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00:00In you come?
00:05More than half of households
00:10in the UK are thought to own a pet.
00:13Ah, it's perfect.
00:14This one is...
00:15Cinnamon swirl.
00:16We've also got pumpkin spice and Rupert.
00:18They give us love for...
00:20Fun and companionship.
00:22I live on my own.
00:23My animals, they are my closest.
00:25My dog's called Belle, and the thing is, like,
00:28I don't think I'll be able to live without her.
00:30I've never run out of things to talk about.
00:32Oh, by the way, do you know I have a snake?
00:34And most...
00:35Pet owners say their animal's health is as important as their family's.
00:40We do anything for them.
00:41Poppy's actually had her hip replaced.
00:43She's cost us an animal.
00:45I'm in a leg.
00:46I'd say probably around 10K.
00:49Let's...
00:50Bills have soared.
00:51And some are blaming big business.
00:54I see...
00:55I see the benefit that pets have on people's lives.
00:58Thank you, my name.
00:59And now they're being treated...
01:00as cash income.
01:03How do you think vets see...
01:05you now?
01:06They don't see me like a caring person.
01:08They just want me money.
01:10Are we being priced out of caring for our pets?
01:14The risk...
01:15The risk...
01:16The risk...
01:17Is so great.
01:18They are a luxury item.
01:20We'll be терриiss商 doesn't.
01:21The risk...
01:22100% So long...
01:23쟈...
01:24Nothing.
01:25It's just every time, man, shit.
01:26What a Lord has soared.
01:27Oh my God
01:25Another busy morning at a local independent vet in Surrey.
01:30Hola! Hi!
01:33Oh...
01:34And a...
01:35Another worried pet owner, Andy's Labrador.
01:38Orla is back for a check-up.
01:40After a life-threatening injury.
01:42If she ran, jumped over a log and the log pierced her.
01:45And she walked back to us with a whimper.
01:47We thought her leg was injured and then we realised there was blood coming out of the chest.
01:50That's her wound. That's how deep it was.
01:55That's her heart. They missed her heart by this much.
02:00Really good. No swelling under there.
02:02It was a lucky escape.
02:04All of a sudden.
02:05She was doing well and today needs just one more x-ray.
02:08I have some people that...
02:10Ah, Vanessa!
02:11I feel like I know you.
02:13I trust you like I'm...
02:15I feel comfortable to leave my pet with you.
02:17Which, you know, that's a big thing.
02:20Alright?
02:21Yeah.
02:22Come on in. Good girl.
02:23The treatment hasn't come cheap.
02:24Good.
02:25Andy has insurance to cover the bill.
02:28We have to...
02:30And I've never ever met...
02:31I can't tell you how much it's gonna cost.
02:32We have to.
02:33And I have never ever met...
02:35A vet that enjoys that part of the job.
02:38Owning a pet can be a big...
02:40financial commitment these days.
02:42At a time when we're all feeling the pinch...
02:45pet owners are being hit particularly hard.
02:48And vets bills are...
02:50Part of that.
02:51Prices went up by 63% on average between 20...
02:5516 and 2023.
02:57Good girl.
02:59Good...
03:00Good girl.
03:01Yeah.
03:02I'm a pet owner too.
03:04And I got my own...
03:05vet bill when our cat got into a scrap recently.
03:08This is Luna and...
03:10she's one of our cats.
03:11She had a bite to the tail.
03:13And that cost me...
03:15350 pounds.
03:17And she's sort of recovering well.
03:19But that is a lot of money.
03:20Good morning.
03:25Up and down the UK...
03:27you'll hear the same story.
03:30What's your dog called?
03:31He's called Brody.
03:32Brody stop!
03:33Brody stop!
03:34Brody stop!
03:35Brody stop!
03:36This problem is for my dog.
03:37He's got arthritis.
03:38He has to go to the vets once a month for an...
03:40injection.
03:41The vet, they want to do some MRI scans on him.
03:45which will be close to two grand.
03:47Is there a line in terms of how much you'd pay?
03:49Does it ever become...
03:50too much?
03:51He's our...
03:52he is our world.
03:55We...
03:56we are...
03:57thinking and we probably will pay it.
04:00What do you think about vet speeds?
04:01Prices have risen a lot in recent years.
04:03Have you noticed that?
04:04Well, lots of...
04:05enough question, innit?
