Each May, BVNA spearheads the annual Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) campaign. Having now run for over 20 years, the campaign celebrates what it means to be a veterinary nurse, raising awareness of the significant contributions made by veterinary nurses to animal health and welfare, and that of the public too.

Veterinary nurses’ crucial work both in and out of veterinary practice often goes unseen by the public – VNAM is a vital opportunity for our veterinary colleagues to come together and put this right.

This year, the campaign theme is ‘Compassion and Empathy’. We will reflect the dedication and passion required to both train and practise as a veterinary nurse. Plus, we will highlight the compassion towards patients and people which underpins the skilled care provided by veterinary nurses every day.

VNAM 2026 will follow four weekly sub-themes:

• Week 1 – Compassion
• Week 2 – Mental Health
• Week 3 – Empathy
• Week 4 – Passion

More information will be released soon and we’ll also be providing resources to support veterinary teams to take part in the campaign.

As a brand-new addition for 2026, we will also be inviting nominations from veterinary colleagues and the public to put veterinary nurses into the spotlight, providing thanks and recognition for their work.