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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle

Rise in chain-owned vet surgeries isn’t good for Britain’s pets

Dog lying on a white bed and staring upwards
‘We always have rescue dogs, which usually have some form of health issue and are often elderly.’ Photograph: Corey OHara/Alamy

I have no doubt that Kate Platt is a very hardworking vet, like thousands of others (Letters, 20 November). But she must be aware that there are huge groups of private surgeries owned by overseas firms charging extortionate fees. Our local vet was bought by one such group, and we have stopped using them. We are lucky to have an independent vet surgery not too far away.

As we always have rescue dogs, which usually have some form of health issue and are often elderly, it can prove expensive. This cost sadly prohibits people from taking in rescue animals.

Insurance has also encouraged many medical procedures that normally would be too expensive for most people, and this can cause suffering to animals when the right thing to do is to let them go.
Linda Theobald
London

• Do you have a photograph you’d like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers’ best photographs galleries and on our Saturday letters spread in the print edition.

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