How animal welfare is taught in veterinary schools shapes the attitudes, skills, and priorities of practitioners who care for millions of animals, making curriculum design a powerful lever for welfare improvement.
Veterinary graduates who deeply understand animal welfare advocate more effectively for their patients, communicate better with owners, and make decisions that prioritise animal interests. Conversely, inadequate welfare training can result in practitioners who normalise suffering or feel ill-equipped to have difficult conversations about quality of life and euthanasia. The culture within veterinary schools shapes professional values as powerfully as formal curricula.