04:06A few weeks ago, I took her up there and got a quote.
04:10It was...
04:10there was a growth on the tummy.
04:11What was it now?
04:12For about three or four hundred quid or something like that.
04:14I then said...
04:15one on your nelly.
04:16So I went to the RSPCA in...
04:18in Wigan.
04:20It cost me 25 quid.
04:23Pet owners can be...
04:25caught out by the size of bills.
04:27That's because, until recently, some vet...
04:30didn't list their prices.
04:32And customers don't always ask the right questions before...
04:35agreeing to treatment.
04:36When people care passionately about dogs, it is...
04:40everything.
04:41People will remortgage their house...
04:43to save their best friend.
04:45They will do anything.
04:46Once something changes in your dog's world...
04:50everything else stops.
04:51People can't move on.
04:53They... they have to deal with it.
04:55Over the past few months, the BBC's been contacted by people...
05:00angry about their vet's bills.
05:02And they've told us their stories.
05:04So, for example...
05:05one here...
05:06it's a pet owner who said he paid £5,600 for 18 hours...
05:10of vet care.
05:11That's £311 per hour.
05:14He says...
05:15I would have paid anything to save him...
05:17but felt afterwards...
05:18we'd been taken advantage of.
05:20Another one here...
05:21the dog was treated and had numerous blood tests and scans...
05:25was a resident at the vet's.
05:27He says...
05:28at the end of the treatment...
05:29we were none...
05:30wiser about her illness...
05:31and we were presented with a bill...
05:33of £13,000.
05:35The bill that you get at the end...
05:38well...
05:39you're not prepared.
05:40you're not...
05:42I mean...
05:43really life-changing sons of money.
05:45can...
05:46in the blink of an eye...
05:47suddenly...
05:48suddenly crop up...
05:49and they don't ask that.
05:50difficult question as to...
05:51what are the chances of success?
05:53What's the alternative that we could do?
05:55Yeah.
05:56We used to sleep with him.
05:58None of his slippers.
05:59Uh-oh.
06:00The majority of pet owners...
06:03don't...
06:04have insurance.
06:05And bills can leave...
06:06less well-off families...
06:07feeling helpless.
06:09The Bamba family...
06:10from Atherton...
06:11near Bolton...
06:12say they were quoted...
06:14£4,000...
06:15for a consultation...
06:16and MRI scan...
06:18when they're...
06:19their dog, Blue...
06:20struggled to walk.
06:21They wanted 75% upfront.
06:23It was...
06:24shocking.
06:25Somebody working...
06:26on a low income?
06:27No.
06:28Less...
06:29a lot of people...
06:30have benefits...
06:31but somebody...
06:32on a low income...
06:33I don't think they'd be...
06:34able to find...
06:35four thousand.
06:36I really do miss...
06:37grammar.
06:38I know you do.
06:39you, sweetheart.
06:41The family...
06:42couldn't pay...
06:43and after...
06:44Blue was later...
06:45diagnosed with cancer...
06:46they had to have him...
06:47put to sleep.
06:49when Beryl Cooling's cat...
06:53Milo became...
06:54ill on a Sunday...
06:55she had to use...
06:56an out of hours...
06:57service...
06:58which cost more...
06:59he always used to...
07:00get up and run...
07:01to the door...
07:02and this day...
07:03I could hear him...
07:04crying.
07:04I thought...
07:05what's happened here?
07:06and...
07:07I started to panic...
07:08by then...
07:09to...
07:12Milo...
07:13had to be put...
07:14to sleep.
07:16The grand total...
07:17and the...
07:18the vast...
07:19five...
07:19five hundred...
07:20thirty-nine...
07:21pound...
07:22twenty...
07:23pence.
07:24a lot of money...
07:25what you haven't got.
07:28That's also include...
07:29a basic...
07:30cremation service.
07:31Just to be clear...
07:32they didn't tell you...
07:33just to be clear...
07:34they didn't tell you...
07:34before her.
07:35No.
07:36And if they had...
07:37what would you have done?
07:38I would have...
07:39took them home...
07:40let them die in my arms.
07:40Do you miss him?
07:41God, yeah.
07:44Every day.
07:47Every day.
07:49the world of...
07:53the world of...
07:54vets...
07:55has changed.
07:56The days of...
07:57James Herriot...
07:58are long gone.
07:59They're still tablets.
08:00Tablets?
