You your pet and your vet

Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria Factsheet

YOU, YOUR PET AND YOUR VET

This factsheet is for pet owners. It contains information and guidance on pet owners' responsibilities to care for and protect their animals, including in emergency situations. The factsheet also contains tips for pet owners on working with veterinary practitioners to help care for their pets. The back page of the factsheet contains a summary of the veterinary board's expectations of animal owners in the board's Guidelines for Veterinary Practice.

Print this factsheet

Download a printable version of VPRBV Factsheet: You, your pet and your vet (PDF)

Date of publication

December 2023

Read the factsheet online by clicking on the dropdown titles below

There are many important considerations when it comes to the responsibility of pet ownership, for example:

health conditions your pet might be prone to
your financial capacity to take care of a pet (and the likely total cost of caring for your pet over its lifetime)
whether to obtain pet insurance.

You should make your pet’s health and wellbeing a priority. This includes:

vet check ups, vaccinations and parasite prevention
ensuring your pet’s basic needs are met - providing healthy food, water, and a nurturing and safe living environment.

More information from Animal Welfare Victoria:

Choosing a pet - info about looking after a pet properly and the principles of pet welfare, types of pets, a checklist for choosing a healthy pet, teaching children about pets
Cats - info about cat health and welfare, cat containment, legal requirements (microchipping, council registration etc)
Dogs - info about dog health and welfare, caring for dogs, dog training, legal requirements (microchipping, council registration etc)
Desexing cats and dogs
Human foods to avoid for cats and dogs
Other pets - info about caring for rabbits, birds, ferrets, guinea pigs, pet rats and mice, reptiles, amphibians (frogs, etc) and fish
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Victorian codes of practice for animal welfare (e.g., codes for the private keeping of dogs, cats and reptiles, and horse welfare)

It’s important to know what to do if your pet gets sick. Make a plan:

Know when to seek veterinary care.
Know where the vets in your area are, and when they are open.
Have an alternative option for when your regular vet is not open.
Have an emergency plan if you can’t get immediate access to veterinary care.
If someone else is looking after your pet, give your vet’s contact details to them. It may be helpful to discuss the cost of veterinary services with them, e.g. the upper limit to pay for vet services if you cannot be contacted in an emergency.

More information from Animal Welfare Victoria (AWV) and RSPCA:

Planning for pets in emergencies (AWV) - planning for events such as bushfires or floods
Emergency planning (RSPCA) - preparation, evacuation, reuniting if you've been separated from your pet
Care of pets exposed to smoke and ash (AWV)
Pets and smoke (AWV)

A pet owner can reasonably expect:

respect and professional behaviour
an accurate and honest representation of the vet’s services, qualifications, and their expected involvement in the pet’s care
treatment options, risks, likely outcomes and estimated costs
owner involvement in decision-making.

More information

Vetboard Guidelines for appropriate standards of veterinary practice and veterinary facilities
Expressing concerns about veterinary practitioners - includes videos about how you can raise concerns with a vet
Setting prices: what's allowed (ACCC) and Pricing (Consumer Affairs Victoria)

A vet can reasonably expect from you:

respect and polite behaviour
open and honest communication including full disclosure of your pet’s history and medications
a commitment to prioritising the health and wellbeing of your pet
prompt payment for services.

More information

Vetboard Guidelines for appropriate standards of veterinary practice and veterinary facilities
Setting prices: what's allowed (ACCC) and Pricing (Consumer Affairs Victoria)

The Board expects owners who are engaging with veterinary practitioners to behave with honesty, integrity and respect.

Make the wellbeing of your pet a priority.
Give your vet accurate information about your pet's history and health.
Tell your vet if any other vets have provided veterinary services for your pet, and what they said.
Make decisions and give consent for proposed procedures or treatments in the best interests of your pet:
- You can decide on a treatment plan for your animal from the range of management options provided by your vet.
- You can ask your vet to explain the options and recommended treatment plan, so you can ensure the plan is suited to your own financial and practical requirements.
- You may seek a second opinion and ask your vet to refer you to another vet or a veterinary specialist.
You may choose to decline your vet’s recommendations and pursue other options, as long as your pet’s wellbeing will not be negatively impacted.
Ask your vet for more information or explanation, if you feel you need to better understand an aspect of your pet’s care.
Follow your vet's care instructions for your pet after they provide veterinary services.
Know the normal business hours of your vet's practice and make plans for after hours and emergency veterinary care.
Maintain your relationship with your vet through:
- regular communication
- showing you intend the relationship to continue
- accessing veterinary services as needed or until you or your vet terminate the veterinary relationship.
In case of emergency or if you prefer someone else to represent you, you can authorise another person to act on your behalf. Your pet's wellbeing should be the focus of your authorised representative's decisions, and they should be willing and able to:
- give consent for proposed procedures or treatments
- take financial responsibility for the veterinary services provided to your pet as required, including clearly communicating any financial limits to your vet.

More information

Vetboard Guidelines for appropriate standards of veterinary practice and veterinary facilities

Date of publication

12 December 2023.

This material is current only at the time of publication and may be changed from time to time. The Board reviews and updates factsheets and other resources on a continuous basis to reflect changes in the knowledge base underpinning contemporary veterinary and regulatory practice. While the Board has made every effort to ensure that the material in this factsheet is correct, it shall not be liable to any person or entity in relation to any claim, action or proceeding whatsoever (whether in contract, negligence or other tort or in proceedings seeking any other form of legal or equitable remedy or relief) for any inadequacy, error or mistake, or for any deficiency in the whole or any part of this document (including any updates incorporated in the document from time to time). A person or entity acting upon the contents of this document acknowledges and accepts that this is the basis upon which the Board has produced this factsheet and made it available to such person or entity.