My cat, Harley, a perfectly healthy 1-year-old male, died from a partial urinary obstruction - a condition with a 95% survival rate. His death was not due to the severity of his condition but the $10,000 price tag attached to his treatment. This is an all too common scenario in Pleasantville, NJ and across the United States where owning a pet has become an unaffordable luxury for many.

Veterinarians have been up-charging and price gouging services that are often critical for our pets' survival. In emergency situations like Harley's, they should be legally required to provide life-saving care while creating income-based payment plans.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), approximately 500,000 pets were euthanized in 2018 due to financial constraints preventing their owners from affording necessary veterinary care. This is not just about our pets; it's about families who are forced into heartbreaking decisions because of prohibitive costs.

We call on lawmakers in Pleasantville and throughout New Jersey to enact legislation requiring veterinarians to administer life-saving help regardless of immediate payment ability and establish income-based payment plans for pet owners in need. We believe that no pet should die because their owner cannot afford upfront high-cost veterinary care.

Please sign this petition if you believe that every pet deserves access to life-saving veterinary care regardless of their owner's financial situation.