Northamptonshire pet proprietor having sleepless nights over vet payments | EUROtoday

A pet proprietor says she has “sleepless nights” worrying about how she’s going to cowl the prices if her pets fall sick.

Alison from Northamptonshire has two canine, seven rabbits and three guinea pigs, which collectively prices her as much as £500 monthly, not together with vet payments.

She spends the vast majority of her wage on her pets and is “financially unable to insure all of them”.

She mentioned: “We don’t have the holidays we used to have. Things like meals out and fun family things… we just can’t do anymore.

“The month-to-month prices would simply double if we insured all of them.”

An insurance policy for one of her dogs, which had cancer and required treatment and surgery, eventually expired and had to be renewed. The new premium was £135 a month, which she found too expensive.

Alison said she is “always worrying” that she would be unable to afford any future treatments, which would result in putting the dog to sleep.

“The insurance coverage price out-prices the traditional particular person,” she added.

The cost of pet insurance increased by 20% in March 2024 compared to the previous year, according to Dr Paul Manktelow, a spokesperson for Blue Cross. This rise aligns with the decrease in the number of pets being insured last year.

“We’ve seen an increase in vet charges throughout the board. It’s come at a time the place folks have much less cash,” he said.

Dr Manktelow believes the cost of veterinary care is the “single greatest price” of pet ownership.

“It would not seem like it’ll go down any time quickly both,” he added

Rabbit vaccines are about £20 to £30 more expensive than the ones for dogs, states Alison. Four of Alison’s rabbits require vaccines this month. She says that a vaccine costs £75 for each rabbit.

Rabbits are considered an ‘exotic pet’, which means vet bills can be higher than other animals.

As a result, Alison is forced to “assume twice” about taking her rabbits to the vet and she treats them at home if she can.

Alison has to make personal sacrifices in order to be able to accommodate their needs because owning a pet is a “lifelong dedication”.

“I’ll at all times go with out so my animals do not need to,” she added.

Dr Manktelow believes that pet owners not being able to cover vet bills is taking a “big toll” on the rehoming services at Blue Cross.

He explained that it also has a “big impact” on veterinary services because owners are delaying visiting them and then eventually presenting animals with worsened conditions.

Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), believes that an ill pet can create real financial pressure, particularly alongside other cost of living concerns.

She said: “It’s actually necessary that folks get clear info and pricing to assist them make the correct selections.”

CMA recommends evaluating costs for therapy and providers throughout totally different practices in addition to wanting into cost plans to assist unfold the associated fee.