New survey data shared by Boehringer Ingelheim ahead of World Veterinary Day show that 94% of animal owners appreciate the work of veterinarians, compared to only 49% of veterinary professionals feeling their profession is appreciated, among other findings.
Leading up to World Veterinary Day (April 26, 2025), Boehringer Ingelheim has unveiled new survey results that shed light on animal owners’ perceptions of the essential role that veterinarians play in animal health and community well-being. The 2025 survey of animal owners adds to a 2024 survey, also conducted in partnership with market research institute Kynetec, which explored if veterinarians feel valued and understood by animal owners. This is part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Going Beyond campaign, which seeks to put a spotlight on aspects of veterinary work that too often remain unseen and underrecognized.
“In collaboration with our Going Beyond campaign partners, we are proud to celebrate veterinary teams, bringing attention to their crucial role worldwide as animal health practitioners, advocates, researchers, educators, surgeons, public health experts and more,” said Claire Fowler, Head of Global Strategic Marketing at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health.
The 2025 Going Beyond survey of animal owners revealed several findings, which contrast significantly with perceptions shared in the 2024 survey of veterinarians.
PERCEPTIONS AROUND APPRECIATION
In the 2025 survey, 94% of animal owners said they appreciate the veterinary profession, and 91% recognized that veterinary teams are essential or important to our society. By comparison, 49% of veterinarians last year said animal owners appreciate the veterinary profession. In addition, 93% of animal owners this year said they appreciate the level of care provided by their vet teams. In 2024, a lower percentage (75%) of veterinarians said animal owners appreciate the level of care they provide.
“It is rewarding to see the high appreciation for veterinarians noted in the Going Beyond survey, and we need to continue to increase awareness of the essential role of veterinary professionals in safeguarding animal health and impacting society through food safety and infectious disease control,” expressed Arcangelo Gentile, President of the World Association for Buiatrics. “By partnering in the Going Beyond campaign, we hope to deepen the public’s understanding of this field and foster the recognition veterinary teams truly deserve.”
VIEWS ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND STRESS
Among animal owners surveyed, 65% said veterinarians have a good work-life balance. In 2024, 48% of veterinarians said animal owners underappreciate that vets trade off their work-life balance to help animals. In addition, 66% of animal owners felt veterinarians need a high level of resilience to manage stress and emotional exhaustion. This figure was significantly lower than when asked the same question about other essential professions, including doctors, police, firefighters, and teachers. In 2024, 49% of veterinarians said animal owners underappreciate their resilience to stress and emotional exhaustion.
“Veterinary teams are on the front lines of animal health and well-being, yet the intense physical and emotional demands of the profession often go unrecognized,” emhasized Dr Jim Berry, President of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. “To protect this essential profession, the public must do more to acknowledge the commitment and long hours veterinary teams dedicate to ensure the well-being of the animals in their care.”
‘GUESS WHO?’ VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS
In support of World Veterinary Day, the Going Beyond campaign also released a thought-provoking video asking animal owners to guess what type of professional meets the description of a range of compelling job responsibilities and characteristics.
“People love their veterinary teams, and we think if animal owners knew that their veterinary team might be struggling at times, they would care deeply,” said Fowler. “We hope the Going Beyond campaign helps veterinarians feel more appreciated for their many contributions and resilience. Animal owners can make a big difference by thanking their veterinary teams, whether in person, by phone, email or social media – it all helps veterinary teams feel motivated, engaged, and able to thrive.”
GOING BEYOND CAMPAIGN
Going Beyond is a campaign developed by Boehringer Ingelheim, in cooperation with the World Small Animal Vet Association, the World Association for Buiatrics, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, VetFamily, and other leading organizations. Launched for the first time for World Veterinary Day 2024, Going Beyond aims to showcase the boundless dedication, resilience and passion of veterinarians who care for animals in often challenging circumstances. The ultimate goal is to help veterinarians feel seen, appreciated and motivated to continue doing what they do best – caring for our beloved animals.
As part of the Going Beyond campaign, a survey conducted in February and March 2025 by market research institute Kynetec included 1,200 animal owners, from the U.S., (200), the U.K., (200), Brazil (200), China (200), France (200) and Germany (200). The survey scope included animal owners who owned a dog (71%), a cat (60%), a horse (2%) farm animals (2%) and/or any other animal (20%).
