While the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) runs Singapore’s sole non-profit community animal clinic, Dr Chee said it already sees too many patients and cannot open its services to the public.
According to its website, it serves animal welfare groups and shelters, independent rescuers, community caregivers, and pet guardians who require financial assistance.
MORE PETS, SHORTAGE OF VETS
Another widely reported issue is an insufficient number of vets, compounded by a significant rise in pet ownership in Singapore.
Dr Chee said vet price hikes and a lack of vets is a worldwide problem.
“One vet in the US puts it very well: What happens is the vet pricing hasn’t gone up for many, many years – for decades – because people think that vets should be kind,” she added.
“A lot of people go into vet school because they love animals, and then when you come out, you realise your clients … they’ll say things like: ‘But you love animals, right? You should give me a discount. Why can’t you spay my cat for free?’
This does not happen in other professions, she noted. For instance, mechanics would not be expected to fix Mercedez Benz cars for free because they love the brand.
CNA TODAY also previously reported that some Singaporean vets have chosen to pursue their careers in other countries like Australia and the UK, due to clients’ scepticism and mistrust in Singapore.
Dr Yang echoed this, saying many of her friends have left the profession altogether due to mental exhaustion.
“It’s just the mental stress of not being appreciated at times,” she said.
“People can change really fast when you talk to them about money. At one point, they can be really happy with you, then the next thing they’re like: ‘Oh, why are you charging me this much?’”
