1. 8 TRENDS MAGAZINE
from the editor’s desk
I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING: Why, Ben, you’re looking different these days.
And you’d be right. Ben Williams, Trends magazine editor, is looking quite
different these days as he steps away from the editor’s desk to enjoy some much-
needed and deserved time with his family. In Ben’s absence, I’ll be sitting in as
Trends editor for the April and May issues. Fortunately, my schnauzer sidekick
Jack has ample experience in the magazine editing department (and he knows a
thing or two about veterinary medicine, too), so you’re in good hands.
It’s a good thing I have Jack by my side because, in this month’s feature article,
writer Jen Reeder explores the human-animal bond (another subject in which
Jack is well-versed) and its ever-increasing effects on veterinary medicine.
When I was a kid growing up in rural Colorado, our dogs stayed outside most
of the time. They had dog houses. Now, a mere 25 years later, my dog has a
doggie door that he uses to come and go as he pleases. He has snow boots. I
spend a small fortune on his specialty foods, veterinary-recommended supple-
ments, grooming, and toys. The bond between pet and owner is changing, and
pet owners are expecting more from veterinarians as a result. I want my veteri-
narian to treat Jack as if he were her own pet; I want her to do whatever it takes
to keep him happy and healthy, regardless of cost. And I’m not alone.
The theme of the human-animal bond is carried into our feature introducing
AAHA’s 2016–17 president, Nancy Soares, VMD. She brings with her a passion
for veterinary hospice and geriatric care and wants to help pet owners honor
their pets and maintain the human-animal bond until death. You’ll learn
about her goals for her presidency and about her house full of rescues (and I’m
not referring only to pets!).
COMING NEXT MONTH: Let’s talk politics, shall we? How do you feel about
mining? No . . . not that kind of mining. The May issue will explore data
mining: what it is, how it works, and how it can benefit your patients and your
business. Drill, baby, drill. We’ll also dig into veterinary hospice care (earning
brownie points with the new president).
While the (rather large) shoes of Ben Williams are impossible to fill, I look for-
ward to serving as Trends editor for the next two issues and hope you’ll let me
know what you think at trends@aaha.org.
—Sarah Rumple, Denver-based freelance writer and editor and copywriter/social
media manager for InTouch Practice Communications
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