16 Oct 2025
Blue Cross said debate over the authority’s plans must focus on ensuring pets are treated when they need to be.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Veterinary stakeholders have been urged not to “lose sight of what matters most” in the debate over proposed reforms to the sector’s operations.
The plea from Blue Cross came after the RSPCA revealed that more than 12,000 people a month – the equivalent of around 16 per hour – are now seeking its online pet health cost advice.
The two groups were responding to the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) provisional remedy measures for household pet services published yesterday.
Blue Cross chief vet Paul Manketelow said his organisation welcomed plans for improved transparency and customer information but warned those measures alone would not make care more affordable.
He said: “The real challenge lies in ensuring these measures are implemented effectively and that they genuinely lead to fairer access to treatment for all.
“We must not lose sight of what matters most, making sure pets get the care they need when they need it.”
Major care providers have insisted they want to engage with the CMA’s new consultation process to contribute to what one of them, Medivet, described as a “sustainable veterinary sector that puts pets and owners first”.
But the RSPCA said the findings of its latest Animal Kindness Index, suggesting that 52% of owners were increasingly worried about affording vet bills and 74% reported higher costs compared to a year ago highlight the scale of the problem.
Its CVO, Caroline Allen, said there was “no doubt” of the pressure the sector had faced from rising pet ownership levels and staff shortages over recent years.
She added: “Vets are under pressure, and have a key role to play on the frontline of animal welfare – but it’s important people trust the industry; so we welcome anything that encourages vets and people to work together and for more animals to get the treatment they need.
