Vetlife aim to provide support to members of the UK veterinary community and their families who have emotional, health or financial concerns, whilst seeking ways to prevent such situations in the future.

The veterinary community continues to experience significantly higher levels of depression and suicide than the general population. Vetlife works to ensure that those engaged in the veterinary community are aware of available assistance, and signposts them to sources of help should they, or a colleague, be in need of support. Support needs vary according to circumstance and may involve short-term support to cope with an immediate crisis or longer term support for those affected by age, ill health or disability.

Where possible, the Charity tries to enable those they help to become independent and self-sufficient again, and also to maintain longer term support for those who are not able to do this because of age, ill health or disability.

Vetlife finances and manages three services in order to achieve this: