Every year, millions of loved family pets are euthanized or suffer through treatable illnesses simply because their owners cannot afford skyrocketing veterinary fees. This is a crisis of empathy, and it needs to stop.

To our Elected Officials and the Veterinary Board:

An animal does not know what a credit score is. They do not know what inflation means. When a dog or cat is sick, injured, or crying in pain, their only reality is that suffering. They look to the humans who love them for safety and relief. Yet, our current system treats basic, life-saving veterinary care not as a compassionate service, but as a high-priced luxury.

When a family is forced to watch their beloved pet deteriorate—or make the agonizing choice to surrender or euthanize them simply because they cannot afford a sudden $3,000 bill—the trauma is profound. Pet parents are left carrying an unbearable, crushing guilt. They feel like they have failed their best friends, when in reality, the system has failed them both. No one should have to choose between financial ruin and letting their animal die.

While we understand that veterinarians have overhead costs and medical equipment to maintain, the recent wave of corporate buyouts of independent clinics has turned animal care into a game of maximum profit. This model is actively breaking the hearts of families and costing innocent animals their lives.

We are petitioning our lawmakers to step in and protect both animals and consumers by implementing the following changes:

1. Mandatory Price Transparency: Require all veterinary clinics to provide clear, upfront, itemized pricing and lower-cost alternatives before treatments are administered—no hidden fees or surprise emergency costs.

2. Caps on Lifesaving Medication Markups: Limit the profit margins on essential, life-saving medications and emergency procedures so they remain accessible to average families.

3. State-Backed Assistance Programs: Create state grant programs, tax incentives, or subsidized emergency funds for clinics that offer sliding-scale fees for low-income families and seniors.

Animals give us unconditional love. It is time we give them unconditional protection. Please sign this petition to demand that veterinary care becomes fair, transparent, and affordable. No pet should die over a bill.