08:01What's nothing to worry about?
08:03He's just getting...
08:04done a bit, that's all.
08:05The James Herriot...
08:06vet...
08:07that...
08:08had one...
08:09bag of stuff...
08:10that could cure anything.
08:11Could...
08:12operate on a kitchen table.
08:14and save your...
08:15your...
08:16beloved pet's life.
08:17Well...
08:19it's gone...
08:20it's gone bionic.
08:21It's gone high-tech.
08:24The UK vet industry...
08:25gathered here...
08:26for its annual show in London...
08:28is now...
08:29worth more than 6 billion pounds.
08:3225 years ago...
08:34only qualified vets...
08:35could run a practice.
08:37Now...
08:38big business...
08:39stepped in.
08:40I mean...
08:41this...
08:42essentially...
08:43has been the big bang...
08:44in this market.
08:44David Reader...
08:45is an expert...
08:46in competition law...
08:47and has closely studied...
08:48the...
08:49vet industry.
08:50It is...
08:51a very lucrative market...
08:52for a number of reasons.
08:53One...
08:54a market that...
08:54was previously...
08:55very fragmented...
08:56with...
08:57a host of...
08:58small independent...
08:59firms...
09:00and an opportunity there...
09:01to find efficiencies...
09:02to...
09:03consolidate...
09:04to...
09:04roll-up markets...
09:05to...
09:06close practices...
09:07and...
09:08set up...
09:09regional...
09:09hubs...
09:10but also to...
09:11maximise...
09:12profits.
09:13Corporate...
09:14vets...
09:15have bought up...
09:16so many...
09:17smaller...
09:18independent...
09:19vets...
09:20that...
09:19sixty percent...
09:20of the market...
09:21is owned...
09:22by just...
09:23six...
09:24companies...
09:25a decade ago...
09:24it was...
09:25ten percent...
09:26the CMA...
09:27identifies...
09:28the six...
09:29biggest companies...
09:30as...
09:31Linnaeus...
09:32owned by...
09:33the food giant...
09:34Mars...
09:34180...
09:35practices...
09:36Medivet...
09:37backed...
09:38by private...
09:39equity...
09:39funds...
09:40363...
09:41vet...
09:42partners...
09:43also backed...
09:44by...
09:44private...
09:45equity...
09:46375...
09:47CVS...
09:48group...
09:493...
09:49387...
09:50pets...
09:51at...
09:52home...
09:53445...
09:54practices...
09:54under the name...
09:55vets...
09:56for pets...
09:57and...
09:58IVC...
09:59evidence...
09:59vets...
10:00which is partly...
10:01owned by...
10:02Nestle...
10:03and also...
10:04backed...
10:05by...
10:06private...
10:07equity...
10:08it's...
10:04the biggest...
10:05with 900...
10:09vets...
10:10some of them...
10:11have bought up...
10:12hundreds of...
10:13independent vets...
10:14but that's something...
10:14customers...
10:15don't always realize...
10:16my...
10:18lovely...
10:19independent vet...
10:20as soon as he retired...
10:21he sold his practice...
10:22so I knew when he left...
10:24but then...
10:25most of the other clients...
10:26just didn't...
10:27realize...
10:28and the name...
10:29I'll just...
10:29inside...
10:30didn't change...
10:31and the letterheading...
10:32didn't change...
10:33pets at home...
10:34doesn't buy...
10:35practices...
10:36it...
10:37and Medivet...
10:38both work in partnership...
10:39with...
10:39individual vets...
10:40and...
10:41until now...
10:42only these companies...
10:43consider...
10:44consistently...
10:45made clear...
10:46in their branding...
10:47who owns...
10:48their practices...
10:49it's...
10:50yours...
10:51for life...
10:52the corporate firms...
10:53say...
10:54invested...
10:55huge amounts...
10:56to transform the industry...
10:57with...
10:58high-tech equipment...
10:59to...
10:59improve care...
11:00for sick animals...
11:03I think there's been...
11:04significant investment...
11:05and...
11:06that investment...
11:07has occurred...
11:08in independent practices...
11:09as well...
11:10we can...
11:09fix a lot of things...
11:10now...
11:11that James Herriot...
11:12could not...
11:13I think the expectation...
11:14from...
11:14pet owners...
11:15of what veterinary care...
11:16can do...
11:17has gone up...
11:18the big difference...
