My mother, who has a bloodhound's nose for problems, foretold the veterinarian catastrophe over a decade ago.
Just when our elderly cat started suffering convulsions, a major American firm bought her local vet surgery. Euthanasia should have been quick and humane.
But the new vet is refusing to put poor Teddy down,” my mother shouted. “He has a terrible saccharine voice and keeps saying he wants to test again.
But I nearly see dollar signs twirling in his eye sockets.”Large businesses held 10% of vet offices in 2013.
The current rate is 60%. Medivet, CVS, Pets at Home, and Mars have a near-oligopoly over pet health. Vet bills rose over 50% during the same period, outpacing inflation.
Now the Competition and Markets Authority is investigating whether this corporate merger is squeezing independent competitors and diminishing consumer choice.
Well, obviously. Price-gouging companies are not solely responsible. (Mostly, but not fully) Clients have changed with vets.