The Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast
Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, have co-hosted their award-winning weekly veterinary podcast since 2016. Each week, they “tackle the toughest topics in veterinary medicine,” highlighting controversial issues and trending news, introducing veterinary key opinion leaders and provocateurs, and offering solutions to the myriad challenges facing the veterinary profession.
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Does Your Mom’s Dog Get an Employee Discount? Confusion and Misuse of Veterinary Staff Discounts and Pet Care Benefits
Hypothetically speaking, have you ever encountered a veterinary staff member who added their parent’s pets to their personal account? Do those pets receive the same discounts, priorities, or privileges as other staff member’s own pets? What about calling for after-hours assistance on behalf of friends and family? Viewfinders, how far do pet care discounts and benefits extend? Do you have written policies governing these rules? Let’s get into it.
Host Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, share their experiences with veterinary team members skirting on the edge of extending their pet care benefits too far. Our hosts reveal real-life examples and tactics they used to avoid hurting feelings.
Dr. Ward also discusses the guilt he has felt when contacted after-hours by a well-meaning staff member seeking help for a neighbor or friend’s pet. He shares how he overcame these feelings of guilt and why he believes every clinic needs to discuss this issue and develop guidelines.
Beckie encourages all veterinary practices to “get ahead of this issue before it becomes a problem.” She also worries that this is a bigger problem than most clinics realize (or admit) and how it may negatively impact team morale.
Many veterinary teams have one: the colleague who runs to management about every minor mistake or late trash bag. But when does necessary reporting turn into destructive tattling?
This week on The Veterinary Viewfinder, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, unpack one of the profession’s most frustrating dynamics: coworkers who undermine team culture by excessive fault-finding.
Hosts Dr. Ward and vet tech Beckie Mossor examine how tattletale behavior often stems from insecurity, perfectionism, or even underlying issues like OCD, yet still chips away at psychological safety and trust. They discuss the difference between legitimate reporting and gossip, and why managers must address patterns early before morale collapses. Ignoring the issue doesn’t make it go away; it drives good employees out while problem behavior festers.
Listeners will learn practical strategies, such as anonymous “concern boxes,” structured feedback models (SBI: Situation, Behavior, Impact), and defining gossip as “talking to someone who can’t solve the problem.” The hosts also share real-life examples where unchecked tattling escalated into fractured teams, cover-ups, and even departures of top performers.
Whether you’re a manager navigating a chronic complainer or a technician tired of walking on eggshells, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tools to help you reclaim a healthier clinic culture. Because in veterinary medicine, trust isn’t optional; it’s the foundation of patient care.