11:19of course...
11:20is it...
11:19does come...
11:20with a cost...
11:21there is no...
11:22NHS for pets...
11:23I've looked around...
11:24amazing...
11:25cancer hospitals...
11:26for dogs...
11:27and...
11:28seen equipment...
11:29that the NHS...
11:29would cry for...
11:30I mean...
11:31just the most...
11:32amazing machines...
11:33and...
11:34and that's...
11:34seen a little room...
11:35and I've gone...
11:36what's that room...
11:37that's the room...
11:38where people go in...
11:39to get financial...
11:39advice...
11:40for how to borrow...
11:41the money...
11:42to pay for it...
11:43Welcome...
11:44on this beautiful morning...
11:45concerned about...
11:46rising prices...
11:47the government...
11:48watched...
11:49the competition...
11:50and markets...
11:51authority...
11:52or CMA...
11:53started...
11:54a normal...
11:55investigation...
11:56In today's times...
11:57of economic hardship...
11:58what that means...
11:59is that you...
11:59see us...
12:00as a CMA...
12:01focusing...
12:02on really...
12:03essential areas...
12:04of spend...
12:05investigating...
12:04the markets...
12:05for funeral care...
12:06and vet services...
12:07where we...
12:08we buy...
12:09services...
12:10at particular moments...
12:11of need...
12:12and where we're...
12:13vulnerable to...
12:14exploitation...
12:1445,000...
12:16pet owners...
12:17contacted...
12:18the CMA...
12:19and...
12:1911,000...
12:20vets...
12:21big...
12:22and small...
12:23When the Competition...
12:24and Markets Authority...
12:24announced...
12:25its provisional findings...
12:26last autumn...
12:27it said that...
12:28pet owners...
12:29were paying the price...
12:29for the vets...
12:30market...
12:31not working...
12:32properly...
12:33the CMA...
12:34estimated...
12:34cost...
12:35to pet owners...
12:36between...
12:372020...
12:38and 2024...
12:39was...
12:391,500...
12:40million pounds...
12:41it says...
12:42that's down...
12:43to...
12:44not enough...
12:44competition...
12:45and...
12:46informed choice...
12:47in the market...
12:48some of the...
12:49corporate vets...
12:49dispute...
12:50this figure...
12:51the CMA...
12:52has found...
12:53significant...
12:54in...
12:54increases...
12:55in...
12:56prices...
12:57average prices...
12:58across the board...
12:59but...
12:59has also...
13:00drilled down...
13:01into...
13:02the...
13:03large veterinary...
13:04practices...
13:04average prices...
13:05are...
13:06close to...
13:0717%...
13:08more...
13:09versus...
13:10...
13:09is independence. Beyond that, they consider the average prices and price increases.
13:14In large federally groups backed by private equity, that found that after an individual
13:19independent had been acquired, prices would increase beyond what would have been.
13:24In the case, if that firm had remained independent.
13:29The EMA survey suggests pet owners are happy with their vets, both
13:34corporate and independent, when it comes to quality of service.
13:39With the exception of pets at home, customer satisfaction on cost is much...
13:44lower for the big companies.
13:49Jones is one unhappy customer. He works in finance.
13:54And says when the family dog, Betty, fell ill, he couldn't believe how the...
13:59Bill went up.
14:01I loved her. I absolutely adored her. You know, she was such a funny little character.
14:04You know, bags of personality, hanging for everybody.
14:08His local...
14:09Bets, owned by IVC, charged him nearly £900 for...
14:14...a consultation and scan. They then referred Betty to an emergency...
14:19...treatment centre run by Vets now, who are also owned by IVC.
14:24And they did another scan at a higher price.
14:28Betty...
14:29Betty...
14:30...needed an operation, which cost more than £5,000.
14:33But...
14:3412 days later, Rob was advised that Betty could have a serious infection.
14:39He was told a diagnosis and another op would cost...
14:44...between £5,000 and £8,000.
14:46It was a bit of a sleepless night, you know.
14:49A bit of an anxious wait.
14:50We get the call just after nine o'clock, different Vets, and the cost is...
14:54...now £12,000.
14:55And we were like, what?
14:57Like, why?
14:58Like, why?
14:59And...
15:00I mean, and that for me, that's where it got really crazy.
15:04It's like, you know, why has it changed?
15:07It's £4,000 overnight.
