Services on owned animals are provided on a freelance basis: this means that the veterinary practitioner has to bear numerous expenses for the maintenance and management of the facility. These large costs account for the majority of the final price of the service and cannot be eliminated: the very sustainability of the facility and thus the ability to provide the services requested by animal owners would be at stake.
Rather, it is up to the institutions to provide appropriate tools to financially support those who actually cannot but want to care for their animals.
The professional cannot be expected to bear the social cost.
We act by always respecting the principle of Duty of Care as governed by Article 14 of the Veterinary Doctor’s Code of Ethics, but we veterinary doctors are not missionaries.
Being a veterinarian is a job. Carrying out a social activity, on the other hand, is a personal choice. Almost all veterinary doctors work in social work, but this should not be mistaken for a profession that deserves respect and fair pay. So does our code of ethics.