South Australia is the first state government to provide support to the Sophie’s Legacy initiative, the new national mental health campaign for veterinarians.
The $25,000 in funding will go towards assisting the South Australian-based program’s public awareness campaign to educate animal owners and other vet clients on the importance of respectful behaviour and engagement with veterinarians and their staff.
With a 2020 study by Monash University revealing veterinarians to be one of the highest at-risk occupations for suicide, four times more likely to die from suicide than the general population and twice more likely than other healthcare professionals, the State Government believes the Sophie’s Legacy campaign is a timely initiative.
Established by the family of Sophie Putland, in memory of the 33-year vet who tragically took her own life in 2021, the Sophie’s Legacy program identified that negative client interactions, client abuse and unrealistic demands made on veterinarians and vet staff is one of the highest contributors to poor mental health within the profession.
With the veterinary industry such an important part of South Australia’s $4.3 billion livestock industry, the State Government will continue to work with the Australian Veterinary Association and Sophie’s Legacy to work toward better mental health outcomes for practitioners and staff.
For further information on Sophie’s Legacy visit www.sophieslegacy.com
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Attributable to Clare Scriven
The State Government acknowledges the enormous stress our vets are under and the need for their clients to show empathy and understanding as well as simple respect for the profession.
With veterinary services a vitally important part of our primary industries and central to the wellbeing of all animals, the State Government believes that supporting our vets through the Sophie’s Legacy initiative is one way to let vets know that their work is valued and supported.
I thank Garry and Kate Putland for their brave and hard work in creating Sophie’s Legacy to highlight and provide a voice for the vets and their families in the industry.
Loving our animals should also extend to giving our vets the courtesy and respect that they deserve.
Attributable to Garry and Kate Putland
Our daughter, Dr Sophie Putland, was an incredibly funny, compassionate, and all-round wonderful human. We miss her every single day. Sophie loved her job. She was the vet you’d want to be treating your pet at their sickest.
We will always be proud of everything Sophie achieved in her short life and we’re proud of her legacy.
The response to her story and the “We’re Only Human” campaign has been exceptional both here in Australia and overseas. However, there is plenty more work to do to improve the industry for vets, vet nurses and veterinary clinic staff. We encourage all South Australians to Take the Pledge to be kind to their vet and staff by going to https://sophieslegacy.com/.
The South Australian Government has backed Sophie’s Legacy with its nation first grant, and we really hope that all governments will get on board to improve the industry that our darling daughter loved so very much.
We sincerely thank Minister Scriven and the department for this grant, which will help us make the industry safer through Sophie’s Legacy.