15:08£4,000.
15:09And no real explanation.
15:11They went off the phone, came back, said we could do it for ten.
15:14And I'm like, this, like, weird negotiation.
15:16You're negotiating a price now.
15:17Yeah, yeah.
15:18And I'm like, well, you know, it's 10-it.
15:19And they're like, well, maybe not.
15:20I was like, so you could phone later and it could be 14, it could be 16.
15:24And they're like, maybe.
15:25That was the absolute point where I lost faith.
15:29And it was like, I don't believe that you've got our interests or Betty's interests.
15:34At heart.
15:35I work in an industry where you negotiate things and you...
15:39I understand power levers, the negotiation and all that kind of stuff.
15:42They were, in my view, lever...
15:44Rob and his wife, Nina, decided to...
15:49have Betty put to sleep you know we were very close to going ahead with it and it was actually
15:54my daughter that kind of intervened I still remember it like vividly it was you know she
15:59said you know look it's it's too much it's too much for you it's too much for Betty
16:04I was really proud of her Rob was happy with Betty's treatment
16:09but complained about how the price went up and later got an apology
16:14and nearly 3,800 pounds as a goodwill gesture
16:19vets now told us its staff care passionately for the animals it treats
16:24it also says in complex cases prices can vary
16:29depending on what the vet discovers and how the patient responds
16:34it says it has reviewed its processes and implemented a number of changes
16:39to ensure that conversations about pricing are as clear as possible
16:44I honestly wouldn't get another pet I think it's so expensive
16:49now on the and actually the risk financially is so great
16:54a server
16:59it says it has been a great day by the British Veterinary Union which is part of Unite
17:02suggests three
17:04three-quarters of its members think charges are too expensive
17:07I think
17:09that large veterinary corporations particularly where they're owned by private equity companies
17:14are more concerned about profit than professionals who own vets
17:19veterinary businesses
17:20if you are in practice treating those people
17:24patients
17:25and seeing the pet and the pet owner you have a better understanding
17:29understanding of what is affordable
17:31the big firms say they're proud of
17:34their pay training and career opportunities
17:37but the CMA's provisional
17:39report says vets can feel under pressure
17:42by the way some companies monitor their
17:44practices
17:45in researching this film we've spoken to more than 30
17:49vets who have worked either in the past or are currently working for big
17:54corporate companies
17:55one told us but not enough blood tests were being
17:59taken
18:00we were pushed to do more
18:01I hated opening emails
18:03and another
18:04said
18:05that
18:06when their small practice was sold
18:07it was crazy
18:08it
18:09was a struggle
18:10to keep vets
18:11it was all about
18:12hitting targets
18:14not all the big firms set targets
18:18they all say
18:19their staff
18:20are not asked to do anything that puts profit before animal welfare
18:24and the CMA says the vast majority of vets behave ethically
18:28IVC runs more practices than any of the other corporations
18:33I went to meet someone who leads one of their surgeries
18:36I went to meet someone who leads one of their surgeries
18:38they didn't want to be identified because they could lose their job
18:41they showed
18:43to me
18:44a new internal document which is intended to improve clinical care
18:48and also lists key performance indicators for practices in the company
18:53things like
18:54scans
18:55x-rays
18:56and
18:57sales
18:58prepare
18:58and
18:59and
19:00it's colour coded
19:01so the green is even the
19:03top 25%
19:04and
19:05red would be the bottom 25%
19:06and that is judged against the
19:08clinics in the country
19:09so the example for the top left of that column would be OA
19:12which is osteoarthritis
19:13they would want any animal coming in with suspected osteoarthritis
19:16to be potentially having
19:18an x-ray
19:19and as an experienced vet
19:21do you need an x-ray to
19:23to feel
19:24whether an animal's got arthritis or not
19:25I think some animals you'd want to give x-rays to
19:27but on the
19:28whole
19:29if an animal comes in and it's the right age
19:30it's got the right presentation
19:31it's got thickened joints
19:32you see
19:33certainly wouldn't rush to x-ray
19:34you'd maybe want to trial some anti-inflammatory treatment
19:37that's just
19:38shouldn't have pressure to do an x-ray
19:39because it would play into whether they're getting green on the care framework
19:43for their clinic
19:44how much would an x-ray cost
19:46with sedation you could be looking at
19:48700 pounds
19:49nowadays we will actually have meetings every month
19:52where one of the areas
19:53the area teams will ask you
19:54how many blood tests you're doing
19:55how many x-rays you're doing
19:57and how many ultrasounds
19:58and if you were judged to be in a lower level
20:00then they would want to know why
20:03the IVC vet is worried
20:06monitoring performance like this
20:08could influence how staff do their job
20:11is that red pressure for you?
