Pet Influencers ‘Go Dark’ On Instagram To Raise Awareness For Veterinarian Suicide

Pet influencers are now doing their part to help the people who help them: veterinarians.

According to Banfield Pet Hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared a recent statistic that is quite disturbing: 1 in 6 vets contemplate suicide.

In response to this troubling revelation, Banfield Pet Hospital, who is “a firm believer that in order to create a better world for pets, we need to create a better world for those who care for them” – have created “ASK — Assess, Support, Know,” which is a training resource for suicide prevention. ASK is a free service designed to help veterinary professionals, as well as veterinary school students, address “emotional distress and suicidal thoughts.”

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Friends – did you know that according to the CDC, 1 in 6 veterinarians considers suicide? We absolutely love our veterinarian, who has been keeping us healthy and able to live our best lives for the last 6 years. We want ALL our veterinarians to know they are loved and supported. That’s why we are honored to be working with @BanfieldPetHospital to help make a better world for pets by making a better world for the people who care for them. Today, Banfield Pet Hospital is making its “ASK – Assess, Support, Know” suicide prevention training available as a free resource for all veterinary professionals and veterinary school students to help them recognize and address emotional distress and suicidal thoughts. To honor our veterinarians and help raise awareness for this important issue, we will be going dark for the rest of the day. You can learn more about Banfield’s “ASK” training at www.ASKAssessSupportKnow.com ❤ #ad

A post shared by Ralph the Corgi (@ralphthecorgi) on Jan 6, 2020 at 6:11am PST

As a show of solidarity and support, as well as an honor to vets everywhere, 6 pet influencers went “dark” on the 6th of January.

Dogs of Instagram, Kelly Bove, Ralph the Corgi, Hi Wiley, Dr. Lisa Lippman, and Albert on Wheels all made the announcement on Monday before going dark for the rest of the day as a united front to express “support for the veterinary professionals who give so much of themselves to our pets.”

“The veterinary field is full of committed, passionate animal lovers, and while so many think our job is all puppy kisses and kitten snuggles, the reality is that veterinarians are subject to an incredible amount of stress, caused by emotional, financial, and job-related stressors,” Dogs of Instagram, which has more 4.6 million followers, wrote along with their announcement on Monday.

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“Did you know that according to the CDC 1 in 6 veterinarians considers suicide due to serious psychological distress? When I chose my job I knew I had to work for a company that is cognizant of this- the more we talk about this serious issue that plagues our profession, the closer we come to making sure that those who spend their lives caring for our animals stay safe. The veterinary field is full of committed, passionate animal lovers, and while so many think our job is all puppy kisses and kitten snuggles, the reality is that veterinarians are subject to an incredible amount of stress, caused by emotional, financial, and job-related stressors. And some of us don’t make it. That’s why I’m honored to share with you a new training program “ASK” (Assess, Support, Know), brought to you by @banfieldpethospital. ASK is available as a free resource for all veterinary professionals and veterinary school students to help them recognize and address emotional distress and suicidal thoughts. Whether it’s joining us in sharing this image or reaching out to your veterinary team to express your appreciation – let’s unite and show our support for the veterinary professionals who give so much of themselves to our pets. To honor my veterinary colleagues, I will be going dark for the rest of today (1/6).” writes @drlisalippman // 🐶 @ellabeanthedog Learn more about ASK at wwww.ASKAssessSupportKnow.com

A post shared by DogsOf (@dogsofinstagram) on Jan 6, 2020 at 9:59am PST

Besides sharing that they were going dark, the pet influencers also encouraged all animal lovers to get involved as well by learning more about ASK and sharing their appreciation of veterinarians.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please get in contact with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Meanwhile you can show your support on social media by downloading this linked image and posting it online along with a message of support about why your vet matters and then tag @BanfieldPetHospital.