Sometimes, it's when going through something devastating that you realize how important it is to talk. For real.
How important it is to see one's mission through to the end.
On July 17th, I was invited to speak on the radio and in the Journal de Québec. Not to sell a product. Not to do marketing. Just to tell our story.
This is what too many families experience, in silence.
And that's what several veterinarians are also experiencing, on their end.
I invite you to listen to or read these 2 interviews here:
Listen to my interview on CHOI 98.1 (starting at 2:15)
https://radiox.com/podcast/maurais-live-integral-du-17-07-2025/
Read the article in the Journal de Québec
https://www.journaldequebec.com/2025/07/19/problemes-dacces-aux-soins-veterinaires-un-cauchemar-pour-faire-euthanasier-son-chien
Thank you to the team at CHOI 98.1 Radio X, and to Karine Gagnon, journalist at the Journal de Québec, for their listening, their respect and their humanity.
But before all that, there was a text.
A simple text posted on Facebook one morning, because I needed to express what I was feeling.
This text has been viewed more than 125,000 times and shared more than 500 times.
And what happened next shook us to our core.
We received hundreds of messages. Testimonies. True stories.
Families who, too, have experienced this helplessness. This sadness. This feeling of being left alone with their pain.
We understood even more the scale of the problem.
And to what extent what was thought to be an isolated case is experienced everywhere, in all regions, by dog-parents who just want to do the right thing.
So I want to take the time to thank, from the bottom of my heart, every person who reacted, commented or shared this post.
Every word left, every heart, every share, it counts.
It gave us strength.
And that gave amplified a message that should not have remained silent.
Together, we can go much further.
The message I posted, in case you haven't read it yet:
I called the clinic to have my dog euthanized.
I was told: “There is no space available today.”
And that's when I realized that, as dog parents and for the well-being of our dogs, we had lost something precious.
It's a sensitive subject. I waited a long time before talking about it.
But now, I can no longer remain silent.
Because it directly affects my community,
This directly affects dogs.
And because I just experienced it. Personally.
For quite some time now, I've seen the problem, I've been hearing about it.
When the reports on La Facture and Enquête came out in January, about the massive purchase of veterinary clinics by large multinationals and their impact on access to and the cost of care and medicines, I wondered what to think about it.
Should I have reacted publicly or not?
I observed, I took a step back.
But having recently experienced it myself, I realized the scale of the problem.
I can no longer remain silent.
I'm not comfortable with that.
nor as a professional agronomist,
nor as a leader in my field,
nor as CEO of a company whose mission is at the heart of its well-being and health of dogs.
I'm going to be honest…
The reason I took so long to talk about it is also because I was afraid.
Not afraid to say what I think, but afraid of being misunderstood, afraid of reprisals.
Afraid that people will think I'm targeting the wrong people.
Because I truly believe it:
Veterinarians are essential for the well-being of our dogs.
And I know that many are experiencing this situation with just as much frustration as we are.
But at some point, things have to be called by their name.
Because that silence no longer serves anyone.
And more and more, I want to talk about the real issues.
On what we experience as dog-parents.
On systems that sometimes fall victim to capitalism.
And on the very real consequences of all this on our dogs.
Let me tell you.
One Saturday morning last June, we had to decide on something no dog parent wants to do:
that of having our dog, Moon, euthanized because they were suffering.
It's never a decision that you make in advance.
This isn't something you plan 2 weeks in advance.
You look at your dog, you observe it, you feel it.
And at some point, you know that it's time.
Not for you. For them.
So that morning, we called our local clinic to let Moon go and end their suffering.
A clinic we've been doing business with for 30 years, but which was recently bought by a large corporation.
But the answer was simple and hit us like a 2x4 to the forehead, as they say:
“There is no room for Moon today.”
There was a veterinarian on site.
No, it was full.
And that's all we were told.
The person at reception was doing her job. She was following instructions.
But there was nothing more we could do that day.
Even though we had been customers for over 30 years, even though our dog was suffering.
Seeing your dog suffer and feeling that you can't do anything…
It's one of the worst feelings I've ever experienced.
Other clinics in the area were called.
But since we didn't have a file with them, the answer was: no.
And then you find yourself in a kind of panic…
Not a panic born of fear.
A panic born of helplessness.
Your dog is suffering.
And you're trapped in a system where no one can or wants to help you anymore.
Fortunately, we found an emergency clinic, DMV Vet in Quebec City, which is still owned by veterinarians.
And they were able to welcome us and help us end our dog's suffering.
But obviously, there were additional costs since it's an emergency clinic, and for us, fortunately, there was no financial issue.
But it was only then that I was able to breathe.
And honestly… I had kept hope alive.
Because in life, I’m a positive person. I believe in humanity.
I believed that, even if our clinic had been bought by a large corporation, we would continue to receive humane service, focused on animal welfare above all.
But that's not what happened.
It used to be different when our clinic belonged to a veterinarian.
