A GRIEVING pet owner has raised concerns about the corporate nature of the vet industry after the sad death of her beloved cat.

Karen Burgess has been left distressed after her cat Harry had to be put down by a vet out of hours.

After Harry suffered a catastrophic brain bleed, Karen called her regular vet in Tavistock, fully aware she would be diverted to the out-of-hours emergency phone service in Plymouth because the Tavistock vets was closed after 7pm. 

She then had the choice of taking him to the next nearest vets, near Tavistock, which was still offering an out-of-hours service (but which he was not signed up to), or driving to Plymouth to access the out-of-hours emergency service which his Tavistock practice offers as part of a larger chain of practices.

Karen opted for the nearest vet, which cost her an extra £156 tariff because Harry was not registered with them, on top of the bill for treatment and drugs - costing her a total of £455 to have Harry put down.

Some veterinary practices have taken over by corporate entities, such as equity firms, which had led to accusations that this leads to a poorer service through less choice and cost-cutting. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided it should launch a formal Market Investigation, having received 56,000 responses from the public and vet industry.

Karen, a watercolourist, said: “It’s been very distressing for me to see Harry go through unnecessary suffering. When he suddenly lost the use of his legs and I knew this was the end and he was dying. I also knew his vet didn’t offer the emergency out-of-hours. 

“So, despite him being in pain and dying I was given little choice but to take him for a long drive with me all stressed and distracted to Plymouth for his emergency service to be put to sleep, or go to a nearer vet with the added expense.

“The trouble is that practices are being taken over by companies whose ethos is not in the best interests of animals or their owners.”