In this rough economy, many cities and states are having difficulty balancing their budgets. In an effort to make ends meet, several states have considered adding a sales tax to services rendered for veterinary care. Rhode Island is currently considering adding a sales tax to veterinary services. California recently decided not to add the sales tax, at least for now, although law makers have indicated that they may revisit the issue at some point.
Though on the surface, a sales tax on veterinarian services may seem like a good idea to bring in more money for struggling communities, what it means is that the cost of obtaining health care for your pet will increase.
As a responsible pet owner, I’m sure you already realize that pet health care is not inexpensive. Regular examinations, vaccinations, heartworm preventive medication, flea and tick preventive medication, routine blood testing…the list goes on. And all of these are an important part of keeping your pet healthy. By increasing the cost of these services, routine pet health care may prove to be out of the financial reach of many pet owners. Ultimately, it will be our pet’s who suffer when owners of dogs and cats are unable to afford to pursue routine health care for them.
If you are concerned about these proposed taxes on veterinary services, contact your local veterinary medical association to find out how you can voice your opposition. In Rhode Island, many veterinarians are asking clients to sign petitions protesting this new tax proposal. Writing your representatives in state government to voice your opposition is also urged.
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