9 Aug 2023
Practices across England and Wales are being encouraged to take part in the programme, which officials say has already provided assistance in more than 2,500 cases.
Allister Webb
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The RSPCA has begun trials of a vet voucher scheme that aims to make treatment more accessible for pet owners facing financial difficulties.
More than 2,500 vouchers – which are each worth up to £250 to help cover care costs – have so far been issued to veterinary practices across England and Wales.
Although owners are expected to meet costs beyond the voucher’s value, officials said the scheme is already making a significant difference and information from the trial will help them improve the system for both vets and clients.
Vanessa Howie, the RSPCA’s head companion animal vet, said: “We are so grateful for the support from vets who are seeing pet owners with one of our vouchers.
“There are many struggling pet owners at the moment who are facing difficult choices due to competing demands to provide for themselves, their families and their pets through the cost of living crisis.
“By supporting owners to access veterinary care, we can ensure that the needs of the animals are met and their health and welfare is maintained.”
Although similar schemes have been funded at a local level, the charity signalled its intention to develop a wider voucher scheme earlier this year, as the impact of the cost of living crisis worsened.
The vouchers are allocated by RSPCA officers, or via referrals from the Pet Food Bank Partnership, to owners who have been identified as being in a state of financial distress and have a pet whose care they are unable to fund.
They can be used to help fund preventive activity, such as nail clipping or flea treatments; courses of treatment or surgery that are assessed to be pragmatic, sustainable for the owner and offering a good prognosis; or euthanasia.
In most cases, participating practices are contacted in advance to arrange an appointment and agree the amount that the voucher should offer. Invoices need to be submitted within 30 days of treatment taking place.
Dr Howie highlighted the case of a dog that underwent surgery for cherry eye, which his owner could not afford to pay for, following discussions between vets, the RSPCA and a local branch as an example of the impact that the scheme is already having.
She added: “We really want to develop the voucher scheme to create a good user experience for vets and owners alike.”
Any vets interested in joining the scheme should email [email protected] to register their interest.
