The cost of keeping a pet in Greece has risen to "unbearable level"which led to tragic consequences

The cost of owning a pet in Greece has risen beyond the reach of some animal lovers, leaving some owners unable to cover the cost of food and vet visits.

They are often looking for a new loving home for their four-legged friend or throw it out into the street.

Compared to 2021, pet food has risen in price by 40%, and the cost of veterinary services has increased by at least 15%.

In conversation with the publication ethnos.gr Pet owners say they are contacting animal welfare organizations to find another home for their beloved pet, and some are abandoning them on the street without a second thought.

According to the president of the Stray Planet charity association, Eleni Grammatopoulou, the cost of veterinarians providing medical services to pets has increased by 15% compared to the same period last year.

An even greater increase is observed when it comes to the purchase of animal food, as over the past two years it has skyrocketed by 40%.

For her part, the president of the Pangelen Veterinary Association, Athena Trachili, told the media that the cost of providing veterinary services is the same as last year, since her colleagues compensated for a significant part of the high taxation and rising prices for the first materials.

Animal lovers looking for the cheapest veterinarian

Because asking prices have reached very high levels and vary from veterinarian to veterinarian and clinic to clinic, pet owners are now conducting market research to find a veterinarian who will charge a lower price for a spay or vaccine, Grammatopoulou said.

Now the cost becomes prohibitive for someone who loves and cares for a companion animal.

“Veterinarians tell us that the cost of raw materials has increased significantly, which we also see to some extent in the bills. When someone takes care of many animals, he receives a discount from the veterinarian, who receives less money for his personal work.”– noted Grammatopoulou.

Owners give their pets to other people

The president of Stray Planet emphasized that there are now many pet owners who cannot afford the cost of maintaining a pet and turn to animal protection societies for help.

Indeed, many owners ask to find another home for their pet and give it to other people, and there are also those who abandon them on the street.

However, most of those who give up their pets are those who have faced a change in their social or professional circumstances.

“When we see a person who loves their animal and is having a hard time keeping it for financial reasons, we do everything we can to help them. We even found jobs for the unemployed. We have also given many animals up for adoption to new homes if their owner is unable to care for them.” – added Grammatopoulou.

Veterinarians: Rates are the same as last year.

Veterinarian Trachili talks about “tariffs at last year’s level” adding, however, that this is despite the fact that her colleagues are now facing “with very high rents for their clinics, with increasing costs of raw materials and with excessive insurance premiums.”

“We have one of the highest VAT rates in the entire EU, which needs to be reduced. It is not that the costs we are asking for are increased compared to last year. Although we have a lot of costs for our clinics, we have absorbed many of the increases However, we cannot do our work voluntarily,” – Trakhili emphasized.

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