A 33-year-old veterinarian, employed at the Hyogo Agricultural Union, was recognized as a victim of karoshi (death from overwork) after passing away in August 2023. Her lawyers confirmed that she accumulated at least 97 hours of overtime in one month, double that of the previous month. The Awaji Labor Standards Inspection Office discovered that the actual hours were 150 more than reported, tracked through her computer usage.
Digital records as proof of a lethal workload 💻
Computer monitoring technology allowed inspectors to calculate the actual hours worked, revealing a discrepancy of 150 unrecorded official hours. The veterinarian attended to up to 69 animals per day at one clinic and 21 at another, suggesting an unsustainable workload. This case shows how digital tracking systems can expose hidden labor practices, although their subsequent use to prevent abuse remains a challenge in high-demand work environments.
69 dogs a day: the perfect recipe for a heart attack 🐾
Attending to 69 animals at one clinic and 21 at another is not a veterinary speed record; it's a death sentence from overwork. The poor woman had more patients than a field hospital and less rest than a cat in a washing machine. The irony is that while she cared for dogs and cats, no one cared for her. At least now she rests, though surely even in heaven they demand overtime of barking.