It was a hot summer day in July, I was working in a remote village in central Punjab, Pakistan. Devoid of basic facilities, I was working with my bare hands, but after all it is my responsibility to help animals in pain. Everybody was chanting, appreciating my dedication, when the Chaudhry of the village came to investigate what the racket was about. When he saw me working to help a goat with dystocia, he sneered and addressed me in a derogatory manner. I was left confused and humiliated. I do not understand, why there is so much negativity attached to such a noble profession. This is not just my story but the story of all vets, who have to suffer through such discourtesies while doing their job. No one thinks of becoming a veterinarian. People do not realise it is as difficult a profession as that of a medical doctor. Vets are the doctors of all living beings except humans. So you can imagine the scope of work required to become one. We, as biomedical professionals are at par with medical doctors but society never gives us the respect which we deserve. These and many other factors create confusion and disregard especially in the minds of students who are struggling to find suitable careers. They are willing to join any field except that of a veterinarian’s, the social stigma attached to following that particular career path weighs heavily on their minds. Therefore, no individual willingly follows this career path, they are not inclined to devoting their lives, taking care of animals; and those who are pushed to do so, are never satisfied. This is not only a problem in underdeveloped countries and societies, this trend can be seen in developed countries as well, for example in a study conducted in the United States (US) in 2015, found that out of 1,1627 veterinarians, 9 percent are suffering from serious psychological distress, and 19 percent are receiving treatment for mental health, whereas 31 percent have had depressive episodes, and 18 percent have considered self harm. Disparity is not limited to societal disregard but also manifests in a discrepancy of income. A fresh veterinarian graduate’s income starts from $3,000 per year and in the private sector $5,000 per year; in comparison, a medical doctors earns $10,000 more on average in the private and public sector. In this income, veterinarians can hardly meet the needs of their families, and their dream of having a comfortable life remains unattainable In contrast to this, one can only imagine how dire of a situation, we as an underdeveloped country face. The disregard faced by veterinarians can be seen in the recent Faizabad debacle in Islamabad, when a religious leader demanded the government to resign, over their dishonesty or an alleged amendment in the Shariah law. The insults hurled at the establishment all centered around demeaning the opponent by calling them ‘sons of vets’. This might seem amusing to some people, but it is in poor taste as it targets a whole community, degrading their work and using it as an epithet. Additionally, this disparity is not limited to societal disregard but also manifests in a discrepancy of income. A fresh veterinarian graduate’s income starts from $3,000 per year and in the private sector $5,000 per year; in comparison a medical doctors earns $10,000 more on average in the private and public sector. In this income, veterinarians can hardly meet the needs of their families, and their dream of having a comfortable life remains unattainable. When a religious leader demanded the government to resign, over their dishonesty or an alleged amendment in the Shariah law.The insults hurled at the establishment all centered around demeaning the opponent by calling them ‘sons of vets’. This might seem amusing to some people, but it is in poor taste as it targets a whole community, degrading their work and using it as an epithet Last but not the least, there are a lot of occupational hazards attached to becoming a vet, which makes it one of the riskiest professions in the world. Vets are suspect to diseases such as Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease that affects the uterus, rabies, Avian influenza H5N5, rabies etc. Besides these risks, injuries and traumas are an additional physical menace. Furthermore, chemical risks particularly allergies related to bio aerosol, detergents and disinfectants also pose as a threat. Veterinarians are looked down upon in the professional world. They are struggling, chiefly because of societal barriers and lack of policies at the institutional level that fails to protect them socially and financially. However, vets are optimistic in Naya Pakistan, hoping that it will create an environment which will not only help to restore their dignity as professionals but will also ensure their financial equity, since they are as qualified as medical doctors. The writer is a MPH Scholar at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Published in Daily Times, September 5th 2018.