2 Mar 2023
Dogs Trust officials are leading calls for a 12-month suspension of the tax, which they would like to see implemented when the chancellor makes his financial statement later this month.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Image © New Africa / Adobe Stock
A new campaign is calling on the Government to suspend VAT on veterinary medicines and services, plus pet food.
The “Paws the VAT” petition has been launched by Dogs Trust ahead of the Spring Budget on 15 March, with the aim of securing a 12-month halt to the charges.
The action follows a record year of handover requests to the charity, more than 50,000 in 2022, and continuing concern about pet owners’ ability to withstand rising prices.
The charity said: “No one should have to face this devastating decision, so we’re calling on the Government to take urgent action to help struggling dog owners.
“This would massively ease financial pressures on pet owners and help keep more dogs with loving families, where they belong.”
Recent research, carried out for Dogs Trust by the polling organisation YouGov, found 31% of respondents were concerned about the costs of looking after their dog in the coming year.
But more than half (54%) said a reduction in veterinary fees would help to ease their worries, while 43% said similar action on pet food would also help.
A previous attempt to cut VAT on vets’ fees, via an online Parliamentary petition, was launched in 2015, but only attracted 75 signatures.
Supporters can sign the petition online.
