A digital app which provides vet consultations is offering free advice to pet owners turning to crowdfunding for help with vet bills during the cost of living crisis.
Following on from the news that there has been a steep rise in pet owners using crowdfunding to pay vet bills due to rising inflation, Joii Pet Care is today announcing that pet owners who have resorted to setting up crowdfunding pages will be able to access a vet consultation with one the firm’s RCVS-registered vets at no cost.
Co-founder of Joii Pet Care, Dr Robert Dawson, said: “The rise in inflation and cost of living crisis is placing an incredible amount of pressure on pet owners, which in turn risks a worrying rise in the number of animals suffering. The increase in crowdfunding pages is a clear demonstration that people need affordable vet care.
“There’s a real and significant risk to the health and welfare of animals in the UK if people do not access the high-quality veterinary care that is needed. That’s why we are stepping in to offer a free initial vet consultation to those who have made a very hard decision to resort to crowdfunding. It’s so important that owners have access to professional veterinary advice.”
Dr Dawson, a vet with more than 30 years of experience, added: “The good news is that because of the technology at our disposal now, digital vet-tech services can open up options for affordable access to high-quality veterinary advice. The ‘111’ service for human healthcare gives access to great medical advice remotely and the same is true of veterinary consultations.”
Access to digital vet care packages with Joii Pet Care either come at no cost or minimal cost, making advice even more accessible to a wider variety of people. Joii Pet Care has a free symptom checker and free registered veterinary nurse health checks. It also partners with insurers including Animal Friends Insurance, Purely Pets and Asda – giving customers free access to Joii Pet Care vets. Vet calls cost just £24 anytime night or day for those who don’t have access to the app via insurance partners.
The vet team at Joii Pet Care also advocate for preventative vet care as a way of caring for animals well while reducing owner costs. Joii Pet Care shares advice on how to prevent pets from getting ill in the first place, as well as how certain measures can reduce the need for physical intervention by vet staff; again reducing costs. Preventative care includes worming, flea treatment and nutritional advice.
Dr Dawson added: “Pet owners need to be given the choice as to where and how they access affordable and preventative vet care. Having a great preventive pet care regime in place can stop pets from developing health problems, identify any issues earlier which make them easier to treat, keep vet costs down and improve the health and wellbeing of pets.
“Joii Pet Care has been and continues to be a lifeline to thousands of pet parents across the UK, offering veterinary care at a fraction of the price without any compromise on quality of care.”
Joii Pet Care is an app from Research and Development company Vet-AI which launched spring 2019 to tackle the rising costs of a vet care for pets by offering pet owners remote consultations with real vets and nurses, via their smartphones.
Anybody with a crowdfunding page who would like to organise a free vet consultation can contact the Joii Pet Care team on [email protected] to request a consultation code.
