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Cost of vet treatment petition for animal NHS

290 replies

Speakeasy · 19/04/2023 17:55

Everyone is suffering from the cost of living crisis and it is hitting pet owners too, especially with the cost of vet treatment rising rapidly. There are two petitions running asking for an Animal NHS, one on the UK government site and one of the Welsh government site. People in Wales can sign both but everyone else can only sign the UK one.

Please consider signing and sharing the petitions because it might just help people to keep the pets they consider to be their family.

The UK petition is at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/635352
and reads:

Create an Animal NHS for pensioners, those on low incomes, and for emergenciesIntroduce an Animal NHS for the animals of pensioners, those on means tested benefits and for animals who present with emergencies. Creating a national service to meet the needs of these animals would allow veterinary charities to help a new range of clients who are struggling to make ends meet.
More details
No animal owner could be unaware of soaring veterinary costs. One of the most common reasons that the SHG sees for animal welfare prosecutions that is failure to seek veterinary advice, either at all, or quickly enough, even if the animal is booked in for when the next pay cheque arrives.
A recent survey found that nearly all UK vets that responded have seen animals during the last 12 months that should have been presented earlier. Financial problems were given as the main reason in 91% of cases.
We can and must do better.

The Welsh petition is at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/245403
and reads:

Create an Animal NHSIntroduce an Animal NHS, if only for the animals of pensioners, those on means tested benefits and for animals who present with emergencies.
If private vets could access general government funding it would allow the veterinary charities to help a new range of clients who are struggling to make ends meet.
More details
No animal owner could be unaware of soaring veterinary costs. One of the most prolific reasons for animal welfare prosecutions that come into The SHG is failure to seek veterinary advice, either at all, or quickly enough, even when the animal is booked in for when the next pay cheque arrives. Nearly all vets have seen animals during the last 12 months that should have been presented earlier.
www.vettimes.co.uk/news/report-shows-growing-number-of-clients-delaying-treatment-for-their-pets/
Financial problems were given as the main reason in 91% of cases.
Times are hard and there are many calls on government finances but the proven benefits of animal companionship means that an Animal NHS would pay for itself many times over, if only by reducing demands on the courts and legal aid.
Wales can and must do better.

Petition: Create an Animal NHS for pensioners, those on low incomes, and for emergencies

Introduce an Animal NHS for the animals of pensioners, those on means tested benefits and for animals who present with emergencies. Creating a national service to meet the needs of these animals would allow veterinary charities to help a new range of c...

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/635352

OP posts:
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MichelleScarn · 20/04/2023 12:38

Speakeasy · 20/04/2023 09:24

What is selfish is the so called rescues that give people the option of signing over their pet which might be the only companion of an elderly person, an emotional support animal for someone ill, or simply a member of their family, so that the rescue can pay the vet fees and then sell the animal on. If they were real charities they would help the people and animal stay together. Lots of charities have forgotten what the word means.

if they were real charities they would help the people and animal stay together

What so the charities would fund these people to keep, feed and treat their pets ad infinitum? How much would that cost and who would fund this?
How quickly would it become, 'oh no my cat/dog can only eat the finest/most expensive foods'...

SquashPenguin · 20/04/2023 12:42

We got our dog because we budgeted for him. I’m not subsidising someone who got four dogs and 18 cats with no income to look after them. Pets are a luxury not a right.

testtrout · 20/04/2023 12:42

We cant even fund the NHS for humans. So absolutely not.
I am actually an animal lover and pet owner.
responsible owners have pet insurance and not more animals than they can afford!
That is your answer I'm afraid.
Compulsory pet insurance.

FeltedDogs · 20/04/2023 12:44

No thanks. The back yard bully breeders are already making many tens of thousands a year tax free and they would be the main customers. Normal people can afford to take their animal to the vet and wouldn't have one if they couldn't.

LaylaLjungberg · 20/04/2023 12:46

I do have issues with people not taking responsibility before actually getting a pet, saving, insurance etc. BUT I feel since insurance became a big thing 80s/90s vet care was affordable. My mum paid 3k recently for a cat that isn’t hers as she didn’t want to suffer it had cystitis! They rob us bind because it all usually gets swallowed by insurance so they charge insane amounts.

Speakeasy · 20/04/2023 12:48

MichelleScarn · 20/04/2023 12:38

if they were real charities they would help the people and animal stay together

What so the charities would fund these people to keep, feed and treat their pets ad infinitum? How much would that cost and who would fund this?
How quickly would it become, 'oh no my cat/dog can only eat the finest/most expensive foods'...

Where does it say that they should do so ad infinitum? The cost of taking in animals and keeping and treating them as they grieve for their owners and homes while ill or injured costs more than funding the vet treatment needed in emergencies. But then they wouldn't get the emotive fund raising articles that roll in the donations until they sell the animal.

OP posts:
MegaManic · 20/04/2023 12:56

It's no wonder this country is a shit show! Government (tax payers) are expected to fund all kinds of ridiculous shit. All rights and no responsibility as usual!

Easterbunnywashere · 20/04/2023 13:09

This is a ridiculous idea. Your time would be better spent campaigning for charities to help in these situations. Also, educating people about the cost of vet care so they don't acquire pets without ensuring they can afford to pay the insurance.

allibaby · 20/04/2023 13:09

More than happy to sign, I think this is a great idea.

My taxes pay for every fucker else's kids and to be honest I would rather them go to animals in need.

MichelleScarn · 20/04/2023 13:09

@Speakeasy you've said if they were real charities they would help the people and animal stay together
So what time frame would you place on it? Mrs Smith has just got a kitten, but cannot afford inoculations or vet treatment. Do you think to 'help her and kitten stay together' this should be funded for her for the kitten/cat lifetime?

JarByTheDoor · 20/04/2023 13:15

LaylaLjungberg · 20/04/2023 12:46

I do have issues with people not taking responsibility before actually getting a pet, saving, insurance etc. BUT I feel since insurance became a big thing 80s/90s vet care was affordable. My mum paid 3k recently for a cat that isn’t hers as she didn’t want to suffer it had cystitis! They rob us bind because it all usually gets swallowed by insurance so they charge insane amounts.

Is it insane amounts, though?

It's private medical care, which means what you pay has to cover some part of all the things that are involved in providing that. Premises, specialist furniture and large equipment like benches, special fridges, locked cupboards, equipment drawers etc., all manufactured, maintained, cleaned and inspected to healthcare standards. The time and expertise of veterinary professionals who were selected from some of the most able applicants, who could've chosen almost any career they wanted, and who spent a great deal of time, money and effort training, need to continuously update their learning and who pay high fees for the training and for professional memberships, insurance and so on. The time and expertise of qualified, experienced nursing staff. All the support staff like admin and cleaning and practice management. The cost of the IT systems they need to use. The accommodation for animals while they're nursed in recovery. Specialist machinery for delivery of gases, for sterilisation, for weighing patients, God knows what else. Sterile or other medical and surgical kit — gloves, masks, aprons, syringes, shavers, scalpels, sutures, dressings, general clinical garb. Safe disposal of medical and other waste. That's before you even get onto the cost of medications, without the buying power of a behemoth like the NHS behind them. Medications are expensive because they have to be invented, tested, manufactured in whatever quantities required, regulated, monitored, stored in safe and sometimes secure conditions, and so on. Then unused ones have to be disposed of safely.

If you had a human with cystitis (maybe one who, like a cat, couldn't verbally communicate their needs, so it took a little longer to work out what was wrong, or the patient wasn't seen until objectively unwell) and you wanted to have them seen straight away by a team of adequately qualified people who could use their extensive training to work out what was wrong with them and exclude even more serious illness, diagnose them, treat them, offer advice to the carer, all in a safe environment using clean equipment and tested safe drugs where there was no unnecessary additional risk of medical harm, with nursing care if necessary, and with the practitioners involved insured against risk, etc. etc. then depending on the circumstances (maybe some out-of-hours care that demands higher remuneration, or emergency appointments, or aftercare requirements) I can easily imagine that topping £3k. Very easily.

kweeble · 20/04/2023 13:17

Maybe pet ownership needs licensing? There need to be less dogs and cats and small caged animals - yes they’re expensive for the owners but they also cause problems for others too especially in urban areas. Compulsory insurance sounds a good idea.

Speakeasy · 20/04/2023 13:44

MichelleScarn · 20/04/2023 13:09

@Speakeasy you've said if they were real charities they would help the people and animal stay together
So what time frame would you place on it? Mrs Smith has just got a kitten, but cannot afford inoculations or vet treatment. Do you think to 'help her and kitten stay together' this should be funded for her for the kitten/cat lifetime?

If she qualifies for means tested benefits then yes. It all depends on individual circumstances. Usually there is an accident and the animal needs an operation or other urgent and expensive care that leads to the problem. and it tends to be a one off, not an ongoing need.

OP posts:
Speakeasy · 20/04/2023 13:46

kweeble · 20/04/2023 13:17

Maybe pet ownership needs licensing? There need to be less dogs and cats and small caged animals - yes they’re expensive for the owners but they also cause problems for others too especially in urban areas. Compulsory insurance sounds a good idea.

Now that we have compulsory micro-chipping for dogs and soon to be cats and other animals we have de facto licensing despite the fact that the Conservatives promised they would not introduce another dog licence.

OP posts:
blahblahblah1654 · 20/04/2023 13:46

The NHS for people is on its knees. Let's get our priorities right. Pet ownership is a choice. Pet Insurance needs to be made compulsory. People on benefits can go to the PDSA

EmmaGrundyForPM · 20/04/2023 13:47

I'm a pet owner - two cats and a dog - and there's no way I'm signing this. Having pets is a lifestyle choice. We have insurance for our dog, our cats are uninsured but we have sufficient savings to pay their vet bills, even if they need complex operations or long term treatment.

Why on earth should vet services be paid for through general taxation?

Runningslow · 20/04/2023 13:49

If people picked sensible breeds with less health issues they’d be less likely to have problems. When they complain about costs and they have a French Bulldog I have no sympathy.

Tealsofa · 20/04/2023 14:15

Speakeasy · 20/04/2023 13:44

If she qualifies for means tested benefits then yes. It all depends on individual circumstances. Usually there is an accident and the animal needs an operation or other urgent and expensive care that leads to the problem. and it tends to be a one off, not an ongoing need.

Shouldnt Mrs Smith maybe held off getting a kitten if she cannot afford to look after it?
Why should benefits be extra because someone wants a cat?

I want a horse.... I cant afford upkeep, so will your charity pay for that?
And my lion, who will only eat organic fresh lamb which needs to be flown in from New Zealand or he sulks, and I also need a home for my killer whale, a few acres somewhere will do....

thanks for sorting that out for me, where do I send the bill??

MichelleScarn · 20/04/2023 14:32

@Tealsofa I'm for getting a herd of wildebeest. So will of course need the land and level of funding to look after them. If these charities are proper charities they should of course provide whatever I (and my herd) need for as long as l want!

Seriously OP you can't honestly think that because someone is on benefits they should be able to do and have whatever they want and the taxpayers will pay because the pet owner qualifies for benefits?!

PussBilledDuckyPlait · 20/04/2023 14:41

Is it insane amounts, though?

It's private medical care, which means what you pay has to cover some part of all the things that are involved in providing that

Exactly. Cost of cat spay (removal of both ovaries) - around £100
Cost of bilateral oophorectomy in human - around £9000

Speakeasy · 20/04/2023 16:08

MichelleScarn · 20/04/2023 14:32

@Tealsofa I'm for getting a herd of wildebeest. So will of course need the land and level of funding to look after them. If these charities are proper charities they should of course provide whatever I (and my herd) need for as long as l want!

Seriously OP you can't honestly think that because someone is on benefits they should be able to do and have whatever they want and the taxpayers will pay because the pet owner qualifies for benefits?!

That wasn't what was said. Charities should be required to show what they have done to try to keep the animal in its home instead of demanding it is signed over so that they can sell it on.

In terms of the Animal NHS I doubt if your herd of wildebeest would qualify.

OP posts:
Overthebow · 20/04/2023 16:15

No I can’t sign this. If you have a pet you need to pay for it yourself. A pet is a choice and a luxury. Im not paying for others to have one. A proper NHS for all humans I support and would pay more for, but not a pet version when people really should be taking responsibility themselves for their own pets.

JellyBeanFactory · 20/04/2023 16:31

PDSA does a fantastic job with minimal funding. If you want to do something, support them to increase their hospital capacity and coverage. The infrastructure is already there, funding stops them being available to all postcodes.

Redebs · 20/04/2023 16:33

No way. It's ridiculous.

Redebs · 20/04/2023 16:37

Vets should be required to perform low cost humane euthanasia if requested, at their own expense. I've never seen a poor vet.

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