P-05-895 Rosa's Legacy: Introduce a scheme to help people access veterinary care for their companion animals
P-05-895 Rosa's Legacy: Introduce a scheme to help people access veterinary care for their companion animals
This
petition was submitted by Linda Joyce Jones having collected a total of 95
signatures.
Text of Petition
We call on the Welsh
Assembly to ask the Welsh Government to introduce a scheme to help responsible
owners of companion animals access face to face veterinary consultations and
care for their animals.
From this year the Welsh
Government will for the first time have their own limited tax making powers.
For many years ordinary people have and are still struggling with the basic
cost of living. There is no doubt the benefits to people's well-being and
mental health that having a pet can have.
Many become part of their family. For some who live in isolation or alone they
are the only family they have.
Veterinary science like
most professions has evolved rapidly in recent years. Veterinary Surgeons, RVNs and their support staff who work on the
"front line " in Cymru do so under very challenging circumstances.
It's good to see that their governing body the RCVS have in recent years
recognised this and put in place measures to try and support mental health
wellbeing within the profession. But unlike human health in Wales there is no
NHS service for animals that is free at the point of need 24/7.
Under the Animal Welfare
Act ( England and Wales) of 2006 section 3.16, it is the responsibility of
owners to provide five basic welfare needs, the fifth being " protection
from pain suffering, injury and disease ".
I would argue that as well
as an requirement set out in law, we also have a moral and ethical
responsibility. This was expressed brilliantly by our former First Minister
Carwyn Jones AM on the floor of the Senedd in July last year " the way we
treat animals is an important reflection of the values of our society ".
Additional
Information
The
insurance industry for companion animals has flourished in recent years. But many responsible owners can still
struggle to get cover for their pets. Pre-existing conditions, dogs who have
been exempted by breed specific legislation, or many pets who simply exceeded
the amount of treatment their owners insurance policy covers.
Some
third sector organisations like the PDSA have for many years tried to plug the
gap. They have done sterling work, but
in recent years even they have had to take the heartbreaking decision to cut
back on the provision they provide. Some areas in Wales have no charity led
animal hospitals or veterinary clinics.
There
is also a worrying trend of owners turning to the forum of social media in
order to get advice on clinical matters rather than take their animals to a
veterinary practice. I know people who man helplines for animal charities. They tell me this trend is repeated with
them.
With
my background in animal rescue I have been convinced for many years that the
increasing numbers of companion animals abandoned or signed over to rescues is
due in part to people's inability to fund veterinary care for their
animals. Rescues in Wales are full to
bursting and all available statistics show such instances and any resulting
prosecutions are on the rise.
Such
a scheme would firstly help companion animals and their owners. It would also
help those who work on the front line in rescue, and not least the veterinary
profession in Wales, who also at times work in the most challenging
circumstances.
Status
This petition was
considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on 15/11/2021.
The
Committee noted that the Welsh Government will publish an Animal Welfare Plan
for Wales 2021-26 soon, agreeing to write back to the Minister one final time
to ask that addressing the call for a scheme to help people access veterinary
care for their companion animals is addressed. In doing so the Committee agreed
that it would close the petition and thank the petitioner for raising this
issue.
Full
details of the consideration of this petition by the Committee and related
documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above.
It
was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 15/10/2019.
Senedd Constituency and
Region
- Arfon
- North Wales
Further
information
Business type: Petition
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: For consideration
First published: 20/08/2019