Table 3.

Other situations where decision-making may be ethically challenging, as described by participants.

Role	Country	Ethically challenging situation as described by participant
Veterinarian	Australia	Disagreements between colleagues. One person wants to do A and another wants to do B.
Veterinarian	Australia	Challenging decision about clients surrendering their animals out of failure to take care of them due to the imposed lockdowns.
Veterinarian	USA	Challenging to deal with staff who do not want to work or do not want to be effective at work or who just want a paycheck.
Veterinarian	Australia	Challenging decisions involving a difficult case, when clinicians do not collaborate and communicate effectively in order to achieve a better outcome.
Veterinary nurse	Australia	Seeing clients from other clinics that have been turned away from them as they are “too busy” to see them, when we are also double or triple booked. Some are from up to several hours drive away because everywhere is too busy.
Veterinarian	Germany	Home schooling an 8-year-old while working full time! how to deal with (euthanasia) home visits which I consider ethically essential.
Veterinarian	Australia	Allowing more than one owner into the clinic to be with their pet during euthanasia.
Veterinarian	Australia	Whether to wear PPE during home euthanasia visits. On the one hand I am wanting to protect the clients. I am not so worried about my own health. However, it feels impersonal. Also lack of physical contact with the owners at this time is challenging. Such as not being able to shake their hand or give them a hug.
Veterinarian	UK	Decisions around euthanasia which has to be carried out by others on site - mainly animal technicians - due to lack of ability to use animals in research due to lack of lab facilities (wastage).
Veterinarian	Germany	Hearing or reading pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, anti-vax-non-sense.there is always the question whether to keep my mouth shut or take the risk of a shitstorm;)
Veterinarian	USA	Information barrage from human healthcare, veterinary healthcare, federal, state, and university sources regarding epidemiology, legal, and policy changes.
Veterinarian	USA	We have had several owners and visitors wishing to enter the building, but our policy says they cannot.
Veterinarian	USA	Allowing DVMs to see enough cases to have reasonable income while limiting the schedule.
Veterinarian	USA	Provision of futile medical care to animals who are suffering.
Veterinarian	Australia	Challenging decisions about tolerance for risk of potential SARS-CoV-2 exposure to clients, carried by visiting veterinary team.
Veterinarian	Australia	I work as a vet in the live export industry. COVID-19 has put pressure on supply chains for both chilled meat and live animal exports. Now more than ever, it feels like I am stuck between two competing ideologies for and against the live export industry. People's opinions and heightened emotions are inhibiting sound decision making processes around balancing animal welfare with food security.
Veterinarian	USA	Lack of volunteers to perform duties; lack of donations to support operation.
Veterinarian	Australia	Difficulty with conflict with clients with regards to COVD protocols.