Veterinary practices in the UK will soon be required to publish pricing information for common treatments, enabling pet owners to compare costs and make informed decisions, according to new government proposals.
These practices will also need to obtain an official operating license as part of a broader effort to elevate industry standards. These reforms, proposed by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), mark the first significant changes in 60 years.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has previously noted that veterinary service prices have increased at nearly double the rate of inflation.
The British Veterinary Association, representing 19,000 members, has expressed general support for the proposals, while also cautioning that they are “very unlikely to dramatically alter the cost of veterinary care”.
It is estimated that more than half of UK households own a pet.
Common treatments expected to be subject to price transparency include annual vaccinations, initial vaccinations for puppies or kittens, microchipping, and neutering or spaying.
A BBC File on 4 investigation last April highlighted the escalating costs of veterinary care, prompting hundreds of pet owners to voice their concerns.
Veterinarians and animal charities have reported an increasing trend of pet owners choosing euthanasia for sick animals or delaying necessary treatments due to financial constraints.
Growing concerns about fair pricing within the veterinary sector led the CMA to initiate a formal investigation towards the end of last year. The authority estimates that issues in the veterinary market could cost UK households up to £1 billion over five years.
The CMA found a lack of standardised pricing for treatments, and noted that 84% of veterinary practice websites did not provide any pricing information.
While the CMA’s investigation is ongoing, with final proposals expected in March, the government has now unveiled its plans to modernise the regulation of the veterinary system.
Under these proposals, veterinary practices will also be required to be transparent about treatment options and any associated changes, with the government stating this will empower pet owners “to choose the best treatment for their animals”.
Providing key price information in advance would enable pet owners “to choose the best value”, according to the government.
The government noted that 60% of veterinary practices are owned by non-veterinarians and proposed that practices disclose ownership information.
This, combined with price transparency, would assist owners in selecting a practice, “increases competition and brings down cost”.
Additional proposals include:
A public consultation period of eight weeks will run until 25 March.
Helene Svinos, from Manchester, contacted BBC Your Voice earlier this month to share her experience after her dog Rowan required emergency care in Suffolk last summer.
She expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment, which cost £1,600, and stated that her complaints have not been investigated despite repeated attempts.
The cost of this treatment exceeded her insurance limit, preventing her from using the policy to cover Rowan’s cancer treatment when he was diagnosed in October 2025.
She ultimately took out a £10,000 loan “because I didn’t want him to go without anything”. Rowan passed away last month.
She told the BBC: “As a doctor it’s shocking because we have a very good complaints procedure.
“Our pets are family, my life revolves around my pets, and to have awful treatment, and also not be able to complain and then the vet bill on top of that, it’s just appalling – it feels like a real kick in the teeth actually.”
She added that there is “no protection of your consumer rights at all when you take your dog to a vet”.
Dr. Rob Williams, president of the British Veterinary Association, cautioned against the oversimplification that legislative reform would “somehow massively reduce the cost of veterinary care”.
“There’s far too many factors at play,” he stated. “The cost of living is something that affects vet practices. It is very expensive to deliver the care.”
Williams added: “As a profession we can do an awful lot more today than we could do even 10 years ago. We have a much better understanding of diagnostics and treatment options… and quite rightly in my view the animal-owning public have a much higher expectation of my profession and what we can deliver in terms of the care we provide for their animals. So all of those things together account for why the cost is the cost.”
He added the reforms would increase transparency and “may go a long way” to increasing competition, but “of themselves they are very unlikely to dramatically alter the cost of veterinary care”.
Dr. Christine Middlemiss, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, told the BBC that while currently it is just individual veterinary surgeons who are regulated, the proposals would bring whole businesses into scope.
It would broaden the availability of services, she said, as veterinary nurses would come under regulation, meaning they would be able to undertake certain standard procedures, whereas currently “they have to do everything under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon”.
Martin Coleman, chair of the CMA Inquiry Group, welcomed the consultation.
He added: “Our vets investigation is ongoing, but we have already set out our strong concern that the current rules are not fit for purpose and need reforming to keep pace with commercial practice and further build pet owner trust in veterinary businesses.”
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