Young vets in Armenia choose pets over farm animals: association points to rural shortage
Armenia’s agriculture is short of veterinarians, while students entering veterinary faculties often end up treating dogs and cats. Arman Ohanyan, chairman of the National Association of Veterinarians, said this in an interview with BusinessDaily at the AGRO EXPO exhibition in Yerevan. By his rough estimate, about 470 mid-level veterinarians work in the country’s farm sector.
“There are few veterinarians in the country today; there is a need for veterinarians who work in agriculture,” Ohanyan said.
He gave the number of specialists in the farm sector with a caveat: “If I’m not mistaken, 470 mid-level veterinarians in Armenia who are engaged in agriculture.”
Ohanyan links the shortage to the difficulty of the profession. “It turns out that veterinary medicine is not attractive, it is hard. Whoever enters the faculty becomes a doctor for dogs and cats,” he said.
The association introduces students to the profession while they are still studying. “Say, from the second year of college we bring these young people in and tell them this is one of the best professions in the world,” Ohanyan added. Asked how to get students to go to work in villages, he replied: “If you are asking me what to do, we are already doing it.”
According to the Statistical Committee of Armenia, as of January 1, 2026, the country had 468.0 thousand head of cattle, 679.5 thousand sheep, 16.2 thousand goats, 168.8 thousand pigs and 4.82 million poultry. Over the year, the cattle population fell 1.6% and pigs 7.4%, while poultry rose 3.0%. Ohanyan did not comment on the reasons for the changes in livestock numbers, suggesting that the question be put to the Ministry of Economy.
To train specialists, the association uses a Training of Trainers (TOT) model. Ohanyan said veterinary work requires practical skills in addition to theoretical knowledge. “Spreading knowledge is one thing, sharing experience is another. In veterinary medicine specifically, besides theoretical knowledge, you need to show practical skills, hands-on,” he stressed.
Practical sessions are held 2-3 times a year. “We gather as a group and train people who, in turn, train their colleagues locally,” Ohanyan explained.
The association has 47 founders and more than 80 members. It is also a member of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE), which has 330 thousand registered veterinarians. “We are the only one in the region, as Armenia’s representative. After 5 years as an applicant, we became a full member. The headquarters is in Belgium, in Brussels,” Ohanyan added.
The constant need to update knowledge was also raised by Levon Eghoyan, a veterinarian and representative of Regulus Zoo, an importer of veterinary drugs. “The work is enormous, with villagers who keep animals individually, with farmers and with veterinarians, because villagers, farmers and doctors need their knowledge updated every day. And it will not begin and end with me alone. There need to be many people so that today’s innovations can reach the doctor, the veterinarian,” he noted.
Ohanyan sees artificial intelligence as an assistant to veterinarians. According to him, many people fear losing their jobs as artificial intelligence is introduced into their fields. “But people in our profession are the opposite, because artificial intelligence cannot replace a veterinarian. It can help. We will become stronger,” he stressed.
Pictured from left to right: Arman Ohanyan, Levon Eghoyan
