WellHaven Pet Health was built on a simple conviction: when every veterinary team member is supported, pets get better care. Chief People Officer Hayden Milligan wanted a way to check in on engagement across WellHaven's practices without being in every room every day. Rally gave her team real-time visibility into morale, tools to act on what staff actually need, and a culture of recognition that spread organically from the ground up.
The Challenge: Burnout, Disconnection, and the Limits of Traditional Communication
Veterinary professionals dedicate themselves to caring for animals, but burnout, stress, and disengagement are widespread across the industry. The work is demanding, and teams need more than a paycheck to stay motivated. They need a culture of recognition, connection, and support.
Before Rally, WellHaven relied on team bulletin boards and top-down announcements. Wellness surveys offered some insight, but they were easy to skip or gloss over. Leadership wanted to understand how people were really feeling, in real time, without adding management overhead.
From Top-Down to Full-Team Dialogue
At Yelm Veterinary Hospital, WellHaven's pilot location in Washington state, Rally transformed how the team communicates. Both leaders and support staff started engaging more frequently, and conversations shifted from one-directional to genuinely collaborative.
Yelm has a strong retention track record: no DVM turnover in the past 12 months and minimal turnover among support staff. In 2024, the hospital expanded by hiring 13 new employees, including two experienced DVMs. Rally played a key role in onboarding those hires and keeping the full team connected through growth.
Keeping a Pulse Without Micromanaging
Veterinary leaders often struggle to stay close to their teams without hovering. Rally surfaces engagement signals before they become problems. When someone is thriving, leadership can celebrate it. When someone starts to dip, they can reach out early.
Sometimes early check-ins are all a team member needs. Other times they reveal something worth addressing. Rally makes the difference visible.
Recognition That Feels Fun, Not Forced
Rally's peer recognition feature, called "Boops," has become a weekly ritual at Yelm. The team competes to be the Top Booper, and their lead doctor is consistently in the lead.
The e-card feature extended recognition beyond the immediate team. Staff accountants started celebrating veterinary technician work anniversaries. Receptionists cheered on veterinarian milestones. Cross-role, cross-location connection that rarely happened before now happens every week.
Real-Time Insights That Actually Surface What Teams Need
WellHaven initially expected wellness surveys to be the primary data source. That assumption shifted quickly.
The Magic Wand feature lets team members express what they need directly: a policy tweak, an equipment upgrade, or even just a team pizza party. Leadership collects these signals, follows up with individuals, and implements changes that affect people's day-to-day work. No guessing required.
Celebrating People Beyond Just Work
Veterinary teams spend long hours together. The relationships they build are personal, not just professional. Rally helps clinics recognize life milestones alongside work achievements: birthdays, work anniversaries, personal wins. No one's moment goes unnoticed.
A Partner That Listens
For Hayden, the relationship with Hound matters as much as the platform itself. The customer experience team is prompt, solution-focused, and always thinking ahead, turning user feedback directly into product improvements.
What's Next for WellHaven
The Yelm team's engagement has set the benchmark. They log on weekly to Boop each other, compete for Top Booper honors, and use the platform to share ideas and celebrate wins. Their lead doctor leads the charge.
WellHaven is actively expanding the pilot to eight locations. Milligan is clear about what makes Rally work at scale: engagement is most effective when the Principal Doctor and Practice Manager take the lead, modeling the behavior for the whole team.