“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to remove V.A.T from vet bills.”

Details of Petition:

“This is a tax on sick and dying animals and can often mean the difference between an animal living or having to be destroyed. In many instances it is the poorer members of our society who are affected the most. An example would be that I had to pay £800 V.A.T on one vet bill the alternative was to have my dog destroyed.”

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumer expenditure generally and reliefs from it have always been strictly limited. When the UK joined the European Community in 1973, it meant signing up to the general agreements which covered the application of VAT throughout the EC. Under these and subsequent agreements, signed by successive governments, we are allowed to keep our existing VAT zero rates and exemptions but not to introduce new ones. This means that we cannot remove VAT from veterinary services.

However, as part of our commitment to charities, we continue to apply a VAT zero rate to a wide range of purchases made by charities, including those animal welfare charities which provide free or subsidized treatment for pets of owners on low incomes, or rescue wild animals. This means that these charities do not have to pay VAT on the veterinary medicines and some of the equipment they use in the care of these animals.