Why veterinary clinics need a plan for online scandals

A growing body of veterinary commentary is making the same point: when a personal post becomes a public controversy, the clinic can become part of the story almost instantly. That’s the premise behind a recent Veterinary Viewfinder discussion from Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, which examines how social media “mob mentality” can rush to judgment and drag a veterinary hospital into fallout from an employee’s online behavior. In parallel, EquiManagement has now put fresh reporting behind the issue, arguing that veterinary crises can go viral quickly and that practices need a plan before they’re in one. (equimanagement.com)

The backdrop is familiar to many veterinary teams. Reputation risk used to center on word of mouth and the occasional bad review. Now, one screenshot, Facebook post, or local group thread can trigger a surge of criticism before a clinic has gathered facts or aligned its response. According to EquiManagement’s coverage of the 2025 AAEP Convention, Tim Scerba and Michelle Sinning, consultants in online reputation who serve AVMA, found that most attendees used social media but weren’t prepared for a reputation crisis. They defined a crisis broadly: something that threatens people or property, interrupts operations, damages reputation, or hurts the bottom line. (equimanagement.com)

That framing matters because it shifts online scandals out of the “marketing problem” bucket and into practice management. EquiManagement reported that the presenters emphasized the importance of Google reviews, online monitoring, and not “feeding the trolls,” while also noting how quickly horse-community Facebook groups can amplify a disgruntled client’s post. In a separate January 2026 recap of the same convention, Amy Grice highlighted the online-reputation session as one of the notable business presentations, alongside talks on moral distress and sustainability in equine practice. That pairing is telling: online attacks aren’t just brand issues, they’re workforce and wellbeing issues, too. (equimanagement.com)

AVMA’s own resources reinforce that this is a longstanding and still-relevant profession-wide problem. In 2023, the association launched an expanded Reputation Management Toolkit with step-by-step advice for handling cyberbullying incidents and social media firestorms, supported by an educational grant from Banfield Pet Hospital. AVMA also says members facing an immediate cyberbullying situation can access crisis-management consultation, and it offers response flowcharts, review templates, and social media guidelines for clinics. (avma.org)

The profession has data behind the concern. AVMA’s reporting on a 2014 survey said about one in five veterinarians had been a victim of cyberbullying or worked with someone who had. Most attacks stemmed from disputes over patient care, charges, diagnosis, or treatment; former clients or staff initiated seven in 10 attacks; and about half began within 72 hours of the inciting event. Respondents reported workplace tension, depression, and stress as major effects. While that survey predates today’s social platforms, the core pattern it describes, rapid escalation, personal targeting, and real operational fallout, aligns closely with the newer warnings from Veterinary Viewfinder and EquiManagement. (avma.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the practical lesson is that clinics should prepare for online scandals the same way they prepare for medical errors, controlled-substance issues, or severe-client complaints: with roles, scripts, escalation rules, and documentation. A clinic can’t control every employee’s personal life or every client post, but it can decide in advance who speaks for the practice, when legal counsel or HR gets involved, how staff are protected from harassment, and when silence is smarter than a reactive reply. It can also train teams on the boundary between personal speech and reputational spillover, especially when bios, uniforms, workplace affiliations, or patient details make an individual post feel tied to the hospital. That’s where “online reputation management” becomes a leadership function, not just a front-desk or marketing task. (avma.org)

Expert and industry guidance is converging around a few basics: monitor key platforms, encourage satisfied pet parents to leave reviews, respond professionally when appropriate, avoid arguing with bad-faith actors, and support staff emotionally during a pile-on. AVMA explicitly says response goals should include protecting the emotional health of the entire team, not just repairing the clinic’s image. That’s especially important in a profession already grappling with burnout, moral distress, and retention pressures. (avma.org)

What to watch: The next step is likely wider adoption of written crisis plans and social media policies across veterinary settings, from equine ambulatory groups to companion-animal hospitals. Expect more practices to borrow from AVMA’s toolkit, pressure-test response scenarios internally, and treat online flare-ups as a board-level or practice-owner risk issue rather than an ad hoc communications scramble. (avma.org)