestyle choice that requires lots of dedication.
Personally, I think It may be challenging for a Vegan to go through the education process to become a Veterinarian with many of the education methods being an unethical match for many Vegans.
Final Thoughts
I try not to judge others for their choices and lifestyle since I don’t enjoy being judged for mine.
It’s hard to know exactly where a person has come from, what they have experienced and how they feel.
I think the majority of Veterinarians have the best of intentions towards animals regardless of their dietary choices.
