06/08/2025
Now before anyone starts to get their’s all bunched up…..I didn’t write this but I could have and I am definitely NOT talking about Avondale Vet Clinic in Rathdrum, they are fantastic people and much appreciated by anyone who deals with them. But….. we hear reports all the time about people not being able to afford vet fees now and we have seen first hand where even clients of veterinary practices have been asked for upwards of €600, up front, to see a dog out of hours and don’t start me on about UCD veterinary charges out of hours!!!
It’s no one’s fault and especially not the animal’s fault if they become ill ‘out of hours’ and require urgent attention. What to do? I know people will say, if you can’t afford them, you shouldn’t have them, but vet fees were never that bad and our local vet treated a sick dog for us years ago on Christmas Day and didn’t even charge us. No one expects that, but people shouldn’t be held to ransom for veterinary bills, especially when out of hours, means out of hours access to cash too if you don’t have a credit card handy. No one expects vets to work for nothing but there should be a happy medium, where by people can afford to do the right thing for their animals, both pet and farm, and let’s not forget, it’s the animals that are suffering here, the longer the debate goes on, the more they suffer. A lot of the smaller veterinary practices have been bought out by bigger, in most instances, UK based businesses. I believe they are being investigated by the UK government there for price fixing, maybe our government could do the same here? I won’t hold my breath. Thanks to all the veterinary professionals who run a 24 hour service for their clients. Support them over the others.
