Animal Abuse and Neglect in Companion-Animal Practice: The Role of Training, Legislation, and Veterinarian-Client Relationships in Romania.

Animal abuse and neglect represent important challenges in companion-animal practice, with veterinarians playing a central role in their identification and management. This study investigated how Romanian companion-animal veterinarians recognise and manage suspected cases of abuse and neglect, and explored the relationships between professional training, familiarity with animal welfare legislation, and clinical practices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an original online questionnaire completed by 137 veterinarians. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were applied. Although 73% of respondents reported encountering suspected abuse cases, 93.4% said they had never received formal training in abuse identification, and 78.1% worked in practices without specific protocols for managing such cases. Reporting rates were low, with 71.5% of veterinarians never having submitted an official report. Neglect was identified as the most frequently encountered form of abuse. Significant associations were observed between familiarity with animal welfare legislation, level of training, and awareness of neglect, and veterinarians who perceived themselves as less prepared were more likely to express a need for additional education. These findings highlight critical gaps in veterinary training and institutional support, emphasising the need for structured educational programmes, lifelong learning and continuing professional development, standardised clinical procedures, and closer collaboration with authorities to improve animal welfare outcomes.