Zasman Vet in Liverpool Road

VETS are warning that the thousands of pets taken on during the pandemic could face euthanasia while customers are struggling with the cost of living.

Zasman Vet in Liverpool Road said it had seen an influx of customers that are unable to pay for their pet’s medical care, and that important treatments such as the kennel cough vaccine and flea and worming tablets are becoming unattainable for owners.

Dr Meytar Ronel, one of the vets, said: “Lots of people who got lockdown puppies, their circum­stances may have now changed. People have been made redundant or can no longer work from home and have to give up their animals. So charities are getting more rescues.”

The practice has found abandoned pets at its doorstep and a cat was left by the bins outside just last week. Figures show that more than three million households in the UK had purchased a dog over the lockdown period.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Our frontline staff at Finsbury Park [animal hospital] are seeing more people who are getting in touch as they are unable to afford veterinary care.”

They believe the cost of living crisis is “one of the biggest threats to the welfare of animals” in the borough.

Nationally “a staggering 930,000 pets are at risk of being put to sleep if their owners were hit with unexpected veterinary bills” and “two million pets are in danger of being torn apart from their families”.

Natalie Smith, a patient care assistant at Zasman, recommended pet owners do deeper research into the breeds they are getting to prevent expensive vet bills.

“People get dogs without knowing they can get skin conditions or have ears that are prone to infection. A lot of breeds now need surgery just to help them breathe. It needs to be considered,” she said.

The practice wants the industry to put more information and education out there to make sure people are aware of costs. The vets said they do not have capacity for charity cases on top of their own paying customers.