Episode 9 - Veterinary Nursing with Lacey Pitcher

Episode 9 - Veterinary Nursing with Lacey Pitcher

Author: maryvy May 17, 2024 Duration: 53:50

In this episode we chat to Lacey Pitcher RVN about the world of veterinary nursing, and that impact of that on animal welfare. 

We consider the importance of understanding socio-economic factors in animal welfare, sharing personal experiences and emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding towards pet owners. It’s likely that we’re going to see a shift in the veterinary profession's approach to care, and we consider the importance of collaboration, empathy, and contextualized care. Trust and relationships were also discussed as crucial in veterinary medicine, with a focus on building trust with clients through open communication and nurturing relationships with clients and their pets.

Lacey Pitcher RVN Biography

Lacey Pitcher RVN is a veterinary nurse with a very squiggly career. Having grown up in South Wales and worked all over the UK, Lacey has used her career passport in many ways. Lacey is passionate about connecting people and about providing accessible education and support, to improve not only animal welfare, but also to maintain the human-animal bond. Lacey currently works as the editor of VN Times, a locum RVN and volunteers at a few different outreach projects.

Thanks to Girling & Fraser Ltd for enabling this podcast. If you enjoy the podcast, please follow us and subscribe to our mailing list. 


What does it truly mean to care for an animal, whether it's a beloved pet at home or a species on the brink in the wild? Animal Welfare Conversations digs into that question through candid, often surprising discussions with the people on the front lines. Hosted by maryvy, each episode brings you directly into dialogue with veterinary surgeons and nurses making critical medical decisions, conservationists designing field interventions, and animal owners navigating daily ethical choices. The scope is deliberately broad, covering pets, domestic animals, farm residents, zoo inhabitants, and wildlife, because the principles of compassionate care connect them all. You'll hear concrete stories about decision-making and the realities of providing a good life, not just abstract theory. This is a podcast built on curiosity and a willingness to re-examine what we think we know, challenging assumptions about standard practices and long-held beliefs in the pursuit of tangible improvement. It’s for anyone-families, science enthusiasts, or nature lovers-who believes animal welfare is a complex, evolving conversation worth having. Tune in for perspectives that are both deeply personal and rigorously practical, reminding us of our shared responsibility toward the creatures in our care.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 41

Animal Welfare Conversations
Podcast Episodes
Making room for small ethical breeders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:43
With Crufts taking place this weekend, we explore the future of dog breeding. Recent media attention has focused on breeding practices, conformation, the Innate Health Assessment Tool, and the Royal Kennel Club’s new nos…
Assessing Pain, Improving Welfare: Insights from Dr Beatriz Monteiro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:15
In this episode we are joined by Dr Beatriz Monteiro, to discuss in more depth the impact of pain on animal welfare. We consider the differences between acute and chronic pain, how pain impacts on all aspects of animal w…
2026: New Animal welfare conversations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:13
Welcome to 2026, and new episodes of the Animal Welfare Conversation. In this introductory episode we have a sneak preview of the new interviews, covering a broad range of topics including animal welfare science, climate…
Veterinary Controversies & Ethical Dilemmas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:19
This week, we had the privilege of speaking with Professor Eddie Clutton and Dr Polly Taylor, both distinguished anaesthetists and two of the co-editors of Veterinary Controversies and Ethical Dilemmas. Their book, now h…
Epilepsy in Veterinary and Human Healthcare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:10
This week we catch up with Dr Jos Bongers, a veterinary neurologist from Glasgow Vet School, and Professor Sameer Zuberi, a paediatric neurologist at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. They discuss their career…
Clinical Biases [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:13
Decision making mini-series - episode 3 - Bias In this episode we discuss the complexities of decision-making in veterinary medicine, focusing on biases that can impact clinical reasoning and client communication. We loo…
Clinical Reasoning and Animal Welfare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:45
In the second episode focussing on Clinical Decision Making, this week we look at clinical reasoning. Last week we discussed the way in which vets make decisions and all of the things that they are juggling at the one ti…
Animal Welfare and Decision Making [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:23
In this episode of the Animal Welfare Conversation podcast, we take a break from the interviews, and will spend the next few weeks looking at the complexities of decision-making in veterinary medicine and how this relate…
The Impact of Human Bias on Animal Welfare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:57
Welcome to the next episode of The Animal Welfare Conversation. This week we meet Dr Rowena Packer, of the RVC. Rowena is the Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the Royal Veterinary Coll…