When we had to have Henry euthanized, we had an appointment… at 11 p.m.
They welcomed us with respect. With humanity. With gentleness.
Today, that link is broken.
Not because of the people.
Because of the system.
A system where decisions are no longer made by people on the ground.
A system where money decides.
And where humans; dog parents, veterinarians, animal health technicians, and dogs become numbers and levers to make more cash.
And what angers me the most,
It's the dogs who pay the price.
When you no longer have quick access to healthcare,
it's the dog who suffers.
And when, in addition, we think of all the families who cannot afford to turn to emergency clinics…
We understand how serious the problem really is.
This system, as it’s being implemented, helps no one.
He does not support dog-parenting.
He doesn't respect the bond we build with our dogs.
It puts enormous pressure on veterinarians and animal health technicians, who are already at their breaking point.
And it contributes to a widespread loss of confidence.
Some facts that cannot be ignored:
38.6% of Quebec veterinarians experience psychological distress. 12 to 16% report having had suicidal thoughts (OMVQ, 2023).
26% of veterinary clinics in Quebec are owned by multinational corporations, and 40% of veterinarians work there (Vallières, 2023).
There are still, thankfully, clinics owned by passionate veterinarians who fight to keep their local clinic alive.
And I take my hat off to those people.
But they are becoming increasingly rare.
As a dog-parent, I think we also have a certain amount of power.
Yesterday, I conducted a poll on my Instagram which asked the following question:
Do you know who owns your veterinary clinic?
Results:
• 28% corporations/multinationals
• 47% one or more veterinarians
• 25% I don't know
We can see that most dog parents are aware, but there are still 25% of dog parents who are not aware of this situation.
If this is the case for you, I invite you to listen to the reports on the subject from the programs La Facture and Enquête to learn more.
Even though every situation is different and everyone does their best, we can still reflect on the impact of our choices.
For example, supporting a clinic that is still owned by veterinarians can certainly help to maintain a certain balance.
It's not always possible. It's not a single truth.
But this is the kind of thinking that I believe deserves to exist.
For my part, that's definitely where I'll go when I need it for my dogs, no more clinics belonging to multinationals for me.
Because over time, our individual decisions can also contribute to a larger change.
So no, I'm not here to blame.
And definitely not the veterinarians.
I respect them too much for that.
I know how vital they are when our dogs' health isn’t good.
But what I'm aiming at today
is a system that is seriously sick.
A system where human decisions are replaced by Excel spreadsheets.
A system that replaces animal welfare with profit.
A system where even the best veterinarians no longer have the power to do what they chose this profession for:
to help, to support, to care for, to respect.
And that's what we can no longer ignore.
We need to face the system head-on.
We must have the courage to say that what we are seeing right now,
this is the result of a worrying regulatory vacuum.
A lack of clear guidelines, a lack of supervision,
in a sector where human and animal impacts are nevertheless major.
When an industry undergoes such a massive corporate shift,
where are the safeguards?
Who protects families? Who protects animals? Who even protects veterinarians?
Because that's also part of our role, as a society.
It's about putting in place systems that serve the common good.
Systems that respect life.
Systems that protect the most vulnerable.
And it’s also the role of our governments and the relevant professional orders to ensure that the system remains at the service of the public.
To ensure that access to care for our animals remains humane, ethical, sustainable,
even and especially when money is involved.
We're not talking about just anything here.
We're talking about life.
We're talking about the lives of our dogs.
And I dare to believe that we can do better.
In fact, we absolutely must do better.
Not against veterinarians. With them.
Karine Simard, agronomist, dog parent x 3, founder of Pattedeau Bio
See the original Facebook post (and comments)
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16wj4o95j1/
Why am I sharing all this with you here?
Because what I’ve experienced reinforces even more what I carry within me, every day, through my work.
Our mission at Pattedeau Bio isn’t just to talk about food.
It's about ensuring that families have healthy dogs. Dogs that live longer.
Dogs that suffer less.
Dogs that we accompany to the very end, with respect and love.
And it's also about preventing people from finding themselves in situations as difficult as the one we experienced.
Situations where you feel powerless, trapped in a system that is beyond your control.
Or in financial dead ends, because care has become inaccessible.
That can be partially avoided.
Not completely. But partly, yes. By implementing genuine prevention. By empowering dog owners.
And that's why I'm going to keep talking.
To be educated.
To question what needs to be questioned.
To create accessible resources.
And to build, one dog at a time, a fairer, more natural and healthier relationship between us and them.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for reading to the end.
And thank you again to the entire community who stood with us through this message.
Together we will change things.
– Karine
My name is Karine Simard.
I’m an agronomist, entrepreneur and founder of Pattedeau Bio.
For over 25 years, I’ve been helping families improve the health of their dogs through a natural, preventative and respectful approach.
What I’m expressing is a single desire:
to give power back to the dog parent,
so that they can make informed choices,
and accompany their dogs with confidence, from beginning to end.
