All individuals at some point are confronted with the Eighth Commandment: Thou shall not steal. According to the FBI, employee theft, or “shrinkage,” is the fastest-growing crime in the United States and is more prominent than identity theft, cyber fraud, credit card theft and internet scams.
Veterinarians, as dispensers and prescribers of controlled substances, are a prime target for drug addicts. Veterinarians have access to a large variety of controlled and noncontrolled substances. As America’s opioid epidemic and addiction rates continue to soar, employee drug theft is a rising occupational hazard.