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The Creation of Our New Diversity & Inclusion Task Force – A Message from our President & CEO, John Payne
Throughout the past few weeks, we have been working to identify ways we can contribute to the critical work that must be done to end systemic black and other forms of racism, inequality and injustice in this country. 
 
We are pleased to announce that as a first step, Compassion-First has formed a Diversity & Inclusion Task Force (DITF) with the purpose of developing and implementing strategies that promote diversity and inclusion within our organization and in the veterinary industry. The DITF will also measure Compassion-First's progress towards becoming more diverse by creating metrics to hold our organization accountable for achieving our diversity and inclusion goals. In addition, the task force will partner with veterinary industry and education leaders to join the vital work of fostering equality in the animal health industry. 
 
Our core values of community, kindness, empowerment, integrity and collaboration drive everything we do, and we are looking forward to sharing more about this task force with you in the coming weeks.

Please stay well and wishing you all my best. 

John Payne
President & CEO 
Compassion-First Offers Comprehensive Veterinary Nursing Development Programs
Veterinarians depend on the assistance of an expert nursing team.

With a mission to support the education and professional development of our veterinary technicians and assistants, and to elevate the level of patient care we provide, our Veterinary Nursing Development department at Compassion-First has developed several valuable educational opportunities and programs to both empower and inspire those who are part of our veterinary nursing teams or those who aspire to be.
Compassion-First Surgeon, Ken Sadanaga, VMD, DACVS, Pioneers Treatment for Laryngeal Paralysis
What would you do if your dog was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis? What if you found him in critical condition one day? This happened to Dr. Gal Vatash, an east coast veterinarian who immediately put his dog in the car and drove five hours to seek the help of his colleague, Dr. Ken Sadanaga of VRC in Malvern, PA, one of Compassion-First’s founding hospitals.

Dr. Sadanaga pioneered a surgical technique to effectively treat laryngeal paralysis in dogs, and, thanks to him, Dr. Vatash's dog and many others are happy, healthy, and free of laryngeal paralysis. He is one of the many innovators that comprise the Compassion-First Pet Hospitals family, and this is his story.
Recruiting Top Veterinary Talent Never Stops at Compassion-First
It’s no secret that the success of our veterinary hospitals stems from our collaborative team of talented and devoted veterinary professionals and specialists.

Securing top veterinary specialists and emergency doctors never stops—not even for a pandemic. Learn more about how we continue to evolve our recruitment strategies in efforts to recruit for exceptional veterinary talent.
Get to know Compassion-First:
Austin Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center (AVES)
We love shining a light on our family of hospitals. This month get to know AVES located in beautiful Austin, Texas. AVES joined Compassion-First in 2016.

  • Austin Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center (AVES) won the Veterinary Economics Hospital Design of the Year Competition Merit Award in 2016.
  • AVES dentist, Dr. Tiffany Menke, is the ONLY board-certified veterinary dentist in Central Texas.
  • Education is a founding principle of AVES. Each year, AVES is proud to host continuing education symposiums to the local veterinary community, free-of-charge!
  • AVES utilizes state-of-the-art imaging modalities including a 1.5 Tesla MRI, 8-slice CT, and digital radiography to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
  • AVES recently celebrated its 5th anniversary and is one of the fastest-growing Compassion-First hospitals.

Did you Miss our Mental Health Awareness Month Podcast Series?
In this 4-part podcast series our VP of Veterinary Informatics, Dr. Elizabeth Lund, interviews Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Sarina Manifold, about three important topics of Compassion-Fatigue (Part 1 and 2), Suicide Awareness & Prevention, and Grief & Bereavement as it pertains to the veterinary profession. Promoting awareness of and education around common mental health challenges is a priority at Compassion-First and this podcast series serves as a tool to inform listeners about each topic and provide practical insights and solutions for not only our employees, but any veterinary health professional. We hope you take a paws and listen!
Summer is Officially Here!
Read our latest blog on heat awareness and how to keep your pets safe and cool this summer.
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