Veterinary technicians provide essential veterinary care for pets and their owners. From compassionate nursing care and skilled surgical assistance to client education and support, these team members are the heartbeat of every veterinary hospital. 

Unfortunately, in the day-to-day grind of veterinary life, these hard-working heroes don’t always receive the recognition they deserve, so National Veterinary Technician Week was formed to address this shortcoming. Every October, we take time to acknowledge, honor, and celebrate veterinary technicians and their invaluable contributions to the animal health field during this nationally recognized event. 

Please join Urgent Pet Care Omaha this October 16 to22—and every day—in expressing gratitude for these caring professionals.

Here are seven simple ways to show your appreciation:

Say it! Talk to a veterinary technician — If you are reading this, chances are that you and your pet have benefitted from a veterinary technician’s care or assistance. From here forward, each time you visit the veterinary hospital, take time to thank or express your gratitude for your pet’s caregivers. This simple gesture can make an enormous impact—who doesn’t like being recognized for their efforts?
Write it! Send a veterinary technician a thank you note or card — Handwritten notes will never go out of style, because the act of writing down your thoughts conveys intentional gratitude and consideration. Whether you write to one special veterinary technician or the entire team, a handwritten note or card explaining how much and why you appreciate them can lift their spirits and help them remember why they’ve dedicated their professional lives to caring for others.

Take note! Veterinary technicians love pens — While most veterinary technicians are happy with non-tangible gifts like compliments and thank you’s, if you’re the gifting type, here’s some insider advice—veterinary technicians love pens. They really love pens, despite this digital age. When a veterinarian rattles off a string of complex patient orders or a panicked client on the phone starts reading a label, the veterinary technician needs to take notes—fast—so they always need pens for pen-and-paper note-taking. Simply put—you can’t go wrong with pens—and small notebooks!

Spoil them! Give veterinary technicians a small token of appreciation — Gift cards in small nominations (e.g., $5 or $10) are always a hit, and let you be general or specific. Veterinary technicians will appreciate the thought and enjoy the chance to splurge. If you’re looking for something more personal or veterinary-centric, check out Etsy.com for stickers, badge reels, headbands, and mugs.

Give them a break! Give a break-room gift in your pet’s name — Many veterinary hospitals have a large support staff, which makes individual gifts impractical or overwhelming. One surefire way to show everyone your appreciation is a break-room gift in your pet’s name. These may include:
Small appliances — For example, a coffee or espresso drink maker, sandwich press, smoothie blender, or sparkling water machine
Subscription boxes — From a one-time-only order to an ongoing monthly delivery, candy, snack food, or tea and coffee-themed, subscription boxes can be a fun surprise.
Relaxation tools — Help veterinary technicians de-stress with a calming water fountain, low-maintenance pet-safe plants, jigsaw puzzles, or adult coloring books and colored pencils.
Feed them! Buy lunch or coffee for the team — A veterinary technician’s job not only requires impressive knowledge and skill, but also is physically demanding. Technicians are on their feet all day, walking, restraining and resuscitating their patients, providing nursing care, running from appointment to appointment, and all the while bending, lifting, and transporting all manner of pets—both awake and anesthetized. Re-energize the team with fuel that keeps them going—and off their feet for a moment—such as a boxed lunch or their favorite coffee drink. Or, schedule a local food or ice cream truck to set up shop in the parking lot for a few hours.
Pay it back! Help them care for their personal pets — If a veterinary technician’s paycheck was as big as their heart, there would be no space for all those zeroes. Veterinary technicians not only take care of your pet like their own—they often take in unwanted, neglected, or sick pets who many times come with expensive bills and ongoing medical care-needs. A small donation in your pet’s name to the veterinary technician’s hospital account is a heartwarming way to return the care and compassion they show your pet. Contact your practice’s hospital administrator to make a donation.

Without veterinary technicians, Urgent Pet Care Omaha and every other veterinary facility would look vastly different, and lack most of the conscientious, compassionate care that these skilled professionals provide every day. We encourage you to take a moment to thank a veterinary technician—and to join us in recognizing these special individuals during National Veterinary Technician Week, October 16-22, 2022.

Urgent Pet Care Omaha is here when you need us. If your pet is experiencing an emergency or needs after-hours care, call our Papillon or Millard offices for immediate assistance—from a veterinary technician, no doubt!