Threat to rural vet service

ONE-FIFTH of the country’s practising vets recently applied for State veterinary officer jobs, according to the Veterinary Council of Ireland.

Secure nine to five jobs in the State veterinary service are looking more and more attractive to vets, compared to the heavy physical and mental demands of looking after the country’s millions of farm livestock. This is a round-the-clock workload for some vets who work on their own, due to the difficulty of hiring veterinary help, especially in remote areas.

The council says there is serious concern among practitioners over whether there is a sustainable future for the veterinary profession in its current form in some regions.