Share your Voice: Help us speak up for the profession in 2026

With the Competitions and Market Authority’s (CMA) investigation into the vet services market for household pets entering its final stages, and scrutiny of the profession ongoing, BVA’s role as a strong voice for vets has never been more essential.  

We’re out there setting the record straight, pushing for a balanced, nuanced and accurate narrative around vets; speaking up for our members with the CMA, as well as across media and social media.  

Attention-grabbing statistics make it harder for stakeholders like the CMA, journalists, parliamentarians and the public to ignore messages that might otherwise get lost and allow us to deliver the real picture of the experiences of vet teams across the UK.  

Voice statistics come directly from you, our members, giving spokespeople like me confidence that we’re speaking about the issues that matter to our members and accurately reflecting your experiences. 

Along with our response to the CMA investigation, here’s just a small selection of the ways your Voice responses have made a difference this year:  

• Helping us to shape new veterinary legislation: The CMA acknowledged our calls for reform of the woefully outdated Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA), and subsequently the UK Government committed to reform in the Chancellor’s Budget Statement in October. Getting this on the Government’s agenda has been a huge step forward and data from a VSA specific survey in the Summer helped us as we worked with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to shape what could be included in reformed legislation.  
• Supporting us in our calls for the UK Government to urgently put a stop to unlawful puppy smuggling by progressing the Animal Welfare (Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill through Parliament and into law. This vital new legislation introduces crucial measures to clamp down on puppy smuggling, ban the import of pets with illegal mutilations like cropped ears, and secure public health by preventing diseases such as Brucella canis from being imported into the country.   

• Thousands of you joined us at BVA Live 2025 in June and then at BVA Congress in November, where Voice data featured heavily in discussions on the hottest topics and trending issues, adding real value to debates and kicking-off the discussions in veterinary press on everything from parasiticides to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in veterinary workplaces. 

• New BVA resource to support client conversations about cat and dog diets: Ahead of our new policy position last year, Voice of the Veterinary Profession research revealed that many pet owners are opting for non-traditional diets for their cats and dogs. However, the data also revealed that many vets are not routinely discussing dietary choices with their clients. These statistics helped to shape a new resource, answering all of the key questions you need to guide clients through potential pitfalls and make evidence-based decisions for their pet. 

• Urging a holistic approach to parasite control: In a 2024 Voice Survey, large animal vets reported that 50% of their clients sourced parasiticides from feedstores and merchants, and 25% from their practice. We called on vets, farmers, horse owners and Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) to approach parasiticide use in grazing animals with similar care to antibiotic use, taking a holistic and evidence-based approach to parasite control to tackle increasing resistance and concerns around environmental damage.  

• Going through redundancy can be a stressful experience due to the accompanying uncertainty, potential financial worries, and the emotional impact of being without a role that may have felt like a huge part of your identity. To help tackle these challenges, BVA used Voice data to launch a new guide to support veterinary professionals going through the process.   

• A new Voice statistics page has just gone live on our website, keeping the profession updated about the results of our latest surveys. Take a look to learn more about what your fellow vets have to say about everything from pet diets to sustainability and to learn more about how they feel about their workplaces. 

Our latest Voice survey is live right now and open to all BVA members to complete. Your responses will help us to shift the conversation around neutering options for dogs and cats, help promote our political manifestos ahead of the elections in Scotland and Wales, give us a clearer picture of the impact of workforce shortages across the UK and let us know what new resources the profession needs to support growing use of AI technology.  

Check your inbox now to take part and to sign up for future surveys this year.