UPDATE ON FREE CONSULTATIONS FOR WILD ANIMALS

[Animals don't have a voice, give them yours]

Animals don't have a voice, give them yours

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[BWR]

Further to our previous discussions (http://www.hedgehoghelp.co.uk/index.php/topic,932.0.html) I have just recieved a letter forwarded to me via my local MP, from the Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food and Animal Welfare.

Extracts from the the letter are written as follows :

" The Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966) establishes the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) as the regulator of the veterinary profession. Neither the Act nor the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct requires veterinary surgeons to provide services, including the consultations free of charge, when dealing with wild animals. It would be inappropriate for the government to intervene in the business practices of private veterinary clinics by imposing an obligation on veterinary surgeons to provide free services. This is a matter for the regulator. "

________________________________________________________

All comments on the latest development regarding free veterinary consultations for wild animals are welcome, together with any ideas you have!

John.

[Marg]

Well,how very compassionate is that?    NOT 

And i thought vets were in practice to help save animals from suffering.!!

Obviously doesn't apply to wild ones then who have no one but the sort of people on here and other caring individuals to help them .

What a pompous attitude 

[vikki]

There is not a clause somewhere that says they have to treat protected species for free?

If not there should be!

I am beginning to wonder exactly what benefits "Protected status" buys an animal.

I could not find a vet in a 100 mile radius to treat my patients for free.

I can't see this changing either unless the government intervene, what gets me is some vets will treat pets for free or on a donation basis for those on a low income but regardless of income if it is a wild animal bills have to be paid!

[nicola123]

I think the same, now that they are on the list, just what has that done for them ?!  Thank goodness though there are people that will look after them, otherwise who knows what the population would be

[Alison]

<cynicism>Funny how the Govt. are happy to intervene in every aspect of human health but not when it comes to protected mammals!</cynicism>
I think that we should lobby the RCVS and demand (nicely) that all wildlife on the endangered species list should be treated for free, or at the very least that there should be no consultation fee.

[BWR]

Great! I'm glad we're all agreed, then! 

Next course of action : to lobby the RCVS for our 'campaign'

.......DEFRA basically told us to do so anyway! ("This is a matter for the regulator. ")

I'll make some template letters that all have the same content, and carry the same message!
Then I'll post them on here. All people will have to do is change their details (such as address,tel.no. etc) and/or add their own message with the letter.

I'll get started!

If anyone owns their own website, then let me know! I'll make some webpage banners detailing the 'campaign' so we can get a bit more exposure. The more websites the better, as more people will be become aware of this and hopefully join in too!

John.

[BWR]

OK. I've setup a specific section on my website for this campaign, so everyone knows where to go for information, updates and resources (page banners.etc)

Visit www.blythwildliferescue.co.uk/campaign1

John.

[BWR]

Heres one of the banners that people can use to link to the campaign page (makeitfree.blythwildliferescue.co.uk)

Just let me know what you all think, really (any suggestions.etc!)

LINK : http://blythwildliferescue.co.uk/test.html

[Sarah_and_Mart]

I received the campaign email this morning.  Surely it is the Government that needs to foot the bill, not vets, after all vets are businesses and they have bills, staff, and expenses to pay.  In my opinion for us to demand that vets should pay for all the consultations and treatment is wrong.  Neither is it right that you and I foot the bill on an individual basis.

Perhaps the government could set up a scheme (a bit like nhs dentistry) where you fill in the form for treatment, and the practice sends the form to the government to claim the money back.  Or include it as a tax as part of their environmental taxes, or similar.

[Derek]

For the majority of wildlife treatment it only costs the vet a few pennies, possibly a little bit of time  and in the case of any major or continuing treatment needing doing, then it is right & proper that a carer or a person who has taken on responsibility for the animal should discuss & agree a course of treatment & costings

In my view initial treatment & consultation should be free

Many vets realize that it is good practice to treat wildlife for free, within certain sensible limitations as that brings the "customer" back to them with their own animals  and they make the good profits that way

[BWR]

I've tried going down that route when we contacted DEFRA about the campaign (see the letter extract on http://makeitfree.blythwildliferescue.co.uk)

They commented that it was not right for them to intervene with the practice of Vets and tell them what they should and should not charge, and said that it was a matter for the regulator (being the RCVS)

I think it may be something that the RCVS may want to consideras one of their options when they recieve the petition. There are many routes that can be taken to see a change happen; it is a case of us working together with the RCVS to try and find a solution.

P.s - .........Thats a great point you meade their, Derek!

[Alison]

Hi John,

Well done, good work.

I will of course be signing the petition and I will write to the RCVS as well (honestly, I will, though I haven't done my strimmer letters yet I just haven't had the time. I think I'm going to have to take a day off to do all this stuff!).

Just one thing - I can't see anywhere anything that says what the actual wording of the petition is? Normally (though I will make an exception in this case) I wouldn't sign any petition that I haven't actually read and I know a number of my friends won't either, it'd be helpful to put the full wording up so people can see what they're signing.
(Alternatively I might just be suffering from Monday-morning-dimwitedness in which case apologies)

Alison

[Sarah_and_Mart]

all very well if individuals decide to assume responsibility to care for a wild animal and burden the cost themselves; but what percentage of people who come across an injured or sick wild animal will do that.  how many people are put off doing that because of the cost even though we would give up our time for nothing.

besides, aren't 'we as a nation', responsible for the environment that we live in; and Defra is a means through which this is achieved.  And 'environment' should mean everything, the air, water, land, plants, wildlife, et al.

the response from Defra about not 'intervening' with vet practices sounds like rubbish; it wouldn't be 'intervening' at all - instead of the vet billing the customer for wild animal treatment they bill Defra instead. How is that intervening.
I imagine many vets would gladly treat wild animals if they had the financial recompense for doing so.  Nothing new about government trying to pass the buck/cost onto someone else (ie RCVS and then us) and I believe that is where the real issue lies.  The day that government will actually take responsibility for and DO something instead of trying to divert the issue or introduce a wishy-washy half measure it will be a miracle.

[rtypus]

We have signed the petition, but one worry is that if vets are forced to treat wild animals for free (with no compensation from the government) that a lot of wild animals who are treatable at a cost will merely be put to sleep!

One of our local vets basically wouldn't treat any of our hedgehogs unless we wanted them put to sleep - imagine what their reaction would be if they have to foot the bill for the treatment!

Elaine & Richard

[BWR]

Yeah, I'm recognising everyone's concerns. I think it will just be a case of discussing the options with the RCVS when the time is right, and hopefully with their help, we may be able to get DEFRA to reconsider different ways in which we can make changes.

Thanks for all your comments,

John.

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