Access to veterinary care is unequally distributed across socioeconomic groups. Animals owned by lower-income households may suffer from delayed or absent treatment due to cost barriers.
Veterinary access inequity creates a situation where animal welfare is determined partly by owner socioeconomic status. Animals owned by people who cannot afford veterinary care suffer preventable illness, untreated pain, and delayed euthanasia at end of life. This is a systemic welfare problem that requires systemic solutions: expanded charitable veterinary provision, subsidised pet insurance schemes, community veterinary services, and payment plan options from private practices. Blaming owners for not seeking care they cannot afford is not a welfare solution; addressing the structural barriers to access is.