Dear Rocio,
We adore our family dog, though his vet bills seem to be increasing just as quickly as he grows. Can anyone offer advice (he’s a spaniel) on getting better deals at the vet clinic?
Name and address supplied
Rocio remarks: Visits to the veterinarian can be challenging experiences. What if a simple routine examination uncovers a more serious hidden issue? Or what if the harm your pet companion has endured ends up being far worse than initially assumed?
However, possibly the most stressful part of dealing with veterinary services is waiting for the invoice. Recently, when Which? polled over 1,000 pet owners who faced issues with their veterinarian or clinic within the last two years, cost turned out to be the primary concern. More than half found the charges for treatment too steep, whereas over a quarter felt the fees were pricier than anticipated.
“I cannot put a price on my pet’s wellbeing!” Some of you might be exclaiming. Indeed, numerous pet owners would readily spend considerable sums to ensure their pets—often seen as vital parts of the family—are healthy and thriving.
However, our survey discovered that another frequent problem was the quality There’s a significant distinction between spending substantial amounts on veterinary care knowing your pet will emerge healthier, and footing the bill for treatments that might send them right back to the clinic soon after their visit. Nearly twenty-five percent of pet owners reported issues primarily concerning the standard of care, whereas an equally considerable group complained about poor customer service they experienced. Alarmingly, one in ten mentioned being overcharged for procedures, with errors occurring either from the vets themselves or at the clinics.
Adding insult to injury, pet owners encounter challenges when lodging complaints. Initially, they must address their grievances directly with the veterinary clinic, often resulting in an uncomfortable situation. According to our survey, many respondents were deterred from filing a complaint because they doubted their success rate (38%), wished to avoid conflict with their veterinarian (33%), or simply lacked knowledge on how to initiate a formal complaint (16%).
Choose to tackle the complaints obstacle course, and suddenly Crufts seems like a walk in the park. The Vet Client Mediation Service encourages veterinarians to join voluntarily, whereas the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons maintains stringent standards for examining and advancing a complaint. Complaints must demonstrate unequivocally that vets have behaved unjustly, unlike medical and dental boards which consider matters based on likelihood rather than absolute certainty.
In summary, pet owners sense being disregarded and believe that the system heavily favours experts from the outset. Taking the matter to court is seldom an effective solution because of the high costs involved and the low expectation of achieving a favourable outcome.
Ongoing problems within the veterinary sector have compelled the regulatory body to intervene. The Competition and Markets Authority, which oversees fair market practices, has expressed concerns that pet owners are being treated unfairly.
The CMA had earlier voiced worries regarding competition since the count of standalone veterinary clinics has dwindled with major corporate entities acquiring these establishments. Additionally, the oversight of veterinarians is seen as obsolete. The Veterinary Surgeons Act dates back to the 1960s—a period where most animal hospitals operated independently rather than being owned by large corporations which now dominate the sector.
Which one backs the CMA’s suggested solutions to enhance the system? This involves clarifying prices and informing pet owners about locations offering more affordable medications. Additionally, it entails guaranteeing that veterinarians prominently display their internal complaint processes and establishing a veterinary ombudsman to offer an extensive and obligatory alternate conflict resolution program for cases not settled directly between the clinic and the client.
Rocio Concha serves as the director of policy and advocacy at Which?. If you wish for your query to be highlighted here, send an email to business@inews.co.uk.