Australia’s Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH) continues its support for veterinary mental health by having recently donated $23,000 to Sophies Legacy, a leading charity dedicated to this cause. This significant contribution highlights SASH’s ongoing commitment to raising awareness and providing support for the vital work of Sophie’s Legacy in Adelaide.
Statistics reveal a sobering reality: Veterinarians in Australia are four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. With a vet taking their own life every 12 weeks, the suicide rate in the veterinary industry continues to surpass the national average.
To help address this issue SASH, one of Australia’s largest employers of veterinary professionals, has committed to raising critical funds for Sophie’s Legacy, a not-for-profit organisation aiming to reduce the rate of suicide within the vet profession and to improve overall working conditions in the industry.
With this in mind, SASH introduced a fixed-price TPLO surgery package, priced at $5990 (incl GST) for the treatment of cruciate ligament rupture. Cruciate rupture is a very common health condition in dogs and TPLOs are widely regarded as the gold-standard treatment to return dogs to full mobility. Each TPLO procedure contributed $100 towards Sophie’s Legacy, resulting in a $23,000 donation.
This contribution is the latest shared initiative between SASH and Sophie’s Legacy, with the two organisations priding themselves on common goals.
SASH Adelaide recently hosted the launch of the Sophie’s Legacy, ‘We’re Only Human’ awareness campaign, featuring SASH vets and other team members, which has now been rolled out nationwide through thousands of vet practices.
Sophie’s Legacy was founded in 2022 by Kate and Garry Putland in memory of their daughter Sophie, a beloved Melbourne-based vet who tragically lost her life to suicide in 2021. Garry and the team at Sophie’s Legacy are determined to honour Sophie’s memory by championing public awareness around the issues facing vets, providing mental health support, and making the industry safer.