20:13yes
20:14that's pressure
20:15what's going through the vet's head is
20:17what is the problem
20:18how can we fix it?
20:19what's going through the company's mind
20:21and what's going through their processes
20:23trying to get to the vet's mind
20:24is how can we upsell?
20:26this is a business
20:28what's wrong with doing that
20:29these are not just pets
20:30these are part of people's family
20:32there's welfare
20:33they're attached to it
20:34there are hundreds if not thousands
20:36of my colleagues who work so hard
20:38for the things that they want
20:39to be better in the world
20:40which is the pets that are healthier
20:42and happier
20:43and then they're being undermined
20:47IVC says
20:48it's extremely proud of the work
20:50its highly skilled clinical teams do
20:53and the data it collects
20:54is to identify and close gaps in care
20:57for it
20:58its patients
20:59it says
21:00its vets have
21:01clinical independence
21:03IVC also says
21:05the group's vets
21:06and vet nurses
21:07never prior
21:08they're going to be able
21:09to prioritize revenue
21:10or transaction value
21:11over and above the welfare
21:12of the asset
21:13animal in their care
21:14this would be against the RCVS code
21:17and against
21:18IVC policy
21:19under the Royal College
21:23of Veterinary Surgeon's Code
21:24all vets swear an oath
21:26to put animal welfare
21:28first
21:29it currently has no power to regulate
21:31vet businesses
21:33well our professional guidance
21:34is very clear
21:35that our clinical decisions
21:38decision making needs to be free
21:39from commercial pressures
21:40and the RCVS did in fact
21:42write to
21:43all veterinary professionals
21:44and veterinary employers
21:45in November 24
21:47reminded
21:48of that need to protect
21:50that clinical autonomy
21:51part of what vets feel
21:53I think is they feel the pressure
21:55of their oath
21:57but they've got this
21:58pressure on them
21:59from the company
22:00that makes it very difficult
22:01for vets doesn't it
22:02it absolutely does
22:03and it is also why
22:04we have been calling for
22:05a new vet resurgence act
22:08a new law
22:10which the CMA also wants
22:12would make vets
22:13companies more accountable
22:15it can't come
22:16soon enough
22:17for some pet owners
22:18these people that own it
22:21most of them have got shareholders
22:23anyway
22:24and that's all they're interested in
22:25is the share of
22:26don't worry about the bloody animals
22:27don't tell me
22:28they're animal lovers
22:29but the vets
22:30they wouldn't do that job
22:31unless they cared about animals
22:33no I'm sorry
22:34I don't agree with you
22:35they do it because the money's good
22:37how do you think vets
22:38what do you view you do you think
22:39they don't see me like a caring person
22:41they just want me money
22:43yeah
22:48Vets, whether they work for themselves like Vanessa or for corporates, feel under-
22:53The perception is that Vets are sort of loaded, that the bills have gone-
22:58up and they're making lots of money.
23:00It breaks my heart.
23:03And just to take such a caring bunch of people-
23:08and to say that we're in it for money.
23:10Imagine how we feel.
23:13It really destroys you to hear something like that because it's so far from the truth.
23:17I don't think-
23:18I don't think we've ever had such distrust from the public before.
23:22It's just not-
23:23It's not cool because Vets didn't change.
23:26The industry changed-
23:28but the Vets didn't.
23:29Music
23:33Music
23:35Hello gorgeous.
23:36Some animal charities are w-
23:38worried about the impact of rising bills on pet owners and their pets.
23:43Danny runs the Blue Cross Rehoming Centre at Thirsk in North Yorkshire.
23:48This is Reggie, come on fella, come on, what's this?
23:53We're just going to head out to the training barn.
23:55People are abandoning their pets because of...
23:58The shame that they're feeling of having to make this decision, not being able to afford to look at...
24:03After your own pet, which is, in many circumstances, people's family members.
24:07What is...
24:08What is the impact on a family if they're forced to give up their animal?
24:11We're talking about grief.
24:13This is what we're talking about.
