Pride in Practice

Pride in Practice

While enjoying my afternoon coffee between clients, someone entered the clinic with their pup looking quite emotional. I was mentally preparing for an emotional visit. This was a vaccine appointment, though. After chatting for a moment, the client shared a brief yet heartbreaking story. While at another veterinary practice, she heard the team laughing using derogatory terms in the treatment area. She cried, but hid her emotions from the team. She has not been to a veterinarian with her pet since that day. 

We have a sticker on the door that reads, “All are welcome here.”  She saw our sticker and immediately became emotional. She felt welcome. My heart melted. All clients, pets and team members are welcome at Bond Vet. When you step inside Bond Vet, you are welcomed into our family. This is intentional in design, but it only comes to life through our team members.

When I first started in the field nearly 10 years ago, I had just met my now husband, Nicholas. He was so supportive of my desire to join the field. My first veterinary job was literally sweeping, mopping, and repeating. I humbly titled myself the best veterinary clinic floor cleaner in NYC in 2017.

My Nicholas was even kind of ready to hear my bloody emergency and critical care stories. We lived in Harlem, New York City and had just gotten our first kitten together. The little black puff, Dakota, instantly melted our hearts. She was the last one in her litter to not be adopted, so of course she became ours. It was not much later that we got another cat, Lila. By this point, my now-husband was unsure what he was getting himself into being with a veterinary professional. He loved it, though. He is more of a cat lady than I am at this point.

Dakota and Lila, though, taught us something very important. We have the power to create a family. This looks different for so many people, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community. The four of us lived together, along with so many fosters, for many years before adding more animals to our family. 

Being a veterinary professional with experience in creating a tiny family, a light bulb went off. Of course, I knew that people loved their pets like family. Of course, I knew they would do anything for their pets. Of course, I knew they would call their pets their kids.

What I did not fully understand until I had spent some time in the field is that people often are creating their own family with their pets. This places us in such a unique position that most do not see. While balancing the needs of a different family structure and veterinary medicine, we are able to support people who choose their family to be pets. Just like our Lila and Dakota. When conversations become challenging and emotions run high, we can remind ourselves that pets are family. Chosen family. I try to recall how happy the four of us were in our first apartment together when a client is upset or frustrated; this gives me a sense of empathy for their desire to care for their pet like family.

I am proud to work for an organization that supports and welcomes everyone. 

Those who are lesbian.

Those who are gay.

Those who are bisexual.

Those who are trans.

Those who are still figuring it out.

All people are welcome at Bond Vet.