10/25/2026
Ethical relief pay is not only on the staffing agency, it is a shared responsibility. Hospitals play a real part in making sure relief veterinarians are compensated fairly for the complexity of stepping into an unfamiliar practice with little to no ramp up time. That means paying a rate that reflects the actual demands of the shift, being upfront about caseload and expectations before the day starts, and not treating relief pay as a line item to negotiate down. When hospitals show up as fair partners, they earn the kind of relief veterinarians who want to come back.