Frustration no excuse to assault veterinarians, pet owners reminded

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Veterinary Medical Association said animal owners should file formal complaints instead of assaulting veterinarians "if they believe the vets did not perform their best in the treatment of their pets."

In a statement, PVMA said it "condemns in the strongest terms" the assault on a veterinarian by an irate pet owner. It also said that the veterinarian sustained "various injuries to the face and other parts of his body."

Security footage of the incident seen by Philstar.com showed a man screaming at and physically attacking a veterinarian who was treating a cat.

PVMA did not name the people involved in the incident nor the clinic where the assault happened but said it supports the "filing and vigorous perpetrators of such a reprehensible act." 

The association stressed however that the assault was not justified, adding "no one deserves such treatment and disrespect while in the performance of his duties regardless of the circumstances involved."

The veterinarians' association also said that vets in small animal practice, or those who work with pets, "perform their professional functions often under very difficult circumstances while at the same time dealing with emotional pet owners." 

It also said that "clients are not entitled to physically and verbally abuse or maltreat veterinary doctors in practice."

PVMA said on its website that it represents "more than 5,000 veterinarians working in the government, in private and corporate practice, in the industry, in the academe and even overseas."