12/13/10 Request for the Correction of Dog and Cat Castration Price
CROATIAN VETERINARY CHAMBER
Andjelko Gaspar, D.V.M., Dr. Sc.
Chamber Secretary
Planinska 2a
10000 Zagreb
December 13, 2010
Subject: Request for the correction of dog and cat castration price
Dear Mr. Gaspar,
Having in mind your expert understanding of the problematic, we are grateful that we have found in you a responsible and conscientious collocutor for the problems which bother most of the organizations and shelters for abandoned animals in the Republic of Croatia.
In the series of problems on which we come across time and time again during every meeting with any organization or shelter for abandoned animals from any part of Croatia, the price of abandoned animals' castration, which is too high for our living conditions, presents a persistent problem; therefore castration is applied rarely. These procedures are performed more as an exception rather than a rule in case of private individuals who take care of animals, even though castration is one of the key prevention methods against animal abandonment (animals which are the victims of unconscientious people). By reducing the price, more citizens would decide to perform this procedure, and all the organizations and shelters for abandoned animals would gladly accept this method for their wards, if they could afford it. Only some of the organizations have a rule that all of their animals must be castrated, but only if they have a familiar and secure source of minimal financing, or if the procedures are financed at the cost of other necessary measures, even vaccination. We are sure that the veterinarians around Croatia would have a bigger source of income from castration if the prices were lower.
Organizations and shelters for abandoned animals have around two hundred animals on average (dogs and/or cats) for which they would like to find a home on first opportunity which presents itself. They can to this in a much easier way if the animals have been previously castrated and do not present a "danger" of new intake of unwanted animals in several months, when the owners return them along with the new litter.
By find homes for the previously castrated animals in such a responsible way we could avoid many problems which we can currently barely stay atop on. However, the financial burden necessary to implement these preventive measures is nearly impossible for the organizations and shelters to endure, so a large number of animals find themselves born in the shelters.
We consider the Croatian Veterinary Chamber the crucial factor in the joint solving of this problem, and so we feel free to ask, that is, to address this request to the authorized bodies of the Chamber to correct (reduce) the prices, as well as to differentiate castration prices on the market, i.e. minimal prices for individual owners and minimal prices of services and pertaining costs for shelters and organizations which care after the abandoned animals, to the greatest extent, that is, the commercial and noncommercial castration prices should be separated.
The situation is very difficult and so we ask, considering the state of crisis in the entire country, that the veterinarians who are a part of your umbrella organization show respect and contribute in their area of expertise to the broader social interest by reducing the prices of their services, especially for the castration services for shelters and organizations for abandoned animals.
We also ask that the Chamber's bodies enable the veterinarians who wish to work pro bono for abandoned animals, to do so, that is, to give their support by contributing to the improvement for the animals and of the veterinary profession's reputation and the reputation of the Republic of Croatia in Europe (which is, for various reasons, not at a highest point right now), since we consider the current Chamber rules very restrictive and guild, i.e. monopolistically protected.
We ask for your understanding and support in solving this problem.
Sincerely,
Luka Oman
President of Animal Friends
