Why pets are being treated so harshly as a result of Trump’s tax cuts
It’s no secret that the tax cut bill passed by Congress last week has had a major impact on the pets industry.
Pet owners are now required to spend $100 more on pet care, including spay and neuter surgeries, to qualify for tax relief, the Hill reported.
The bill is also lowering the cap on the number of pets a person can own to two.
But some vets and pet owners are concerned that the legislation will make it more difficult for them to treat their pets.
“I’m not really sure what to think.
What does this mean?,” said veterinarian Amy Wysong.
“They’re going to say to you, ‘You can’t go out and buy another dog, because you can’t get the tax relief,'” she said.
Wysongs husband recently passed away and she and her husband are now dealing with the loss of their beloved cat.
“Our cat is our life, she’s a part of our life and we’re dealing with this loss,” Wysons husband said.
“It’s very hard for us to know if we’re going do something for our cat or if we are going to take the risk to get a new cat,” she said, adding that the cost of veterinary care will only rise.
“We’re really not in a position to do it for our cats, but the bill is really bad for them,” she added.
And vets are also worried about the impact that the new bill will have on their profession.
“You could have a really great vet for a pet that doesn’t have the right to be a vet, and now we are forced to do that?” said Dr. Jennifer Moll, a vet and the director of animal care at the Veterinary Center of Dallas, which is one of the most expensive veterinarians in Dallas.
“If you look at the bill, the cost for an operation, the costs for a spay/neuter procedure, is going to go up substantially,” she explained.
“And it’s not just an increase in veterinary costs.
They’re going through the roof in medical costs, food, shelter, medical care, everything.”
Some vets are even considering giving up their jobs in the pet industry in order to help their pets, as the American Veterinary Medical Association recently released a statement urging veterinarians to work more closely with their patients.
“The American Veterinary Association (AVMA) urges veterinarians who are concerned about the future of their profession to consider giving up full-time employment to support their pet pets,” the statement read.
The AVMA’s statement also warned that “there are serious repercussions for those who choose to retire from the profession.”
“Veterinarians should not be expected to take a paycheck from patients or pay for care,” the organization said.
In addition to increasing veterinary costs, the tax cuts have caused a surge in spay clinics and pet hospitals across the country.
“In the first quarter of 2019, there were 2,200 pet spay-neuter clinics nationwide, with nearly 5,000 of those located in Texas alone,” the AVMA said in a statement.
“Texas was second only to Florida in spaying and neutering clinics and the number increased by nearly 50 percent in 2019.”
However, some vets are not so optimistic about the effect the tax changes are having on the industry.
“This is not a good bill.
This is not what you want to see,” said Dr.-elect and former President Donald Trump.
“There’s going to be people who are going out and buying more dogs,” Dr. Wiesong said.
It’s no secret that the tax cut bill passed by Congress last week has had a major impact on the…
