Shepherd Wins 2026 VPN Readers’ Choice Award
Shepherd was just voted a winner in the Practice Technology & Software category of the 2026 Veterinary Practice News (VPN) Readers’ Choice Product Awards.
I want to share why this award matters, because the people who voted are the people I think about every time we build something.
Vets, techs, and managers made the call
The idea behind the awards is simple. Veterinary professionals who use and purchase products for their practices vote for the ones they trust most. VPN says every vote reflects an impression of “a solution that works, a tool that earns its place.”
Those votes came from people who live the same days I do. They know what it feels like when software slows down an appointment, and they know what it feels like when it stays out of the way. That’s real feedback from real clinics.
Software should feel second nature
After years in practice, I’ve come to learn that medicine is only part of the job. Every patient creates a trail of small tasks: records, invoices, discharge instructions, client messages. When your software asks you to carry all of that in your head, the day gets heavy fast.
That’s why Shepherd follows the flow of a real visit. When care is documented, the treatment plan, invoice, and discharge stay in sync. If it’s in the medical record, it’s on the invoice. Fewer things to remember, fewer things to chase.
VPN calls Shepherd a “second-nature, workflow-first PIMS, shaped by a team with real veterinary experience, and grounded by a director of veterinary medicine.” You can read their write-up of Shepherd here.
Built by people who have been there
More than 90% of our team came from veterinary clinics. That matters to me, because it means the people building Shepherd have lived the busy hour, the callback that slipped, and the chart left until after dinner. We listen to feedback from real clinics, and it shapes what we build next.
A win for the Flock
To every vet, tech, and practice manager who voted: thank you. This award belongs to you, and to the Shepherd team who show up for you every day.
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and honorable mentions. You can see the full list on VPN.
