There are at least 28 veterinarian vacancies in Otago and Southland and 224 throughout New Zealand.
Many of those vacancies are usually filled by veterinarians from overseas but the Government’s current Covid-19-led restrictions on immigration mean they are not allowed to enter the country.
VetSouth director and NZVA board member Mark Bryan, of Winton, said the staff shortages meant increased stress levels for staff, as well as less time spent working through preventive programmes such as reproduction or drenching with clients, as taking care of sick animals was the higher priority.
"We have to work harder and faster to ensure nothing gets neglected."
A recent survey of New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) members indicated that among 124 practices, there was a shortfall of 224 (or more) veterinarians for large animal, mixed, companion and equine practices and specialist fields.
The VetSouth practices had eight vacancies earlier this year.
They usually employed vets from overseas to fill the gaps.
"We have at least four vets lined up to come here from overseas to start in the winter, but then they couldn’t come.
"We have since filled those positions with New Zealand vets, including people who were going to go overseas to other practices but couldn’t.
"Those four we had lined up at the start of lockdown are now not available.
"At any time we could do with another two or three more and are probably four short for most of the year."
Studies had shown veterinarians had higher incidences of suicide and mental health issues than other groups and professions, although there was now more help available to address those issues.
"The additional stress could bring on some of those problems.
"This is one of busiest times of year and it would be much easier for everybody if we had been successful securing another couple of vets from overseas."
Mr Bryan said without vets there would be more pressure on farmers and on rural communities.
"However, our farmers have been really great and we have had really good community support."
In a statement, NZVA chief executive Kevin Bryant said the association had been talking to ministers and officials to help streamline processes to enable veterinarians to enter the country.
"We are calling on the Government to take urgent steps to alleviate this situation by elevating veterinarians to critical worker status and streamlining and speeding up the application and approval process.
"We’re led to the conclusion that veterinarians are just not viewed as important, or as sexy as other parts of the economy such as film-making, which have seen wholesale exemptions created.
"This is surprising given veterinarians’ essential worker status during lockdown. We also understand that exemptions have been granted to build golf courses, build or repair racetracks and for shearers. Surely, vets are at least as important as these roles to supporting the economic functioning of the country.
"As an example, if animal welfare, food safety and biosecurity are compromised because there are insufficient vets to support the primary sector, the economic impact on New Zealand could be catastrophic," he said.
