SA vets appeal to owners not to skimp on veterinary care

Veterinary care is expensive but much needed for proper animal care, writes Jyothi Laldas.

- Jyothi Laldas

With the current economy placing pressure on South Africans, many farmers and animal owners have cut back on costs by sacrificing veterinary care.

In lieu of this, local veterinary and para-veterinary professionals are appealing to animal owners to explore other options such as insurance and preventative care to make looking after their animals more affordable.

Echoing the call, the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) was aiming to create awareness around the valuable role veterinary and para-veterinary professionals play in the healthcare chain.

“No one is disputing that veterinary care is expensive,” said Dr Greg Irvine-Smith, a specialist surgeon at a Johannesburg veterinary hospital and a representative of companion animals on the SAVC’s Specialisation Committee. “But owning an [animal] is a privilege and a responsibility. So, when you take on that animal, you’re taking on that responsibility, and you have a duty of care to them.”

He highlighted that while top-class veterinary care can be expensive in South Africa, local veterinarians deliver value for money compared to similar procedures elsewhere in the world at triple or quadruple the cost.