When Chrissy LeBlond took over as the manager of Claremont Animal Hospital in August, keeping the clinic’s services affordable for clients was top of mind.
“It’s a real struggle,” LeBlond said, adding that since the pandemic, she’s noticed a “big drop” in clients following recommended schedules for vaccines, checkups and other preventive medicine because of cost. “For me, it’s just not OK. We want to be able to make sure we can still give good medicine, even through the rising costs.”
Pet owners around the Upper Valley are struggling to afford basic and emergency veterinary care, providers say, as service prices continue to climb. The cost of veterinary care has outpaced inflation, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Prices for veterinary services have risen about 54% since 2019, compared with about 31% for all goods and services, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price data.
“The cost of pet medical care, even basic care, has increased significantly in the past few years,” said RayLynn Bradigan, executive director of the Upper Valley Humane Society in Enfield. “Even a basic exam and vaccinations can be unaffordable.”
Locally, that has left some pet owners struggling to provide for their four-legged loved ones, clinics grappling with how to help clients afford care, and nonprofits scrambling to fill the gaps.
Yet solutions are on the horizon. The Upper Valley Humane Society is working to expand the number of low-cost clinics it can offer by hiring another vet. Claremont Animal Hospital launched a new program this week that lets clients break their annual vet care costs into monthly payments, hoping to make care more affordable.
“For people around here,” LeBlond said, “it’s going to be very beneficial.”
Inflation, consolidation and tech advances drive up prices
Several factors are driving up pet care costs. Clinics themselves are facing increased costs, which ultimately have to be passed along to consumers for the businesses to stay sustainable.
“All of our vendors raise their prices a lot each year,” said Keely Doyle, a licensed vet nurse and hospital manager at Stoney Brook Veterinary Hospital in Lebanon. Doyle noted that this year, she’s seen some vendors raise prices by as much as 22%.
“We have this really difficult position, where if we don’t raise our price, we’re compromising on something else, like pay for our team,” Doyle said.
Like human health care, veterinary care is also experiencing a surge in corporate ownership. While data on how this affects prices is difficult to find, providers in the Upper Valley say they’ve noticed a link with price increases.
“As corporate is taking over, the cost of basic care has to go up because it is part of a bigger entity,” said Dr. Deborah Pasho, a veterinarian at Stonecliff Animal Clinic in Lebanon, which is partly corporate-owned.
Advances in vet medicine, and the resulting longer lifespans of pets, also contribute to rising costs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
“The standard of care has increased,” Pasho said. “Owners are … more willing to do blood work and things that seem standard for the rest of the family.”
Increased surrenders and demand for lower-cost care
Over the past few years, more people who can’t afford ongoing or emergency medical care for their pets have been turning to local shelters.
“We definitely have been getting more people calling because they can’t afford the vet care,” said Cheryl Koenig, executive director of the Sullivan County Humane Society in Claremont.
The humane society has been at or near its limit of 50 cats all year, Koenig said, while coping with its own cost increases. Last year, the organization paid about $10,000 a month for vet care. This year, the monthly cost has been between $15,000 and $20,000 because of both higher prices and more services needed.
“It’s putting a bigger financial strain on us,” Koenig said.
The Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society in West Windsor has been taking in more senior animals with complicated health histories from owners who “see their beloved animal is in distress, and they can’t afford to diagnose it properly,” according to Executive Director Jackie Stanley.
Lucy Mackenzie has a fund that can help cover emergency services, but the amount of money is “extremely limited,” Stanley said.
Besides rising pet costs, a primary reason people surrender animals to Lucy Mackenzie is that they can’t find affordable pet-friendly housing, Stanley said. More than a year ago, the Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction changed its shelter policy to allow people experiencing homelessness to bring their pets.
“Previously, when we didn’t accept animals, we’d have humans declining shelter because they couldn’t bring their pets,” said Emily Healy, adult shelter supervisor at the Haven. Now, about half of shelter guests typically bring their animals, mostly cats and dogs.
The Haven holds quarterly pet clinics for its clients, thanks to volunteer time donated by staff at Sugar River Animal Hospital in Grantham, Healy said. The demand for those clinics consistently outpaces the number of available appointments.
“We always have people wishing they could have had those spots,” Healy said.
That’s happening elsewhere around the region, too. The Sullivan County and Upper Valley humane societies, along with Lucy Mackenzie, report that their low-cost spay, neuter and vaccine clinics are nearly always full, often with waitlists.
Tractor Supply stores in Lebanon and Claremont regularly offer lower-cost vet care clinics through the provider PetVet. However, those clinics have frequently been canceled this year because “they haven’t gotten a vet,” said Kylie Hinkson, manager of the Tractor Supply store in Lebanon.
The Upper Valley Humane Society recently hired an additional vet and plans to expand clinic capacity, Bradigan said.
Bradigan said the humane society’s services are “intended for people who cannot otherwise afford this care for their pets,” meaning people who risk eviction, vehicle repossession or hunger if they must spend on veterinary care. She said she understands the need to save money, but she becomes frustrated when people use the clinic’s limited spots when they could afford to pay full price for veterinary care.
“Often we were providing low-cost spay/neuter services and medical care to puppies purchased for thousands of dollars from breeders,” she said, “and that was taking a toll on our team.”
Vets urge candid conversations and informed decisions
Providers say that even amid rising costs, establishing and maintaining a relationship with a veterinarian can help save money in the long run. Preventive care decreases the risk of more costly illnesses, and “if you have an established relationship they might be able to work with you more,” Koenig said.
That recently happened at Stoney Brook Veterinary Hospital, when a few clients approached Doyle about the price of infusions their pets were getting. Doyle looked at her metrics and realized she couldn’t lower the price. She could, however, create a loyalty program through the manufacturer that would result in significant savings for the patients.
“We work really hard to try to come up with a fair price,” she said.
When clients are upfront about their financial constraints or concerns, their veterinary provider may be better able to connect them with resources and help them choose the course of action that best balances their finances and their pet’s health, providers say.
Claremont Animal Hospital, for example, accepts spay and neuter vouchers from a state program for SNAP recipients and can occasionally share free samples of pet supplies with clients. Signs in each exam room encourage pet owners to ask for an estimate. LeBlond said staff members are always willing to discuss treatment options and their costs.
“The biggest thing is, never be afraid to call and ask questions,” LeBlond said. “We always try to work with clients.”
When it comes to beloved pets, Pasho said, there’s an emotional pull that’s often at odds with financial reality. She said she never judges owners for declining treatments because of their costs.
“There’s a lot to balance, and that’s really why I like good conversations up front,” she said. “I absolutely know money is tight for everyone; I would encourage them not to feel bad if they can’t do it.”