Casey is a veterinary technician at her local Emergency Animal Hospital. They rely on medical equipment and supplies everyday to treat and care for their patients, our animal companions. Without the tireless efforts of our nation’s truck drivers, many animal hospitals could face shortages in life saving supplies that allow the veterinary staff to effectively do their job, keeping our pets healthy.

Q- Has the current crisis had an effect on your clinic’s day to day operations?  

Yes. We do function as a 24hr clinic for emergencies, so before the outbreak we would not require a call before bringing your pet in for emergency care, now we do. We have also had to limit the amount of family members allowed in the clinic to one per animal, which I know can be hard for people especially during critical moments in their pet’s life. It’s sad, because we see how tough it is for the owners, but also for the animals who just want to be surrounded and comforted by their loved ones in a scary situation.

Q- What would happen if truck drivers stopped delivering these supplies to your clinic?

Unfortunately, a lot of animals could suffer. As well as regular medications, we rely on simple equipment like syringes, disposable test tubes, swabs, culture dishes and specimen containers pretty much all day, everyday to run life saving and other critical health tests for the animals in our care. The delivery drivers obviously have had a huge hand in ensuring that we get those supplies; they have been very reliable in making sure we have what we need when we need it.

Q- Do you think that these are the typical types of deliveries that society associates with truck drivers?    

No, not necessarily. I think when people think of truck drivers, they think of big 18 wheelers delivering commercial and industrial goods, but they do so much more than that. We depend on our delivery drivers, especially now, because without their effort we really wouldn’t be able to stay open during the pandemic to help families and their pets during their times of need. It’s so important.

Q- Is there anything you would like to say to truck drivers across North America?

I’d like to say thank you. Especially to all the drivers that make deliveries of veterinary supplies, and other medical equipment because I don’t think that it is something people really think about and it’s so critical. They definitely deserve our thanks and support just as much as other essential workers.

#thankatrucker