Banfield® will offer new interpretation services for pet owners

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau Community Survey, more than one fifth of people living in the country speak a language other than English at home, and more than 20 million U.S. residents speak limited English.[1] To help eliminate one of the known barriers to veterinary care,[2] Banfield Pet Hospital^® today announced the availability of interpretation services for its millions of clients nationwide.

As part of the practice’s commitment to building a culture of inclusion and diversity for clients and associates, the nationwide rollout provides over-the-phone interpretation in 350 languages – including, but not limited to, Spanish, Mandarin, French, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Korean, Creole, Arabic and Russian – when calling client services or visiting any of Banfield’s more than 1,000 hospitals in 42 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

“Whatever our preferred language, we can all understand the unconditional love we have for our pets,” said Stephanie Neuvirth, SVP of People & Organization, Banfield Pet Hospital. “At Banfield, we believe every pet owner deserves culturally competent care – and that in doing so, we will achieve our purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™.”

The new offering enables Banfield to provide more culturally competent veterinary care to clients by ensuring those who don’t speak English understand their pet’s diagnosis and treatment needs — with the ultimate goal of delivering even better outcomes for pets.

Banfield launched the interpretation program with guidance from the associate-led Latinx diversity resource group at Banfield called Unidos, which is committed to influencing and strengthening Banfield’s relationship with the Latinx community, including the recent relaunch of a Spanish-language version of Banfield.com.

About Banfield Pet Hospital^®

Banfield Pet Hospital was founded in Portland, Ore. in 1955 and today is the largest general veterinary practice in the United States with more than 1,000 hospitals in 42 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. More than 3,600 Banfield veterinarians are committed to providing high-quality veterinary care to over three million pets annually. As part of the Mars, Inc. family of brands, Banfield is committed to its purpose—A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS^®—because pets make a better world for us. Press seeking additional information are invited to call the Media Hotline: (888) 355-0595.

[1] United States Census Bureau. “New American Community Survey Statistics for Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Available for States and Local Areas.” Read the report.
[2] Access to Veterinary Care Coalition. “Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers, Current Practices, and Public Policy.” https://avcc.utk.edu/avcc-report.pdf