If you’ve been wincing at the growing total on your vet bills, you’re not alone. Across Canada, pet guardians are feeling the pinch as the cost of veterinary care continues to rise.
For many families, a trip to the vet has gone from something manageable to something that causes real financial stress. And unfortunately, when the bills become too high, it’s often our pets—the very family members we’re trying to protect—who end up suffering.
A big part of this change comes from the way veterinary clinics are owned and operated. Before 2010, the vast majority of vet clinics in Canada were independently owned. Your local veterinarian not only cared for your pet, but they also made the business decisions that shaped the clinic’s fees, services, and priorities.
Since then, things have changed dramatically. Today, more than half of emergency and specialty hospitals and over 20 per cent of all clinics in Canada are owned by just six corporations.
On the surface, this might not seem like a big deal. After all, the same veterinarians and technicians are still working in the clinics. But corporate ownership often brings changes that pet guardians feel in their wallets. Large companies are profit-driven, and with that comes higher service fees, and pressure to increase revenue.
What used to be a community-based business run by a doctor who lived in your town is now part of a larger system with financial targets to meet.
For pet guardians, the results are obvious. Routine checkups that once cost a fraction of what they do now can feel overwhelming. Emergency visits can run into the thousands, leaving families scrambling to make impossible choices.
Some guardians delay or skip care, hoping their pet’s condition improves on its own, because the cost is simply too much to bear. Others take on debt to cover the bills, stretching their family’s finances to the limit.
And here’s the heartbreaking truth: when people are forced to choose between paying for veterinary care and putting food on the table, animals suffer.
Guardians who love their pets deeply may feel guilt and despair when they can’t provide the care they want to give. Vets themselves feel the emotional toll too, knowing that finances—not medical ability—can decide whether a pet gets the treatment they need.
Of course, it’s important to acknowledge that veterinary care has always carried costs. The training, equipment, and staff required to keep a modern clinic running are significant.
Many vets and staff members are doing their very best to balance quality care with affordability. But the corporatization of clinics has undeniably shifted the landscape, moving vet care further out of reach for everyday families – especially in rural communities.
So, where does this leave us? For now, it means being proactive. Guardians can seek out charitable assistance programs or nonprofit clinics that offer reduced-cost services, and focus on preventative choices like feeding a nutritious, high-quality diet and keeping pets active, since good nutrition and exercise help prevent costly health issues in the long run.
A call for the regulation of spay and neuter pricing, along with fair pricing for essential vaccines, is imperative if we want to keep basic veterinary care within reach for all families.
Guardians must raise their voices, support community-based veterinary initiatives, and call for changes.
By standing together, supporting community-based veterinary initiatives, and pushing for fair and transparent pricing, we remind the world that pets are not luxuries—they are family.
