Furs Fair: Affordable Vet Care
In recent years the cost of veterinary services have gone through the roof. (from around 60% since 2015, compared to just 35% inflation for services overall. Financial Times)
Between 2020 and 2024, vet treatment costs have risen by 70–105%, far exceeding general inflation.
The consolidation of independent practices and dominance by just six corporate groups (owning 60% of the market) has weakened competition.
Personally, as someone who has adopted a number of rescue dogs, I been confronted with huge and unexpected bills just for relatively simple tests and medicines.
It's time to do something - for the pets, because ultimately they are the ones that are suffering.
I have started 'Furs Fair' as a campaign to push for fairer and more transparent pricing. Currently there is an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) but my fear is that it will take the side of big business and not do enough to curb the rampant profiteering of the corporate practices.
It's still early days and I'd like to reach out to anyone who would like to join me in this campaign. I'm just one person trying to make a difference. I know we live in a world in which we often feel it's impossible to make a difference, but sometimes the fight alone is worth it because to quote Randall P. McMurphy’s from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest:
"I tried didn’t I? Goddammit, at least I did that.”
Let's try for the pets.