Seventy percent of veterinarians in the state of Querétaro have suffered some form of aggression from pet owners between January 2025 and January 2026, reported the Querétaro State College of Small Animal Veterinarians (Cemvepeq).
At a press conference, Paulina González Arredondo, president of the College, demanded respect for their profession and called for working groups with the State Government Secretariat and the Querétaro Attorney General’s Office to create a protocol for responding to high-risk situations. She emphasized that in the last year, verbal abuse, threats, harassment, and physical assaults against veterinarians specializing in small animals have been reported.
Teresa Silis Moreno, secretary of the College, explained that 150 surveys were completed in 341 clinics across the state. The surveys identified that 65 percent of the aggressions were verbal, 42 percent threats, 41 percent harassment on social media, 30 percent telephone harassment, four percent damage to workplaces such as graffiti, broken windows, and damaged bars; and three percent physical assaults.
“We are talking about real violence, violence that occurs within veterinary clinics, hospitals, and workplaces. Another alarming fact is that the veterinary profession lacks a culture of reporting these aggressions, since only 11 percent of cases involved calling the 911 emergency number and only eight percent involved filing a report with the prosecutor’s office,” she stated.
Silis Moreno explained that the veterinary medical services with the highest incidence of aggression are consultations and surgeries. She maintained that this is not a problem of professional communication, stating that in 91 percent of cases, pet owners are informed of the risks and complications that may arise from medical procedures.
Meanwhile, Rubén Novelo Barrera, treasurer of the veterinary association, explained that aggression occurs when the patient is brought in for consultation in an advanced stage of illness, when pet owners have unrealistic expectations about the response to treatment, when they perceive the service costs as high, and when pet owners refuse to accept the patient’s death.
Furthermore, he warned that 70 percent of veterinarians have considered leaving the profession, citing emotional exhaustion and chronic stress resulting from the normalization of aggression. He also mentioned that a formal complaint for practicing veterinary medicine without a license was filed this year against a veterinarian at a clinic in the municipality of El Marqués. Therefore, they urged the public to be vigilant and ensure that veterinarians possess professional licenses.
“We ask the public to respect the professionals who work for the health of their pets, to research who is treating their pets, and to verify their professional credentials. Respect, empathy, and effective communication are the foundation of a strong veterinarian-patient relationship. Violence cannot be part of the veterinary profession; we cannot practice in fear,” he added.
On the first anniversary of the recognition of the veterinary profession, following the murder of Héctor Hernández Cañas in February 2025, a peaceful vigil was held in the Plaza de Armas to demand an end to violence against veterinarians.
Source: oem
