Why is Animal care so expensive in America?

By: Bethel Tessera

Edited by Eva Ternovska

I know from experience that taking a pet to the vet in America can be costly. One visit to the vet can cost upwards of $100. Many people can’t afford these prices , leading to unfortunate outcomes such as preventable deaths. So, why is animal care in America so expensive?

A large chunk of the money that you pay for animal care goes towards the staff at the veterinary. That is how vets in America make a median wage of $100,000+. Not only are you paying the salaries of veterinarians, but also technicians who help with anesthesia, radiology, and caring for hospitalized patients. They may have spent 8+ years in school for veterinary practice, where they could have gathered over $300,000+ in student loans. The more experience the doctor has, the better quality of vet care and the more you have to pay.

Another portion goes to the payment of drugs. Pet meds can cost a lot of money. Drug companies not only consider how much the drugs cost based on  the price of research and production,  but also on how much you would be willing to pay for them. They raise the prices as much as they can to get the greatest profit . This can be detrimental to people with pets who can’t afford to pay $100+ for medication

There is also the contribution of liability insurance.  Every well-trained doctor has to pay this in order to prevent lawsuits. Liability insurance can cost up to $100,000+. Doctors are human like us and can make mistakes that can result in unfortunate circumstances. To pay for the insurance, it’s only fair that the patient pays more.

Lastly, if you are middle or upper class, you’re likely to pay more for your pets. In most households, pets are seen as part of the family Vet clinics use that to their advantage. Because they know that you would do anything to help your pets, they make you pay as much as they think you would be willing to pay. 

In my opinion, how much we pay for vet care should instead be determined by how much one makes a year. It’s truly unfair that an animal should die just because the owner couldn’t afford to pay for care or drugs. I hope a solution will be worked out to get affordable animal care for everyone, so that we don’t witness any more preventable deaths.