Dr. Joseph Rossi, owner of North Penn Animal Hospital in Lansdale, is the inaugural winner of Westminster Kennel Club Show’s Veterinarian of the Year award, writes Jennifer Peltz for the Harrisburg Patriot-News.
The award is part of the show’s efforts to shine a spotlight on veterinarians’ mental health. In addition to the award, the club also donated $10,000 to a charity that focuses on the psychological welfare of veterinary professionals.
Veterinary doctors feel the strain of handling emergencies as in human medicine but they also have to advise pet owners about euthanasia when it is deemed necessary and carry it out.
“As the veterinarian, it hits us hard,” said Rossi. “We love animals, and that’s why we do this.”
Westminster has provided scholarships to veterinary students for 35 years, but the goal of the new award is to recognize a practicing vet. Rossi has treated numerous show dogs at his Lansdale practice and his wife’s Norwich terrier Dolores is the 2020 breed winner at Westminster.
The award is co-sponsored by pet insurer Trupanion and includes a contribution to MightyVet.
Read more about Dr. Joseph Rossi in the Harrisburg Patriot-News.