Ethics: What is your ethical responsibility when responding to an emergency?

By Barb Crabbe, DVM, MA Bioethics, and Lisa Hanelt, DVM

How many times have you received an emergency call for a horse that you simply couldn’t help, either because you were too far away, didn’t have the necessary equipment,
or were busy working on another horse? How much did it bother you? If you are a veterinarian who is on call for emergencies, chances are you wrestle with this issue on a regular basis. If you find yourself facing this scenario frequently, it is likely to be causing you distress.