Some people rescue animals, then somehow forget how to treat human beings.
They arrive at veterinary clinics carrying the moral authority of being a “rescuer.”
Then the moment a policy does not favor them, the voice gets louder.
The insults begin.
The cursing starts.
The threats of social media follow.
And suddenly, the veterinarian who is actually treating the animal becomes the villain.
So saan lulugar ang vets?
Let us be very clear:
Rescuing an animal is admirable.
But it does not make you morally superior to everyone in the room.
It does not make you exempt from hospital policies.
It does not give you the right to humiliate staff.
And it certainly does not give you permission to curse at the veterinarian you came to for help.
Advertisements & Promos
FROM GOOD SAMARITAN TO SELF-APPOINTED MESSIAH
There is a big difference between helping an animal and believing that because you helped an animal, everyone else must now submit to you.
A Good Samaritan says:
“I rescued this animal. Please help me save it.”
A self-appointed messiah says:
“I rescued this animal, therefore your rules should not apply to me.”
That is where advocacy becomes entitlement.
The rescuer may have picked the animal up from the street.
But once that patient enters a veterinary hospital, another responsibility begins.
The veterinarian now has to examine the animal, establish a diagnosis, recommend treatment, document everything, obtain consent, manage medications, supervise staff, maintain records, assume professional liability, and answer for the medical decisions made.
That responsibility cannot simply disappear because someone says:
“Rescuer ako.”
Advertisements & Promos
COMPASSION DOES NOT CANCEL ACCOUNTABILITY
There seems to be an increasingly dangerous idea that anyone associated with rescue automatically occupies the highest moral position in every disagreement.
They rescued the animal, therefore they must be right.
The clinic enforced a rule, therefore the clinic must be heartless.
The veterinarian refused a demand, therefore the veterinarian must be “walang malasakit.”
That logic is absurd.
Compassion and accountability can exist at the same time.
You can care deeply about an animal and still require identification.
You can care deeply about an animal and still require consent forms.
You can care deeply about an animal and still require deposits.
You can care deeply about an animal and still enforce hospital policies.
And yes, you can care deeply about an animal while refusing to tolerate verbal abuse.
DO NOT PREACH KINDNESS WHILE CURSING AT PEOPLE
This is perhaps the greatest contradiction.
Some people publicly demand compassion from veterinarians while displaying very little compassion toward veterinary staff.
They demand patience.
They demand understanding.
They demand consideration.
But the moment they hear something they do not like, suddenly the receptionist can be shouted at, the assistant can be insulted, and the veterinarian can be cursed.
Then afterward, a Facebook post appears portraying the clinic as cruel.
Interesting.
If compassion is truly your advocacy, should it not extend to humans too?
You cannot keep saying:
“Have compassion for animals.”
while your behavior toward people says:
“I can disrespect you because my advocacy is more important than you.”
That is not compassion.
That is moral arrogance.
Advertisements & Promos
A VETERINARY HOSPITAL IS NOT YOUR PERSONAL RESCUE DEPARTMENT
Veterinary clinics exist to provide medical care.
They are not obligated to become extensions of every private rescue operation.
They have employees.
They have overhead.
They have documentation requirements.
They have professional responsibilities.
They have protocols developed because something probably went wrong before those protocols existed.
And they have every right to establish reasonable boundaries.
Sometimes the answer will be:
No.
No, we cannot waive that requirement.
No, we cannot disregard documentation.
No, we cannot release a patient under conditions we consider unsafe.
No, we cannot allow you to verbally abuse our staff.
No, threatening us with a Facebook post does not automatically make your demand reasonable.
A veterinarian saying “no” is not automatically a veterinarian without compassion.
Sometimes “no” is exactly what responsible practice sounds like.
THE INTERNET HAS CREATED A VERY STRANGE POWER IMBALANCE
Today, anyone with a phone can become prosecutor, judge, and broadcaster within minutes.
One emotional post can portray a clinic as heartless before the veterinarian is even given an opportunity to explain what happened.
And because veterinary professionals are expected to maintain confidentiality and professionalism, they often cannot respond with the same freedom as the person accusing them.
So the public sees outrage.
But not always the complete story.
They see:
“The clinic refused.”
They may not see what happened before the refusal.
The shouting.
The insults.
The threats.
The refusal to follow policy.
The behavior toward staff.
There are always at least two sides to a conflict.
Being the loudest person online does not automatically make someone the most truthful.
VETS ARE NOT PUNCHING BAGS
Veterinarians are expected to absorb an extraordinary amount of emotion.
Fear.
Grief.
Anger.
Frustration.
Financial stress.
Guilt.
We understand that people become emotional when animals are sick.
But emotion explains bad behavior.
It does not automatically excuse it.
There is a difference between a distressed client and an abusive one.
There is a difference between asking for consideration and demanding obedience.
There is a difference between advocating for an animal and bullying veterinary staff.
At some point, the veterinary profession must be allowed to say:
Enough.
We will treat your animal with compassion.
We will explain the medical situation.
We will try to help.
But we are not required to surrender our dignity in exchange for the privilege of treating your patient.
YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO CARES ABOUT ANIMALS
Perhaps this is what some advocates need to hear most.
The fact that you rescued one animal does not mean the veterinarian across the table cares less about animals than you do.
That veterinarian may have treated thousands.
Stayed awake through emergency surgeries.
Lost patients despite doing everything possible.
Comforted grieving owners.
Taken abuse from clients.
Spent years studying medicine.
Invested millions in equipment and facilities.
And built an entire career around caring for animals.
So please do not walk into a veterinary hospital and assume that compassion belongs exclusively to you.
You rescued the patient.
Good.
The veterinarian is trying to treat the patient.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
Sharing this helps others understand what it really means to be a vet. Like and follow if you’re with us.
