Vet shortage hits pet owners
‘‘We are reaching that crisis point.’’
Callum Irvine
Vet Partners operations manager
An unprecedented shortage of veterinarians and a big increase in pet ownership has created a ‘‘perfect storm’’ resulting in longer waiting times for routine procedures, experts say.
A shortage of vets was compounded by the border closure because of Covid-19.
Vet Partners operations manager Callum Irvine said a border exception for 30 vets last year and a further 50 earlier this year still left the country far short of the number needed. Getting spots in MIQ booked had proved difficult. Many had not yet arrived as a result.
A survey of the Veterinary Association’s members last year found there were 120 practices in need of about 220 vets throughout the country, and across specialities.
An association spokeswoman said about 120 newly qualified vets entered the work force each year.
Companion Animal Council general manager David Lloyd said microchip registrations, a good indication of pet ownership, had increased 35 per cent in the first six months of this year compared with the same period last year.
Dog ownership had increased 30 per cent and cat ownership had increased 40 per cent, Lloyd said. ‘‘The previous two years cat registrations were completely flat, meaning that people weren’t adopting many. And I suspect that big bounce shows an explosion in the cat population as de-sexing stopped abruptly in April last year.’’
Lockdowns had also encouraged the trend, as workers spent more time at home. Companion animals had become more popular as a result.
Lloyd said he expected the trend would continue over the next six months.
Irvine said the industry now had to think what it would do differently.
Vet Partners owned more than 50 practices in the country.
‘‘It has been the perfect storm for us. We are reaching that crisis point where everyone has coped and survived through the Covid period but its increasingly obvious that there is not going to be any quick solution with vets coming over the border.’’
Sick animals would still get care but pet owners would have to wait longer for routine things such as dental care, vaccinations and checks, he said.