A Gateshead Vet is the Church of Scotland’s first dedicated pastor for the veterinary community.
Rev. Allan Wright was ordained on Saturday in St Andrew’s Parish Church in Newcastle.
The 33-year-old said: “I am excited and discouraged to take on this new role, a calling that allows me to combine my two passions.
“The job needs an open ear, pastoral support, a holistic approachthe welfare of the staff and a real anchor in someone.
“I understand the struggles and the pressures because I’m a vet and I will be therefor everyone who works in practices without a judgment or agenda.
In addition to his plan to visit all veterinary practices within 30 minutes of Newcastle, Rev. Wright will also be providing pastoral support to the Kirk north of the border – while keeping his own job as a veterinarian.
The father of two is a self-employed veterinarian and has been running a practice in Birtley, County Durham with his wife Sharon for 18 months.He said, “Veterinary medicine is a stressful, time-consuming and mentally demanding profession and is often overlooked in society.
Rev Alistair Cumming, the secretary of the Kirk in the Presbytery of England, said members appreciated that veterinarians face different pressures than other professions, which is why Rev Wright’s role was created.
He said, “The presbytery felt that a ministry was needed to work togetherthis community to listen, to listen and to provide spiritual support if they wanted to.
“The pioneering appointment is very ecumenical and works with veterinarians from many different denominations.”
