“Treating animals gives me satisfaction,” veterinarian Sevak Sahakyan has loved animals since childhood and consciously chose his profession.
Sevak Sahakyan was born and raised in the town of Chambarak. He made his first attempts to treat animals while still in school.
“I asked the local veterinarian for the appropriate medicine and syringe, and I did the injection myself,” recalls Sahakyan, noting how everyone praised his ability to give the correct injection. His excitement led him to apply to the agricultural university.
The knowledge he gained at university enabled him to work as a medic during his military service, providing first aid to his fellow soldiers. Anyway, Sevak Sahakyan remained firm in his decision to return to his native community to treat animals.
“Twenty-four hours in a day are not enough,” admits the veterinarian, explaining that farmers often don’t understand the priorities of his work due to the high volume and lack of specialists. “As a community veterinarian, I manage to do only 30-40 percent of the required work. There’s plenty of work and good salaries, but young people don’t seem interested in becoming veterinarians,” Sahakyan notes regretfully. However, he remains hopeful, trying to promote the profession by setting a good example.
“I often hear parents say, ‘I want my son to become a veterinarian like you,’ which I consider the highest compliment,” says Sevak Sahakyan. He emphasizes that earning the trust and respect of the public requires hard work and dedication, often without days off. “In rural communities, people care more about their animals than themselves,” he stresses, regularly apologizing for serving customers in the veterinary pharmacy and answering calls from animal owners during our conversation.
The veterinarian admits that initially, farmers were reluctant to prefer artificial insemination for their animals. But these stereotypes are gradually being broken, and the number of those interested is increasing daily.
Sahakyan shares many interesting stories from his work, including a recent incident. “I was in the town of Dilijan, a beautiful tourist hotspot in Armenia, at the request of an old man. I asked him if he preferred dairy or meat insemination for his cow. He replied, ‘Do whatever you want, as long as the calf is beautiful.’ I couldn’t stop laughing,” Sahakyan recalls.
The veterinarian also notes that modern medical tools have made his work significantly easier, including metal detectors, sonography equipment, and obstetrics tools. Despite the advancements, Sevak Sahakyan emphasizes the importance of understanding the human factor.
“You have to understand people’s mental state and not get angry with them if they are upset or dissatisfied,” he explains, adding that he never discusses payment until the animal is treated.