Take part to this month’s Great Debate: are pet health clubs value for money, or a con to discourage you from changing vets?
Vet care can be expensive, and with the ongoing cost of living crisis families across the UK have really been An online poll carried out for canine charity last year showed that “more than one in ten dog owners (13 per cent) has been forced into debt in order to care for their dog, a situation that is set to get worse as pet owners face an increase in the costs associated with caring for dogs”.
It’s therefore no surprise that any means to save some money on vet care is welcomed by owners. Pet health clubs promise to save them sizeable sums by covering a range of common treatments, including vaccines and anti-flea and worm medication.
“It works out great for us – we’ve definitely saved money,” a reader wrote Dogs Today.
Others, however, were far less impressed, saying that little money was saved and that in the end, it wasn’t worth it.
“Like every loyalty scheme, its entire goal is first and foremost keeping you tied to specific vet franchise,” another reader wrote. “And it discourages you from changing vets. Even if you think your dog would benefit from a different vet, you hesitate to do the switch because you’ve been paying the monthly premium to this one. Textbook sunk cost fallacy.”
Others yet have said that the situation is not that black and white, and that whether or not pet health schemes are worth it entirely depends on your situation, your dog, and the services you need from it.
So, what do you think – are pet health clubs value for money, or a con to discourage you from changing vets? Tell us what you think here, on or by writing to [email protected].