Deep Dive Podcast: Does the vet industry need greater oversight?
Prices can vary drastically among vet clinics in Singapore. Should there be oversight on how prices are set or let the market - and owners - decide what's best?
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CNA's weekly news podcast takes a deep dive into issues that people talk about at dining tables and along the office corridors. Hosted by Steven Chia and Crispina Robert.
Here's an excerpt from the conversation:
Angeline Yang, veterinarian and owner of VetMobile:Â
​​​​​​​I feel very strongly when something is related to the health of a living thing, there should be subsidies ... Unless you're going to say that only wealthy people can afford pets. Â
If you're very sick and you don't have money, definitely you will be able to get treatment somewhere. It is illegal not to give you any treatment, right? And if you can pay for it, you can go for (more expensive) treatment. Â
Steven Chia, host: Â
But people will argue with you and say, “These are people versus animals, they are not the same.”Â
Angeline:Â
As a society, we have to decide, do we treat (animals) like family or a commodity? Â
Crispina Robert, host:Â
Coming back to rising costs, we found out that private equity firms were buying up clinics. So, candy maker Mars owns the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital and the Mount Pleasant Hospital group. If the big boys are in the picture, they are going to prioritise profit, right? Would that be a problem?Â
Steven:
But they could make prices lower as well (with economies of scale)?Â
Diana Chee, director at AVS:Â
Let me jump in here. I think most clinics do offer a special rate for the folks from the welfare groups or (community) cat feeders.Â
So those who are rescuing animals, yes - individual clinics would offer some kind of specialised rate. Â
But it wouldn't make economic sense to run a clinic as a specialised clinic that just sees charity cases.
