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Warning for anyone who takes their cat or dog to a vet in the UKConsumer group Which? says owners are put off complaining and the system for doing so is not fit for purpose.NewsJames Rodger
Content Editor06:39, 30 May 2025Consumer group Which? says owners are put off complaining and the system for doing so is not fit for purpose. Anyone who takes their cat or dog to a vet in
the UK has been warned a complaint process is "stacked" against them. Consumer group Which? says owners are put off complaining and the system for doing so is not fit for purpose.
Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at the consumer body, said: “It is completely unjust that many pet owners feel not only unhappy with the service and treatment received by their
vet when their pet is taken ill, but also lack the means to make a complaint that will be properly investigated.”
In its survey of more than 1,000 pet owners who had experienced some kind of problem with their vet during the past two years, pricing was the most common issue raised.
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One in four said the cost was higher than they thought it would be. The third most common issue was quality of care, followed by customer service, not being given the relevant information,
being charged the wrong price, and the vet or practice making a mistake.
Article continues below A VCMS spokesperson told Which? it could not comment on individual cases but added: “Last year we received more than 3,500 inquiries from pet owners, and the VCMS
helped resolve over 80% of complaints …
"It continues to develop the mediation process to improve outcomes and satisfaction for consumers and practice teams, as well as the delivery of veterinary care.”
The RCVS said it had been asking the government to reform the current legislation “for some years”.
Article continues below It added: “Our current remit is relatively narrow and focuses on regulating the individual professionals and not practices, which have never been regulated.
"We support proposals to enhance consumer protection, and mandatory practice regulation.”
It added that “the facts presented in the [Which?] case studies do not completely align with those reported to us”.