The recent study, Access to Veterinary Care: Barriers, Current Practices, and Public Policy <link to report>, identifies the need for solutions that allow more people to obtain veterinary care for their animals. The study also sought understanding of the knowledge, attitudes and practices veterinarians have about access to care.
The highest level of agreement expressed by veterinarians in the survey was in response to the statement: “All pets deserve some level of veterinary care.” 95 percent of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement.
Source: Vet Advantage, March 26, 2019. Link. Lack of access to veterinary care is a complex societal problem with many causes,” said Michael Blackwell.
The overwhelming barrier for all groups of pet owners and all types of care is financial, with 80 percent unable to obtain preventative care due to financial constraints, 74 percent for sick care, and 56 percent for emergency care.
INSIGHTS:
NOTE: Three types of veterinary care were explored in the study: preventative care, treatment for an illness or non-emergency injury, and emergency care. The reference point used for measuring the prevalence of these barriers was within the past two years. Pet owners reported facing a barrier an average of 2.4 times this period.
Opinion: This research validates the need for increased adoption of pet insurance to mitigate the risk of injury while supporting routine prevention strategies.