Having worked as a vet for five decades, much of it with animals across the remote north of Western Australia, Dave Morrell often finds himself reflecting on his career path.<\/p>\n
His time as a vet began humbly, living in a caravan with his family, taking consultations at the park’s entrance and operating on clients’ kitchen tables.<\/p>\n
But while his dedication to the animals of Broome and the West Kimberley has not faded, the demanding pace and long hours can take a heavy toll.<\/p>\n
“The other night, I started work at one in the morning and I finished a cattle boat at 7am,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Then I had to drive 400 kilometres and prick test cattle all day.<\/p>\n
“I was very weary at the end of the day.”<\/p>\n
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Dave Morrell has lived and worked in the Kimberley for many years. (Supplied: Jessie Morrell)<\/p>\n
Dr Morrell said the frustration of not being able to heal every animal had affected him deeply when he was a younger vet.<\/p>\n
“I broke down in tears a few times, feeling I was inadequate and I couldn’t fix everything that was presented to me,” he said.<\/p>\n
Dr Morrell said it was the shattering of romantic “James Herriot notions” upon entering the field, as well as low compensation and general under-appreciation, that vet professionals struggled with most.<\/p>\n
James Herriot was a British veterinary surgeon best known for writing books about his practice in the Yorkshire Dales, which were adapted for the All Creatures Great and Small television series and film.<\/p>\n
Research shows veterinarians are four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population, and two times more likely than other healthcare professionals.<\/p>\n
Additional funding is now being allocated to a program aimed at easing the emotional toll of the role.<\/p>\n
Wellbeing program expands<\/p>\n
Research commissioned by the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) in 2021 found that challenging client interactions, workplace bullying, long hours, and high workloads were among the most common factors contributing to the condition of vet workers’ mental health.<\/p>\n
More than 66 per cent of respondents said they had experienced a mental health condition, compared with 43 per cent of the general population.<\/p>\n
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Mental health pressures can make working in the veterinary sector a challenge. (ABC News: Amelia Walters)<\/p>\n
On the back of the study, the AVA launched a veterinary wellness initiative delivering psychological health and safety awareness training sessions.<\/p>\n
It was made available to 50 workplaces between September 2023 and December 2024.<\/p>\n
Kelley Johnson, a former veterinary nurse and now manager of a vet hospital in Melbourne, jumped at the opportunity to participate.<\/p>\n
She said the program facilitator had asked her colleagues and staff members questions, and their answers were submitted anonymously before being displayed for all to see.<\/p>\n