24:14The loss of a pet is significant grief.
24:17I'm a pet...
24:18I'm a pet owner myself.
24:19I cannot imagine having to have to make that decision.
24:23The choice between having my pet and not having my pet.
24:28And this is heartbreaking for people to experience because they're...
24:33In some cases, having to make euthanasia decisions because they cannot afford...
24:38To pay for the vet treatment.
24:41Pets are becoming...
24:42Pets are becoming...
24:43Unaffordable.
24:44Pets are becoming...
24:45Pets are becoming...
24:46Pets are becoming...
24:47Pets are becoming...
24:48Pets are becoming...
24:49Pets are becoming...
24:50Pets are becoming...
24:51Pets are becoming...
24:52Pets are becoming...
24:53Pets are becoming...
24:54Pets are becoming...
24:55Pets are becoming...
24:56Pets are becoming...
24:57Pets are becoming...
24:58Pets are becoming...
24:59Pets are becoming...
25:00Pets are becoming...
25:01Pets are becoming...
25:02Pets are becoming...
25:03Pets are becoming...
25:04Pets are becoming...
25:05Pets are becoming...
25:06Pets are becoming...
25:07Pets are becoming...
25:08Pets are becoming...
25:09Pets are becoming...
25:10Pets are becoming...
25:11Pets are becoming...
25:12Pets are becoming...
24:48The Competition and Markets Authority is demanding
24:53the industry makes changes.
24:55It's telling companies to reveal whether they are
24:58part of a chain and also whether they are connected
25:01to other businesses like
25:03hospitals, online pharmacies, out of our surgeries,
25:06even crematoria.
25:08IVC, CVS and VET Partners all
25:13have connected businesses and would have to be more
25:16transparent about that in the future.
25:18Many large veterinary companies will own products
25:22and services that
25:23take a pet through their life from start to finish.
25:26Pet owners and...
25:28The public in general in the UK
25:29want to know where they are spending their money.
25:32They want to know...
25:33..who that money goes to.
25:37To help Pet owner...
25:38keep costs down, the CMA also want VETs to publish their prices
25:43online if they aren't already and put the bills in writing if they're likely to...
25:48go over £500 and it wants a new online data...
25:53..so pet owners can compare prices.
25:56VETs will also have to...
25:58to tell customers they can buy drugs cheaper online and prescriptions will be...
26:03a cat at £16.
26:06The big companies say...
26:08they support moves to make the industry more transparent so long as they don't...
26:13put too high a burden on VETs but they dispute some of the CMA...
26:18price figures and analysis.
26:20They say their prices are competitive,
26:23and are fully justified by their quality of care and high costs including drugs.
26:28They say customers value their services highly.
26:33They comply with the RCVS guidelines.
26:36Some believe
26:38the CMA could have been tougher on the big companies.
26:42There are some
26:43good things.
26:44Definitely a good idea telling people when their practice has been taken.
26:48Over and that it's now a corporate.
26:51But what the
26:53CMA doesn't achieve is protecting diversity.
26:58Because if every vetted your immediate area is now a corporate.
27:03You'll be able to see from the signage that that's the case.
27:06But you won't be able to
27:08find one that's independent because they've been bought.
27:13The CMA's final report is due by the spring and says it's
27:18proposals would improve competition by helping pet owners choose the
27:23right vet, the right treatment and the right way to buy medicine without
27:28confusion or unnecessary cost and that the CMA makes its decision
27:33decisions based on an objective assessment of the evidence.
27:38Vets and animal charities say we all need to wise up.
27:43So our love for our pets doesn't get us into a financial
27:48business.
27:49One is about education and that pet owners do the correct
27:53research.
27:54If when they're deciding to get a pet for the family looking at insurance
27:58costs.
27:58Looking at veterinary costs.
27:59Do pet owners need to be more realistic do you think?
28:03Yeah, of course.
28:04So we can always offer a pet an MRI.
28:08I scan, but if you can't afford it, you have to be honest as well
28:12because you cannot get it.
28:13We can't get into debt about it.
28:14And there's probably another route that we can take.
28:17Do you think we might.
28:18Do you think we might get to a stage where pets are just for the wealthy?
28:21God, I hope not.
28:23But you need a lot of money to look after a pet.
28:28Jack Russell, they don't break.
28:29Jack Russell, they don't break.
28:33Jack Russell, they don't break it down.
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