Veterinarian’s Responsibility
- It is the ethical and moral responsibility of every veterinarian to advocate the welfare of the patient. This is the veterinarian’s primary responsibility.
- The veterinarian must make every effort to assist the patient to enjoy the Five Freedoms (See AAFP General Principles of Feline Welfare). Critical to this effort is the effective assistance to avoid pain and suffering.
- It is unethical for the veterinarian to encourage the administration of therapies or diagnostics which benefit the practitioner at the expense of the patient.
- It is unethical for the veterinarian to deliberately exploit the bond between patient and client in order to generate a financial benefit.
Additional key points covered in the position statement include:
- Current Considerations in Modern Feline Medicine
- Quality of Life
- Euthanasia
- Convenience Euthanasia
- Other Ethical Considerations Regarding Euthanasia
- Owner’s Refusal to Euthanize
© Feline Veterinary Medical Association, 2025