Can't say I can complain about vet charges or add on's.Compared to some of you I have to say we get off light here in Northern Ireland.The reason for that is beyond me and it is shocking what some people are being charged,unbelievable amounts of money,in VAT alone.
In some cases it seems pet medical care is double if not triple the price in some areas of the UK compared to here.
Maybe there's a very obvious reason but for the life of me I really don't get it,but like I said I really can't complain.

Agreed, but I still haven't heard a case for paying the government 20% VAT on the cost of treatment for a sick animal. .... it all adds up to big vet bills and must be contributory in explaining the huge increase in abandoned pets over the last 5 years.

That's interesting Eileen, I wasn't aware that it was so much cheaper in NI. What I have seen in the area where I live is all the little Vet practices being gobbled up by the big outfits. The little surgery is then closed down !
It's a monopoly situation and when I got my puppy 2 years ago I decided to move to a smaller single practice Vet who is marginally cheaper. I am charged £27 for a consultation and then drugs on top of that. Annual vaccination is in the region of £50. How does that compare with NI ?

The simple fact is we pay vat on virtually everything, how many things in life are zero rated vat?
We pay for everything we do and everything we use and pet ownership is no different. Vet bills are high but that's not just down to vat is it? We want the best treatment, up to date surgeries and equipment it doesn't come cheap and IMO the real scandal is the mark up on medications. ( I didn't care about that either when my dog was ill)
I don't really think the majority of pets abandoned is due to vet bills, half of them have probably never been to the vet in their lives. We live in a throwaway society and that includes pets sadly.

Exempt items
Some items are exempt from VAT because the law says they mustn't have any VAT charged on them. Items that are exempt include the following:
insurance
providing credit
education and training, if certain conditions are met
fundraising events by charities, if certain conditions are met
membership subscriptions, if certain conditions are met
most services provided by doctors and dentists
Selling, leasing and letting commercial land and buildings are

So doctors and dentists are exempt, so why not VET's?

I'd say because humans and pets are not equal. Humans at some point in there lives will pay tax in one form or another but pets never will. Therefore humans will contribute financially and pets won't. Most treatment for humans is free or subsidised because of the nhs, veterinary treatment is not free.
Not many items on the list is there?

I have no idea about the rate of sales tax in the US - I just used it as an example to explain what VAT is.

Some of the many VAT exemptions in the UK are as follows:

- Food and drink for human consumption is usually zero-rated but some items are standard-rated, including alcoholic drinks, confectionery, crisps and savoury snacks, hot food, sports drinks, hot takeaways, ice cream, soft drinks and mineral water.

- Equipment for disabled people.

VAT on the following is 5%

- Mobility aids for the elderly.

- Smoking cessation products - nicotine patches and gum.

https://www.gov.uk/rates-of-vat-on-d...s-and-services

There are no VAT exemptions in Israel, for anything. Even basic food is subject to full VAT, as are all aids for the elderly and disabled, and there are no free prescriptions or bus passes.

The 80 year-old husband of a friend of mine [I used to babysit for their first baby well over 50 years ago - they came to Israel about 5 or 6 years before I did], has been an insulin-dependent diabetic who also has an ileostomy since I have known them. He has to pay for his insulin and ileostomy bags whereas they would be free in the UK.

The EU has one set of rules. The US has its own set of rules. And Israel and many other non-EU countries also have their own set of rules.

I do not like it either but taxes are, as you say, a part of life and if we choose to have pets then we should accept that they cost money, and that includes having to pay VAT on vet bills.

I just came from the vet. There were no surcharges or taxes or anything. $150 even. Taxes are 7% and these are sales taxes. They are not applicable on doctors visits etc. from what I understand. I've never seen them added to vet bills or doctor co-pays etc.

Lacey's last vaccination was £25.Was charged £15 for her last check up( wanted to have her ears checked but they were fine).
Will just give you example,she had her eye removed,was given painkillers and AB's.Was booked in and seen half way through her recovery,1 week later,just to check everything was fine Following week,stitches removed...total cost of £140.
Going by the cost of some vet bills on here,I think that's pretty reasonable.
Also had to call out of hours a few months ago( Sunday morning)Vet arranged to open the surgery and meet me there.Lacey had an AB shot and Pain killer injection...total cost £40...really thought it would have been way more than that.

Usually the cost of anything paid by a consumer includes VAT and is not shown as a separate item. On the ecommerce websites I manage - VAT is only shown separately for TRADE customers.

You pay it on the food you buy for a pet (some animal feed is exempt - if they produce food for humans for example) and you pay it on toys and clothing and accessories for your pets.

I don't really see why it should be any different paying it on a service like having a pet euthanised.

I've gone on before about people properly taking into consideration the REAL cost of owning a pet for the duration of the pet's life. Not just the cost of buying and feeding it. But got shot down in flames by one member in particular who told me it was DISGUSTING that I paid over £1K to fly my pet to the UK for me and should have given the money to the needy.