The Questions I Ask Before I Say Yes to a Brand Partnership

I turn down more brand partnerships than I accept.

That surprises some people. It does not surprise the veterinarians reading this.

From the outside, brand collaborations can look simple. A product. A platform. A post.

From the inside, especially from a veterinary perspective, they are anything but simple.

My name, my license, and my professional reputation are attached to everything I share publicly. I took an oath when I became a veterinarian to above all do no harm, and I take that oath seriously.

That means every partnership decision gets the same scrutiny I would give a medical recommendation in the exam room.

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Non-Negotiable Yeses

Before I say yes to a collaboration, I get real clarity on a few things.

✅ Is the product safe for its intended use?

✅ Are the claims accurate and defensible, not just technically legal but ethically sound?

✅ Is the messaging honest about limitations, risks, and appropriate use?
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✅ Is transparency built into the campaign from the start?

If the answer to any one of those is no, the partnership stops there. Not because I am difficult, but because credibility is hard to earn and easy to lose. And at the end of the day, pet health is my responsibility. 

​Why This Matters to Pet Parents

When you see me talk about a product, it means I am comfortable attaching my professional reputation to it.

That reputation was built over years of clinical practice, continuing education, and hard conversations with clients when the answer was not simple or convenient. I protect it carefully, because trust is what allows veterinarians to do their jobs well.

Pet parents deserve to know that education is coming first, not promotion.

Why This Matters to Brands

Ethical partnerships last longer. Veterinarians are not megaphones. We are filters, trained to question, verify, and think through unintended consequences. And that distinction matters even more when veterinarians are used in marketing.

👉 Here’s how to use a veterinarian in pet brand marketing without undermining trust

When a brand understands that, and works with it instead of around it, the collaboration becomes stronger, more credible, and more effective.

The best partnerships I have experienced treat veterinary input as a strategic asset, not a hurdle to clear.

What a Good Partnership Looks Like

The best collaborations feel educational, not promotional. They leave room for nuance. They prioritize trust over urgency and accuracy over exaggeration.

They also recognize that long-term credibility matters more than short-term clicks.

That approach is the foundation of how I work with companies across education, content creation, and spokesperson roles.

If you’re a brand trying to get this right, start here:
👉 How to use a veterinarian in pet marketing (and where most companies go wrong)
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If you are curious about what that collaboration process looks like in practice, you can learn more on my Work With Dr. Sarah page, where I outline how I partner with brands in a way that protects both pets and public trust.

Those are the partnerships I say yes to.
And those are the ones that last.

​To your pet's health,

​Dr. Sarah J. Wooten

Want content like this that’s medically accurate, compliant, and built to convert?
→ Work with Dr. Sarah

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