The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has extended the administrative timetable of its investigation into the UK veterinary services market for household pets following more than 500 responses, including from the British Veterinary Association (BVA), to its consultation on ‘potential remedies’.
BVA president Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “This news of a delay will be disappointing for many, particularly those frontline staff working tirelessly to care for their patients and support their clients and who have borne the brunt of negative media headlines during the investigation.
“However, whilst this extension prolongs uncertainty across the veterinary sector, the CMA’s final remedies will have far reaching consequences for the viability of vet businesses, which in turn will impact clients and animal welfare, and so it’s vital that the CMA gets this right.”
Dr Mullineaux continued: “We’ve been clear with the CMA throughout its investigation that delivering veterinary care is complex, nuanced and cannot be reduced to a simple transactional relationship. It’s therefore good to see the CMA recognising that ‘clinical judgements, professional expertise, and the relationships between vets and pet owners’ are critical.
“However, we have serious concerns that the scale of the proposed remedies is completely disproportionate, and in some cases certain remedies are simply unworkable. We have raised these concerns directly with the CMA and will continue to ensure the veterinary voice is heard as the investigation continues.”
