Our Policy Concerning Costs
Our business policy is that we do not offer credit on either retail items or procedures carried out at our practice. Treatments and procedures can be expensive, so we would advise you to ask a member of staff for costings before committing to having work carried out on your pet. We also strongly encourage pet owners to take out a quality pet insurance policy to cover unforeseen medical expenses.
Pet Insurance
Pet insurance is now an integral part of animal healthcare in Ireland. We strongly recommend you consider taking out a policy for your pet. Frequently we find ourselves in the position of treating pets in a less than ideal way due to financial constraints. The diagnostic and treatment procedures we use in veterinary medicine have greatly advanced in recent years.
Along with these advances the cost of veterinary care has also significantly increased. Pet insurance does not cover the cost of food, parasite control, vaccines, neutering or routine dental care. Pet insurance is intended to provide cover for illnesses and injuries. There is an excess which you would need to pay for the first treatment of each illness in the policy year but after that there is extensive cover.
Good quality policies have continual cover as an integral part of their policy so that once a condition is covered, it will remain covered for the remainder of your pets life so long as you don’t allow your policy to lapse. Carefully read the conditions that apply.
Again, we strongly recommend pet insurance as, unlike the human scenario, there is very little in the way of subsidised treatment in veterinary medicine. Also included are third party injury cover and a variety of other benefits.
Blue Cross
The Irish Blue Cross provides an evening mobile clinic service for needy pet owners throughout Dublin. The busy service is located at ten locations weekly and is dependent on the goodwill of volunteer drivers, helpers and vets. At least 10,000 treatments and vaccinations are carried out at the mobiles each year. The service is intended for genuinely needy pet owners unable to afford private veterinary fees.
Their all year round low cost neutering scheme is run in co-operation with private veterinary practices, including our own, for pets of needy owners. Hundreds of pets go through their scheme annually at just one-third of the normal cost.
The Irish Blue Cross also allocates significant funds, administrative time and effort to ensure that animals requiring surgeries and tests are cared for. Pet owners faced with the prospect of unmanageable veterinary bills can contact them to see if they can help. In so far as possible and working within a restricted budget, they will do what they can to assist.
Tel: 01 416 3030 – Web: www.bluecross.ie
Dogs Trust Ireland
Dogs Trust is an international charity dedicated to campaigning on dog-welfare related issues.
As a registered charity with head offices in the UK and Ireland, Dogs Trust works with animal welfare organizations and societies throughout Europe. Unfortunately, numbers of stray dogs and dog destructions are very high in Ireland, so Dogs Trust are focusing on the education of young people and promoting neutering in order to tackle these issues. They also provide assistance to other Irish charities to neuter dogs prior to adoption and where possible they transfer dogs that are at risk of destruction to a Dogs Trust centre.
Head Office: Suite 5, Unit 12, Priory Hall, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.
Tel.: 01 2109426 – Web: www.dogstrust.org.uk