A new theme is chosen to represent the industry every year.

The theme in 2022 is strengthening veterinarian resilience and aims to shine a light on the mental health crisis in the veterinary industry.

So why resilience?

Of the estimated three million Australian adults who live with depression or anxiety every year, studies show that veterinarians are among a high number of those affected.

The challenges those working in the veterinary profession face have increased, particularly over the past two years during the global pandemic.

While the veterinary profession is considered a rewarding pursuit in helping animals to overcome illness, the flipside is that this responsibility can be physically and mentally taxing.

Working as a vet comes with long hours, staffing shortages, financial pressures and increased expectations from pet owners.

Collectively, this all takes a significant toll on mental health.

"Like the rest of the community the pandemic has impacted the lives of veterinarians," said Dr Cristy Secombe from the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA).

"The capacity of the veterinary workforce has been challenged as we have had to change the way we work in lockdowns and in times of high COVID case loads.

"This has often meant that we haven't been able to respond to animals and their needs as quickly as we like, which has been just as distressing to veterinarians as it is to the community."

Dr Secombe, who has worked as a horse vet for 25 years and is head of public affairs at AVA, encourages the community to commemorate World Veterinary Day by acknowledging how a veterinarian has positively impacted their life.

She said being open to understanding the challenges the industry is facing and displaying kindness is a step in the right direction.

Veterinarians, much like their patients, need proper tools and support to maintain their health and wellness.

The AVA has several tools in place to work alongside veterinarians to strengthen their resilience, including a mentoring program, counselling support, mental first aid training and professional development focused on the non-technical aspects of the profession.

"Strengthening resilience is a shared responsibility and requires support from not just individuals, but also businesses, professional associations, government and the community," Dr Secombe said.