Bringing a very sick pet to the veterinarian can be an upsetting experience for loving pet owners. Vets and vet techs are a caring but busy group of people, which is why some veterinary practices are beginning to offer clients the services of a veterinary social worker.

One recent University of North Carolina social work graduate named Charity Moorhous got a job at a busy 24-hour veterinary emergency clinic in Wilmington. As she told a local news outlet in a recent article, “I actually didn’t know veterinary social work was a thing until I was choosing an internship last summer – it’s a new concept.”

Unlike hospital emergency departments for people, emergency vet clinics seldom have social workers on staff to help clients deal with traumatic situations. “Because it’s an emergency setting most people aren’t expecting to spend their day here,” Moorhous said. “A lot of people aren’t expecting the news, the possibility of having to say goodbye to their pet here.”

Interested in learning more? Check out the full article, which includes an interesting video showing Charity at work in the clinic.

Top image: Spectrum News 1