It’s a fairly simple observation: in Isère the number of rural veterinarians, who take care of farmers’ animals, is plummeting. Today only 10 of the 300 veterinarians in the department take care of 100% of the livestock. The others deal with pets or horses. It is to deal with this situation that the department of Isère is launching a new system called “Isère Véto”! It was presented this Friday in Maubec, near Bourgoin-Jallieu and will be put to the vote at the next departmental assembly on June 24. For an agricultural “right of veto” in a way.
Medical deserts also for animals
The principle of the departmental system is substantially the same as what can be done for general practitioners. It goes through installation aid, up to 15,000 euros, support for trainee veterinarians, 300 euros per month, even mileage allowances. The fund is endowed with a total of 100,000 euros per year. “These are very targeted aids“, explains Jean Papadopoulos, vice-president of the animal health department and veterinarian himself.We’re not going to give because a vet shows up, no, the first question is what do we need? He lacks a veterinarian, what does it take to bring one?” In return for the help with the installation, the young veterinarian undertakes to stay at least 3 years to treat farm animals.. To start, the department will first seek veterinary students in schools, hoping to then be attractive enough for them to work in rural areas.
Sud-Isère more impacted than the north of the department
“Basically we have the candidates to come and do rural work in Isèreexplains Benjamin Dubail, veterinarian in Châbons and president of Véto 38, an association of rural veterinarians in Isère who collaborated in the implementation of this plan, the big problem is to implement them concretely in strategic places“. And unsurprisingly we find in these places the mountain sectors. “Sud-Isère is particularly affectedexplains Benjamin Dubail, insofar as it is very difficult to access regions. I have a colleague who tells me that he makes two visits in the morning. Two visits to manage to pay his employee, the equipment, the company fees, next to a canine clientele who can stay quietly in the practice… Well in the end sometimes they make the choice to stop doing rural“.
The Isère department plan has no end date. “He will adapt to the situationassures the president Jean Pierre Barbier, according to the needs of veterinarians in Isère“.
– Noemie Philippot