I run a very large lost and found group (41k members May 2022). We have had yet another case whereby a cat has been found injured on the road due to a road traffic accident, our member took the cat to one vets who turned them away. They then had to travel to find another vets that would treat the injured cat. Unfortuately this cat passed away from it's injuries, although the 2nd vets did try to save the cat.  Would the cat have survived had kitty been treated by the first vets?

The cat was chipped, however the chip was not registered, this is a common problem, whereby in the past, vets would expect owners to post the paper work, however, it seems owners may not have been aware of this and therefore the chip has no information. There also have been issues with certain chip companies and the data on the chips have not been correct. (you can look this up on a search engine)

We feel it should be made Law that ALL vets have to treat an animal that has been brought into them. We understand of course, that not all vets are trained to deal with exotic animals etc. However, when an injured cat, dog, rabbit etc is brought into them from an RTA etc, they should treat this animal.

It is disgusting that money comes before the life of an animal. The vets in question should have never turned away people who were trying to help an animal. I would have thought that all vets trained to do the job they do because of their love of animals? Clearly this is not always the case.  The second vets were able to try to save the life of the cat without the owners permission, it is a shame that the first vet did not help. 

This is not the first case like this, we have had other cases whereby our members have taken an injured cat to a vets and were turned away, one cat passed away on the journey to the next vets.

A vets responisility should be to do all they can to save the life of the animal. Their first thought should not be "who is going to pay for this treatment". 

Taken from RCVS webstie..... 

Declaration on admission to the profession
Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand. For this reason, on admission to membership of the RCVS, and in exchange for the right to practise veterinary surgery in the UK, every veterinary surgeon makes a declaration, which, since 1 April 2012, has been:

" I PROMISE AND SOLEMNLY DECLARE that I will pursue the work of my profession with integrity and accept my responsibilities to the public, my clients, the profession and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and that, ABOVE ALL, my constant endeavour will be to ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to my care."