Bedford Packaging have recently been tasked with a very important job - sorting posters into individual campaign bags, bound for every veterinarian clinic in Australia throughout July.
The bags are being packed for ‘Sophie’s Legacy’, and their campaign called ‘We’re Only Human’ - designed to raise awareness of a harrowing statistic in the vet industry.
Adelaide parents Garry and Kate Putland are behind Sophie’s Legacy, and sadly lost their beloved daughter and dedicated vet Dr Sophie Putland to suicide in September 2021.
In the wake of Sophie’s death, the Putlands established a GoFundMe Page and raised more than $50,000 to establish ‘Sophie’s Legacy’ and the new national campaign to help prevent suicide in the vet industry.
On average, *one vet takes their own life every 12 weeks, while well over half of vets reported having experience with mental illness.
The posters include a QR code which pet owners will be asked to scan and pledge that they’ll treat staff with respect during their visit.
“We never want anyone to experience the pain and loss that we have, and we certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from pursuing a career as a vet. We just want to make sure that vet staff are as well supported as possible, and part of that is educating the public that vets are human too,” Kate Putland said.
We are proud to be a part of helping out such a great cause, and we hope it makes a difference.
To find out more about Sophie’s Legacy, and the ‘We’re Only Human’ campaign, visit sophieslegacy.com
Pictured below: L-R Campaign posters being prepared for packing by Bedford employees, and an image of the late Dr Sophie Putland who inspired Sophie's Legacy and the national campaign.
*Statistics from the 2021 Australian Veterinary Association Wellness report.
