Little by little, the needs and rights of ARISTOPETS are being taken into account more. Not only by society in general, but also by those who govern us. In recent months we have witnessed a great step forward, which is that the Civil Code recognizes that animals are living beings endowed with sentience and not things, which is what they had always been considered with poor judgment.
Well, a few weeks ago, within the framework of the Plenary Session of the Congress of Deputies, the debate on the draft State General Budgets (PGE) for 2018 began. These budgets, if approved by a majority, would go to the Senate for final approval.
In this debate, each minister explained the budget allocations of their ministries and political groups proposed amendments. One of them, which immensely pleased us, directly attacked the Veterinary VAT.
As ARISTOPARENTS, we know that, sometimes, visiting the vet means leaving with empty pockets. But we do it without hesitation, as many times as necessary, because our ARISTOPETS are our family. We love them and are willing to do whatever it takes for them.
But the truth is that when we go to the vet, in addition to the consultation fee, we pay a very high percentage of VAT. 21%, which is the general VAT rate. The same that applies, for example, to hospitality, culture (cinema, theater), hairdressers, gyms... Something that, by all accounts, makes no sense. Because taking your ARISTODOG or ARISTOCAT to the vet is a matter of force majeure, for sanitary control or responsibility, since not treating diseases in animals can have many consequences for themselves and for everyone. It is obvious that there is nothing pleasurable about it. So, what's the point of being taxed the same when we go to the vet as when we have dinner at a Japanese restaurant?
The amendment submitted addressed a long-standing demand from the sector. It proposed that the tax rate change from general (21%) to reduced. The reduced VAT rate is 10% and applies to many products, such as food in general, passenger transport, horticultural plants, and amateur sporting events, among others. Previously, this tax rate was 8%, but if there's one thing that characterizes the economy in this country, it's that taxes are always raised on the same people...
The truth is that, in the end, the Congress rejected lowering veterinary VAT. The initiative presented by different political parties did not ultimately win the majority of the House, as other parties refused to support it.
This is sad news that certainly does not help to make things easier for families facing greater economic difficulties who have one or more pets. Considering pets a "luxury" does not contribute to a decrease in the animal abandonment rate; quite the opposite. This, although many turn a blind eye, also has a strong economic impact on administrations, which are, in principle, responsible for the maintenance of all these abandoned animals. Of course, we later learn that some shelters and animal welfare organizations are private initiatives...
Another collateral damage of this tax rate is the closure of clinics. The increased cost of veterinary services leads to an increase in cases of neglect by owners. And, in parallel, we become more demanding of veterinarians, since with everything we pay... the least we expect is perfect service.
Ultimately, once again, they continue to turn a blind eye to a reality that should not be politicized or have a political color. Because respect for pets and responsible ownership only understands one thing: love.