Can complaints to the Veterinary Disciplinary Board be prevented?

Over the past few years the general public's perception of animals has changed in the Netherlands. Animals are increasingly thought of as 'noble animals" and not merely as beasts to serve humankind. This changed sentiment can best be exemplified by the fact that the Party for Animals won two seats in the recent parliamentary elections. To see whether this change is also mirrored in the development of Veterinary Disciplinary Law, the rulings of the Veterinary Disciplinary Board between 1992 and 2005 were retrieved and studied (first aim of the study). The Board, which is an independent court of justice, was set up in The Hague 1992 in accordance with the Veterinary Practice Act to improve the quality of veterinary practice. Any animal owner can submit a complaint about a veterinary practitioner, a veterinary nurse, an animal physiotherapist, or a lay obstetrician. A second aim of the study was to investigate why owners submit complaints, because these procedures are time-consuming and unpleasant for both parties. If the underlying causes of complaints can be identified, it may be possible to reduce the number of complaints. In total, 1023 rulings passed by the Veterinary Disciplinary Board between October 1992 and December 2005 were evaluated, using a standardized questionnaire. The results showed that in this period the rulings did not reflect the increased public interest in the position of animals: the case load did not change (on average 78 cases/year; varying between 58-103 cases/year), the proportion of complaints that were upheld did not change, and more severe penalties were not imposed. However; findings revealed that the underlying cause of the complaint was often (partly) 'emotional'. Different standards and values, treatment that does not meet the owner's expectations, a lack of empathy on the part of the veterinary practitioner, and communication problems all played an important role. Insight into these underlying problems may reduce the number of the complaints submitted to the Veterinary Disciplinary Board.