Introduction: Encountering animal abuse in veterinary practice is a topic of ongoing research (see references) and professional actions. Organizations such as AVMA or WSAVA strive to educate veterinarians about the legal and ethical obligations regarding animal abuse, as well as about its connection to domestic violence. While both phenomena are found across cultures, the body of research so far seems to be culturally limited. Our work aims to contribute by shedding light on the experiences of Polish veterinarians.
Methodology: The study was designed as an in-depth analysis of a small, purposive sample. Its aim was to uncover descriptive data on the personal experiences and insights of participants. Sixteen semi-structured interviews with 19 interviewees (11F, 8M) were conducted in 2017; 14 interviews were held as one-on-ones while 2 had additional respondents in presence. Most (13) took place in the veterinary clinic. The interviews ranged from 20 to 70 minutes in length.
Main Results: Interviewees occasionally encountered animal abuse throughout their careers. Most considered neglect a form of abuse and witnessed such often. Outright physical abuse was a rare occurrence. Respondents claimed to have taken some action upon witnessing abuse but were not systematic in their approach. Cooperation with authorities and NGOs emerged as problematic, while lenient sentencing in animal abuse cases was seen as dysfunctional and demotivating. At the same time interviewees did not seem to possess detailed knowledge of the existing regulations concerning the role of the veterinarian in reporting, and had only cursory knowledge of “The Link”.
Principal Conclusions and Implications for Field: Animal abuse and neglect are universal, yet nuanced - local customs, regulations and judicial application of law should be kept within the conversation. Our study suggests that, in relation to animal abuse, Polish veterinarians are mostly left on their own, without guidance other than their own moral compass, and without proper education about abuse at the university level. They would be empowered by clear reporting procedures, an "action algorithm” as one person put it, and by raising awareness/interest among the authorities. The efficiency of dealing with animal abuse in Poland seems contingent on such changes.