Watch out, good ol’ boys and girls clubs of veterinary medicine: The Snout Squad is here, and we mean business.

We are a group of 30 kick-ass women in the veterinary profession who aim to support and empower each other. We are lifting each other up. We are pushing each other into the spotlight. We are the Snout Squad.

Created by Snout School‘s Danielle Lambert and Pawcurious‘ Dr. Jessica Vogelsang, Snout Squad is all about improving the veterinary profession by supporting and encouraging the women leaders within it. In preparation for Snout Squad’s official upcoming launch, the 30 women in the Squad were asked one simple question: Why did you join Snout Squad?

I joined Snout Squad because…

…I found a tribe that is as passionate as I am about empowering women. We are all trailblazers and kindred spirits who are joining forces to spearhead a movement that is long overdue in our profession. Not only have men held us back but, sadly, women have, too. The time is now for women of all ages to encourage, endorse, empower, love, and mentor other women. The Snout Squad is leading the pack, and I am honored to be part of it!

Why am I so focused on empowering women in the veterinary profession?

I started my own business in the veterinary profession when I was 27 years old. Within 3 years, I got involved in a trade association with many older, well-established, and successful female leaders. I looked to them for guidance and advice. For the last 15 years, these women had ample opportunities to take me under their wing and mentor me, but that never happened. Instead of embracing me, building me up, and supporting me, these women lacked compassion and humanity in their interactions with me. It was made clear that I was viewed as their competition. Their attitudes toward me and other up-and-coming women in the profession said this:

We paid our dues, and now you need to pay yours.

The good ol’ girls club is exclusive, and we only take care of each other. 

We don’t share our projects or collaborate with you.

I joined Snout Squad because I don’t want other women, especially younger women who aspire to be leaders in this profession, to experience the same treatment from other female leaders that I did when I was in their position.

Let’s change the mentality of inclusivity, sharing knowledge, and providing mentorship

We need to set an example. We need to teach these women what we’ve learned in this profession. We need to mentor them and help to shape them as the future of veterinary medicine. Here are 3 ways you can help to accomplish this:

  1. Change your mindset — If you see other women as your competition and your behavior reflects that, it’s time to change your mindset to abundance. No woman can be YOU. There is only one YOU. Look at another woman as your sister, friend, and colleague. She is on the same journey that you are. And, as a woman who has been on the journey longer, you know how challenging it can be without other women encouraging and supporting you. Don’t make her do it alone. Like you, she deserves to have other women in her corner cheering for her… her “Snout Squad”!
  2. Get on the bandwagon — Join other female leaders who are passionate about empowering women. There are many groups focused on doing just that, like Snout Squad and the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative.
  3. Start mentoring a woman today — I suspect you are surrounded by younger women in your workplace. Identify which one has a burning desire to grow and advance in her career and begin mentoring her.

Think about it: Some day, a female leader in the veterinary profession could be writing about you and all you did to help her grow and excel. Come from a place of service, and good things will happen for not only those you serve…good things will happen for you, too!