Veterinarian gets told he ‘doesn’t love animals' because of the toughest part of his job, provides ultimate comeback: ‘What. A. Slap. In. The. Face.’

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Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Jul 26, 2025 4:00 AM EDT

One of the most difficult jobs out there is to be a veterinarian. Not only because of the hard decisions you have to make, but also because you most likely chose that career path because you LOVE animals and you quickly, and unfortunately, find out that you cannot actually save them all… Every decision made is in consideration for the animal, to make sure they aren't suffering. Having to say goodbye to a pet is one of the most difficult things you will ever have to do. It's hard for me to even type about it because the pain of five years ago when I had to say goodbye to my girl still hurts like nothing else. But the love you have with your pets is like nothing else in the world. 

 

So, as a pet parent and animal lover, you should praise veterinarians! Heck, even if you don't like animals, as long as you don't like a living thing to suffer, then you should still praise veterinarians. So when this vet got told he must not "love animals" because of the toughest part of his job, he had a comeback already wracked up. 

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  • Like we said, it's not easy to be a vet, but it is one of the most important jobs you can do. It takes a lot of empathy, love, patience, and strength. We mean strength, because you are basically sacrificing your emotional well-being in order to help an innocent creature not suffer anymore. So don't ever even insinuate that a vet doesn't love animals, or you might get hit with one of the traumatizing clap-backs below. 

  • Cheezburger Image 10534567424
    via Unsplash+ (and Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "I guess I don’t love animals enough?"

    I've been a veterinary assistant for 3 years now, and I'll be starting veterinary school in the fall.
    via fortuitous__
  • When people find out you work in veterinary medicine, you know the conversation is going to go one of about two ways: 1) they're going to tell you all about their pet and show you pictures (I love this one); or 2) they're going to say The Thing - here's how that conversation goes:
    via fortuitous__
  • Person I am meeting for the first time in a social setting: "so what do you do for work?"
    via fortuitous__
  • Me: "I am a vet assistant and I'm starting vet school soon. It's my dream!"
    via fortuitous__
  • Person, for some reason: "Oh, I wanted to be a vet when I was a kid, but I could neverrrrr be a vet,
    via fortuitous__
  • I love animals toooo much to euthanize them."
    via fortuitous__
  • What. A. Slap. In. The. Face. Don't get me wrong, I know what they're trying to say, but what they imply with that statement is just rode.
    via fortuitous__
  • If the person is nice and I can tell they mean well, I just say something along the lines of "well, every euthanasia is tough,
    via fortuitous__
  • and I don't think I'll ever get to the point in my career where it doesn't affect me, but sometimes it really is the best option."
    via fortuitous__
  • If I'm sensing bad vibes from this person, though, I take a two-pronged approach:
    via fortuitous__
  • Step 1: tell them "oh yeah, euthanasia sks, but what really gets me is the ab e and neglect that I see first-hand,"
    via fortuitous__
  • and then I launch into a story that is so awful that it still makes me nauseous to think about it. I'll spare Reddit the details there.
    via fortuitous__
  • Cheezburger Image 10534582016
    via Unsplash+ (and Sueda Güzeldere)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Step 2: Once I've decided they're sufficiently traumatized, I ask them if they want to come volunteer with me at the animal shelter.
    via fortuitous__
  • Anyone can do it, and it's just so heartwarming to enrich shelter animals' lives and see them go to good homes. :) They usually say no lol.
    via fortuitous__
  • This approach definitely doesn't make me any friends, but hey, neither does implying that vets don't love animals.
    via fortuitous__
  • Also, I REALLY don't want to talk about the hardest part of my job when I'm just trying to have a fun night out.
    via fortuitous__
  • Edit: Thank you for all the kind comments :) made my day. For everyone that is commenting about their pets that have been euthanized,
    via fortuitous__
  • my heart goes out to you all and your fur babies. I hope happy memories visit your thoughts more often than grief does <3.
    via fortuitous__
  • ColoradolnNJ I think it is often the most compassionate thing you can do for animals, and imagine the personal cost is high every time. It's heroic.
    via ColoradoInNJ
  • No1Especial My niece is a vet tech. She loves it, and her patients. It's a fun, tough, easy and hard job. As a whole, it's well underpaid. Thank you for your hard work, and good luck in school!!
    via No1Especial
  • Advendocture People who say that are really saying "I would love to be a vet but don't have the dedication, willpower, or willingness to sacrifice in order to reach my goal, so instead I'll make a backhanded insult at you to make myself feel better"
    via Advendocture

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