Waggle Aligns With MightyVet to Reduce Emotional Demands on Veterinary Professionals

Waggle aims to decrease economic euthanasia among pets, benefiting both veterinarians and animals in need.

Waggle, the only pet-dedicated, crowdfunding platform that partners directly with leading veterinary practices and respected veterinarians to reduce economic euthanasia, is collaborating with MightyVet in its efforts to evolve the veterinary ecosystem for the common good of pet owners, their companion animals, and the veterinary providers entrusted with their care.

Launched in early 2018, MightyVet promotes the education and support of veterinarians, veterinary students, vet techs, and anyone who interacts with them regarding the challenges and opportunities faced by passionate professionals in the veterinary community. Waggle, which officially debuted in the fall of 2018, is dedicated to providing financial assistance via an online crowdfunding platform to help pets in medical crisis regain their health and live out their natural lives. The first crowdfunding platform devoted to pets and their caretakers, Waggle is committed to decreasing the tragic practice of economic euthanasia, which many pet guardians, stretched to financial limits when faced with the cost of treatment for a beloved animal's medical care, face.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, 3 million shelter pets in the U.S. are put down annually, and most of those are otherwise healthy animals with treatable conditions that could have been adopted into new homes. “The lack of financial resources for veterinary costs is a major cause of this problem,” said Steve Mornelli, pet lover, businessman, and the Waggle founder. “Waggle is a trustworthy means to provide a solution for families who have lost hope.”

Waggle (along with the Waggle Foundation) seeks to make a comprehensive difference in reducing the number of pets and families thrust into this heart-wrenching situation, giving all a second chance. Waggle further aims for total transparency by releasing the raised funds directly to the veterinary hospital treating the animal.

Economic euthanasia can cause veterinarians serious moral stress, as they are put in the position of euthanizing otherwise savable pets. It goes against the ethics of the veterinary profession and their personal vision for their careers, leading many passionate veterinarians to discount fees and services in an effort to restore animal health, which challenges their own personal finances and business sustainability. The result is a daunting, daily challenge facing the veterinary community, leading to high levels of compassion fatigue, ethics exhaustion, burnout, and decreased career satisfaction -- all potential factors for suicide. In fact, according to the first mental health survey of U.S. veterinarians, one in four veterinarians has experienced suicidal ideation.

MightyVet aims to combat these risk factors by offering access to tools and support to help veterinarians not only survive but also thrive amid the challenges that come with the realities of the veterinarian industry. “MightyVet is dedicated to the education of veterinarians, specifically in the subjects not covered as core curriculum in veterinary school,” explains Dr. Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, founder of MightyVet, and chief veterinary officer at Trupanion. “Moral stress, burnout, and suicide rates do not have to be higher in our profession than any other profession. It’s not an inevitability.”

Both Waggle and MightyVet recognize that the health of the caregivers on the front lines of this animal-loving profession is equally important to the care they are rendering to their clients. Offering professional assistance to help veterinarians stay healthy and centered in a self-care plan will ultimately aid in bringing more pets to wellness. As more pets are ministered to, Waggle’s crowdfunding platform will provide financial assistance to fund the cost of veterinary services — providing a win-win situation for the animal-care community and allowing more canines and felines to find their furever homes and live out their best natural lives.