I have just been to my vet with Mo to have his teeth checked and a couple of small masses looked at.  I couldn't have been in for more than 10 minutes max and yet was charged the basic fee (£45.42 - odd amount!) plus £9.08 VAT bringing the cost up to £54.50

Small wonder I now don't go to a vet unless I feel it's really necessary.

How can the VAT be removed from vet bills - Petition?

ps  He agreed he had a murmur (Richard could do a heart scan - kerching) but felt his teeth could wait and that the masses most probably weren't cancerous.  I have to watch for any growth.

> yet was charged the basic fee (£45.42 - odd amount!) plus £9.08 VAT bringing the cost up to £54.50

That's a pretty good deal; in many practices a consultation fee is over £60 (some will chargethat per 10 minutes to deter people from the "Oh and while I'm here could you check ... " because that means a delay seeing the next patient and knocks on all down the line).

Business clients - farms and so on - can reclaim the VAT but unfortunately the general public can't. It's the law, and not anything the vets can do about it.

> unfortunately the general public can't. It's the law, and not anything the vets can do about it.

Perhaps I should have made myself clear - my beef isn't with vets, but with the Government so maybe there should be a Petition on this?

If the norm for a consult. is now £60, small wonder some people on low incomes like us, hesitate before taking their pets to a vet.   Keeping one is now a luxury many can't afford, if it wasn't always so.   With a 10 min. time limit, it's probably as well to try to cram as much into a visit, as possible

I wonder on what basis hmrc would exempt vet fees  ? Its a service so vat would be payable

Would be great if it was exempted
Atm ibwould settled for.sonething being done about the increase in costs with the large corporations that are taking over so mamy if our independent vets.
Ibam lucky mine is still independent and I think consult is £35 .scripts ar £20 less than many

The thing is, the Government requires people (quite rightly!) to provide veterinary care for their pets as and when needed.  And then swipe the cost with VAT.   Nice little earner eh.   I'd settle for a lower figure because yes, it is a service.

The vet in town I use isn't a big corporation although they do have 3 branches and some of what they provide is starting to look like the 'corporations' which bothers me.  Thank goodness, touch wood, so far Mo hasn't had be in there like poor old Frankie did.  I had a joke with reception about 'my parking space', with him.

I'm also with an independent vet and our consult is £51 for dogs and cats, £32 for rabbits and small animals.  The cost can be crippling.

Just booked my dogs booster vaccination. £79  ouch,  and the women said oo that included the health check. o yes the check where they keenly see if there is anything else they can charge me for

>o yes the check where they keenly see if there is anything else they can charge me for

Oh yes, the legal check required to see if there's any underlying condition that might make it unwise to give a booster at that time. Perish the thought that they should a) obey the rules or b) have your dog's welfare at heart.