RCVS calls on owners to share views on vet care

Veterinary charity RCVS Knowledge is looking for cat and dog owners to share their views on how veterinary care can be adapted to the individual circumstances of each pet and their owner.

The answers will help improve understanding of what matters most to dog and cat owners about veterinary care and how veterinary professionals can support dog and cat owners in making decisions about their pets’ health.

The research will use the findings, together with information from a survey and interviews with people from the veterinary sector, to create a ‘roadmap’ for how veterinary care can be delivered in a way that is tailored to each dog or cat and their owner.

The research group will bring together pet owners and veterinary leaders to agree how the recommendations set out in the roadmap can be taken forward.

The aim is to help ensure that more pets receive the veterinary care that is right for them and their owner, improving animal health and welfare.The survey is open to current cat or dog owners who live in the UK and are over 18.

Katie Mantell, RCVS Knowledge CEO, said: “Veterinary medicine is now able to offer a wider range of diagnostic and treatment choices than ever before. However, particularly with an increasing number of dog and cat owners facing financial pressures, it is important that veterinary care is adapted to the circumstances of each pet and their owner.”

Kate, a cat, dog and horse owner who has been involved in shaping the research, added: “I always want to do the ‘right’ thing for my animals and I need professionals to guide me on what that looks like.

“For me to know that I am doing the right thing, I need to understand what all the options are and how each is likely to affect outcomes. I think it’s important for all stakeholders to have a voice and to contribute their views to this work so that fully informed decisions can be made.”