On April 11, Katie Thomas of the New York Times issued a call to action. She requested pet owners who have been stuck with significant veterinary bills to share their experiences. According to her, the cost of veterinary care has skyrocketed in recent years.
This news has gained traction on veterinary social media platforms and pages over the weekend. Let’s check the pulse on the heart of this issue.
It’s unclear what purpose this information will serve. However, judging from the suggestive language in the title and the text, it appears to be the opinion of this writer that it won’t portray veterinary medicine positively.
Words like “stuck” and “skyrocketed” imply a certain tone of storytelling. And as we know, those who are most vocal are often disappointed or upset individuals. It’s likely that most stories Ms. Thomas receives will be from pet owners who indeed felt “stuck” with a bill and were unprepared for the increased cost.
Is anyone truly stuck with a bill for anything? Veterinary hospitals must obtain consent from owners before proceeding with procedures, after all. This is akin to taking your car to the mechanic and being informed that it will cost $2100 to repair the brakes. Insurance typically doesn’t cover the cost of routine wear and tear. So yes, the car owner will have to pay out of pocket. But is it the mechanic’s fault? The cost is what it is. The mechanic is simply doing their job, running a business, and supporting their own family.
One could argue that the cost of everything these days has “skyrocketed.” How many people have to live with family because rent isn’t affordable for the average person? Remember when everyone was complaining about the cost of eggs? And we’ve all seemingly become accustomed to the price of gas. Why is veterinary medicine expected to be any different?
This isn’t the first time the media has decided to write an “exposé” on veterinary hospitals and their fees. Several months ago in the UK, Adrian Chiles of The Guardian wrote about his own experience at the vet. Mr. Chiles later retracted portions of the article when confronted by the veterinary community and issued an apology. Here in Canada, local news channels frequently run stories on vet care costs, surrendered animals, and upset families multiple times a year.
It’s disheartening for the veterinary community when these incidents occur. It feels like the abuse, judgment, and disrespect they endure daily while performing their jobs are now magnified on a national and international scale. And there’s no escape from it.
More often than not, veterinary staff remain silent. That’s because anything they say may come across as defensive. However, the facts aren’t wrong, and vet clinics recognize that:
- Animals are cherished, integral family members.
- Veterinary care is expensive, and not everyone can afford it.
However, the disagreement lies in where the fault lies, or rather, whether there’s fault at all.
To avoid sounding defensive, Pulse Check Pet requests that pet owners share any stories when they were happy with their veterinary care. If journalists are going to write an article about veterinary care, they should consider the entire picture. To do so, Katie Thomas will need the stories about pet owners who were well-informed about their bills and felt the cost matched the level of expertise and care they received. Those stories are out there! We see them every day.
I also challenge The New York Times to adopt a solution-focused approach when exploring this topic. The public perceives pet ownership as a right, not a responsibility. However, the current systems in place aren’t designed to support this view. So, if pet ownership is to transition from being a privilege to a right, how can it be funded?
Because currently, shaming veterinary professionals for charging for their services and expertise isn’t a solution.
Visit the page here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/11/health/vet-bills-pet-insurance.html
Katie Thomas can be emailed directly at katie.thomas@nytimes.com .