Preparing For The Last Goodbye - Alison Lambert Of Onswitch's Euthanasia Talk
9 years ago
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1st December, 2014 20h30
At the 2014 London Vet Show, Alison Lambert of Onswitch gave possibly the most emotional talk of her career, exploring our profession's handling of euthanasia. Research undertaken by Onswitch, with invaluable assistance from The Ralph Site, finds that there is room for improvement in the way many practices handle the difficult conversations and decisions required at the time of putting a much-loved pet to sleep.
A team of experienced Mystery Shoppers called a range of randomly selected practices across the country, asking for information in advance of having their dog euthanised. The majority of practice staff, whilst efficient, were also felt to be cold - practical details were dispensed with very little warmth and understanding. Data from an online survey of 500 pet owners, hosted at www.theralphsite.com, demonstrates the very real financial implications and potential impact on client numbers this has:
- 19.1% of respondents took their next pet to a different vet
- 12.5% said this was because it was a good point to change their practice
- 25% said this was because they couldn't face going back to the same building
- 32.6% of owners did not get another pet
As Alison explains, "Practices spend a huge amount of time and effort engaging with owners at the start of their pets' lives, but very little at the end. Yet there is a great deal of support available to vets and nurses online, with practical advice and resources to help make the euthanasia process as positive as possible. The average practice loses 25% of its active client base each year, much of it through the inevitable passing of pets - handling this delicately and sensitively will not only boost your reputation, it will also increase the likelihood of clients staying with you. First impressions count, but last impressions endure."
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