Caring for those who care for animals – the Zoetis Foundation’s first five years

Established to advance opportunities for veterinary professionals and livestock farmers, from 2021-2025 the Zoetis Foundation has distributed $35 million in grant funding that supports programming for improved education, well-being, and livelihoods, in addition to humanitarian aid efforts and a matching gifts program. The Foundation’s reach is vast, supporting initiatives in Australia, Africa, Brazil, China, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States that serve livestock farmers, veterinary professionals and students of both professions, through more than 100 grant initiatives executed through 2025. 

“The Zoetis Foundation was established to extend Zoetis’ legacy of supporting the people who care for animals,” said Jeannette Ferran Astorga, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and President of the Zoetis Foundation. “Five years later, I am incredibly grateful for the collaboration and dedication of our grantee partners bringing local programming and resources to life in clinics and classrooms as well as on farms and rural communities. These organizations are as deeply committed as we are to building a better world by addressing important challenges faced by veterinarians and livestock farmers.”

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Marking its first five years of grantmaking, the Zoetis Foundation celebrates the dedicated work of its grantees as they support education, well-being and livelihood opportunities for veterinary professionals and livestock farmers.

Education

With U.S. veterinary school tuition costs having risen at a higher rate than salaries, veterinary graduates often are saddled with high debt loads. To help empower an inclusive veterinary community essential to build a thriving profession that can meet the demand for veterinary care today and tomorrow, the Zoetis Foundation has contributed $12.8 million in grants to support more than 2,200 scholarship awards from 2021 through 2025.

As an example, expanding access to strong education and training is essential to prepare the next generation of zoo and wildlife veterinary specialists who play a vital role in caring for many threatened or endangered species. That’s why since 2022, the Zoetis Foundation has provided grant funding to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to support a full-time WCS veterinary resident.

Well-being

Beyond the challenge of heavy student debt load, veterinary professionals also can experience compassion fatigue and burnout leading to mental health challenges, including a higher risk of suicide when compared to other professions. With a strategic approach to well-being that invests in veterinary workplace culture, the Zoetis Foundation has provided grants to organizations globally including Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), Federation of Veterinarians in Europe (FVE) and the Viticus Group in the U.S.

In Australia, the reality is more than two-thirds of the veterinary workforce reports mental health concerns. To address this, AVA has introduced its “Cultivating Safe Teams” initiative which provided tools and training in a workplace-centered intervention point. Meanwhile in Europe, FVE has created its Vetjoy platform to support the challenges faced especially by early career veterinarians.

Livelihoods

Livestock farmers and veterinarians play an important role in caring for animals, and ultimately a safe, sustainable food supply, especially in regions where livestock and human disease challenges intersect with food insecurity. The Foundation also provided grants to help improve income stability through accessible resources, trainings, and capacity building.

Farmers in Brazil’s Cerrado region face challenges adopting sustainable practices, and with grant funding from the Zoetis Foundation, The Nature Conservancy provided training to farmers, veterinary professionals and other agriculture specialists that help farmers restore pastures and manage the impact of droughts, while conserving natural resources and ultimately helping to increase the farmers’ productivity. Additionally, through a grant to World Food Program USA, the Zoetis Foundation supported training and access to financial services for the most climate-vulnerable pastoralists in Kenya’s Isiolo County.

The Zoetis Foundation also supports humanitarian aid, providing $3 million in funding to the Red Cross, supporting their Annual Disaster Giving Program from 2024-2030 and establishing Zoetis’ first global disaster relief and preparedness program. The Foundation also supports a matching gifts program and the “Dollars for Doers” program for Zoetis’ U.S. colleagues to make a difference in the communities where they live and work.

Reaching New Geographies in 2026 and Beyond

Building on its first five years of impact, the Zoetis Foundation plans to expand its reach in 2026 by exploring grantmaking opportunities in Canada, Japan, Mexico and India. This is in addition to continued grantmaking eligibility in Australia, Africa, Brazil, China, European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. With continued commitment to supporting the veterinary workforce and livestock farmers, the Foundation remains focused on three grant-making areas of education, well-being and livelihoods.

“Reflecting on the Foundation’s first five years of impact through collaboration, I’m excited to build on this momentum in new regions to expand our support for livestock farmers and veterinary professionals,” said Astorga. “The work that our Foundation grantees are doing continues to be vitally important for healthy animals, healthy communities and a healthy world.”

About the Zoetis Foundation

The Zoetis Foundation’s mission is to care for those who care for animals—supporting veterinary professionals and livestock farmers to build a better world. Since 2021, the Foundation has distributed $35 million in grants to support education, well-being and livelihoods in the veterinary and livestock professions in addition to supporting humanitarian aid and a matching gifts program. The Foundation’s grantmaking priorities include empowering the next generation of leaders in animal health, supporting mental health and resilience in the workforce, and advancing opportunities for thriving livelihoods in animal husbandry. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit: www.zoetisfoundation.org.