Abstract

By virtue of their education and high level of public credibility, veterinarians are widely perceived as community caregivers with important contributions not only to animal well-being, but also to public health and mental heath. However, the profession has never resolved whether its primary responsibility is to the animal patient or the human client. As a result, ethical dilemmas impinge on the practitioner's ability to deliver pure services. This paper will discuss the differences between morals, values, and ethics and will apply them in case studies involving animal welfare issues. Differing values systems in animal care will be defined. The reader will be challenged to identify economic payoffs for maintaining high ethical integrity.