![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/X4ZPSMP2VRF35GWFMKXD7UQPPM.JPG\")
An X-ray of a dog\u2019s broken leg surgery at \u00d3 Scanaill Veterinary Hospital. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni\/The Irish Times<\/p>\nNot long ago, the most steady work a newly-qualified vet might find was in rural Ireland treating large farm animals. <\/p>\n
A lot has changed over the last few decades, but perhaps nothing as dramatically as the rise in popularity of companion animals and people\u2019s willingness to pay to keep them healthy. <\/p>\n
Fifty-two per cent of respondents to a 2021 Central Statistics Office survey reported having a pet in their home, with one in five having acquired theirs during the Covid pandemic. <\/p>\n
Care for dogs, cats and exotic animals now dominates the veterinary sector, a trend that does not look like it is going to change any time soon. With business booming for pet specialists, it is no surprise the influence of large corporate players in the veterinary sector is increasing. <\/p>\n
A majority of Irish veterinary practices are still owned by individual practitioners. But greater consolidation of the sector is anticipated by 2030, especially in urban areas, according to a recent report carried out by advisory firm HLB Ireland. It shows the landscape is shifting. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad was a vet and I just followed on and did what he did,\u201d says Conor \u00d3 Scanaill, a long-time vet in Dublin. \u201cMy brother does it; uncles have done it; cousins have done it. So we like it, and that\u2019s the way. My dad came to Swords in 1949 and there\u2019s been an \u00d3 Scanaill vet here since.\u201d<\/p>\n
His practice, \u00d3 Scanaill Veterinary Hospital, has transitioned over the years from \u201clarge animal economics\u201d to \u201csmall animal care\u201d. This is in line with the findings of a 2023 survey carried out by the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, which drew more than 12,000 responses from across the Continent, including 253 from Ireland. <\/p>\n
Respondents set out the broad shift and their expectation that \u201cthe trajectory for future veterinary practice is greater specialisation, with the corporate sector likely to pursue this more aggressively\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u00d3 Scanaill sees it as a straightforward consequence of investment. If you sell your practice for \u20ac1 million, he says, the new owner will be aiming for a suitable return on that sum. <\/p>\n
By the same token, if you invest in a CT scanner, you would \u201chave to justify it\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d have to pay for it, so you\u2019d be certainly working the unit,\u201d \u00d3 Scanaill says. <\/p>\n
He fears that if he were working under a practice manager in a corporate ownership group, the pressure to turn in greater profits would negatively influence his approach to treatment. <\/p>\n
For example, he says, some meetings with pet owners take longer than others, as not everyone communicates at the same speed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one thing that you want with your dog is that it\u2019s properly looked after,\u201d \u00d3 Scanaill says. \u201cNot that it\u2019s done through a stopwatch, not that you\u2019ve been upsold or anything else. Really, what you want is the best for your animal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larger, corporate chain practices can offer access to more advanced equipment and often provide 24-hour emergency care. <\/p>\n
\u00d3 Scanaill says he has conversations with some clients in which he gives his opinion and then recommends that they go elsewhere if they want to pursue a more elaborate or specialist treatment plan. This occurs \u201cfrequently with neurology\u201d and at times, in complex cases of breaks. <\/p>\n
An X-ray of a dog\u2019s broken leg surgery at \u00d3 Scanaill Veterinary Hospital. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni\/The Irish Times<\/p>\n
The fear is that a heavy consolidation of the industry could result in higher prices for owners. In the UK, more than 60 per cent of veterinary practices are wholly or partially owned by six groups. An investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority found a lack of transparency around pricing, and ownership structures have led to clients being charged more. <\/p>\n
This week, it was revealed that British ministers are considering establishing a regulator for the veterinary sector, introducing a mandatory licensing system similar to that for GP surgeries, and capping prescriptions for pet medicine at \u00a321. <\/p>\n
Part of the drift towards more corporate practices in Ireland could be driven by a lack of succession planning, according to the HLB Ireland report. Of those surveyed, 43 per cent said they had no identified successor in place, while only 46 per cent reported having a clear understanding of their practice\u2019s current value. <\/p>\n
When he was starting out, \u00d3 Scanaill says having his father to show him the ropes helped. He does not see succession as a big issue, and it is not something he has spent much time thinking about. <\/p>\n
![\"Conor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/6QUCKAJDSNDXBJAKXFZPSDJ6VA.JPG\")
Conor \u00d3 Scanaill at \u00d3 Scanaill Veterinary Hospital with an incubator. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni\/The Irish Times
<\/p>\n
He says he has been approached several times by corporate groups interested in acquiring his business, but has never wanted to sell. <\/p>\n
Michael Canty qualified alongside \u00d3 Scanaill and started working in mixed practice in his native Limerick. Unlike \u00d3 Scanaill, Canty believes a lack of succession planning \u201cis a problem\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got a practice that\u2019s been developed over the years, maybe by just one or two vets, and now they have maybe a staff of 15 and they\u2019ve invested heavily,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cOften times the simplest and cleanest option for a retiring partner is to sell it to a corporate.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was the case for Canty. His business partner, who is about eight years older, was approaching retirement age and was keen to explore the possibility of selling the business.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got a good offer and long story short, we elected to sell to IVC at the time,\u201d he says. \u201cI worked on then for approximately five years, and at that stage then, I just felt I needed a change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canty recently took up a job at the independently-owned Limerick Veterinary Hospital, but has noticed a shift towards corporate ownership in his profession, as well as changes in dealings with clients.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe level of care that owners are looking for their pets has skyrocketed,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s an awareness of what can be done and there\u2019s a demand for that within practice. Everything costs. If you\u2019re talking about CT scans and MRI scans and very complicated surgery, that\u2019s all very expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"“The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3BGWYXF4RVADVEOSEESRH6BIIQ.jpg\")
\u201cThe level of care that owners are looking for for their pets has skyrocketed,\u201d he says. . Photograph: iStock <\/p>\n
One way for more cautious pet owners to navigate those costs is pet insurance, he says, though in his experience, those with cover are often the clients that would have paid for expensive treatments anyway. <\/p>\n
\u201cI would traditionally have recommended [pet insurance],\u201d Canty says. \u201cIf you had a client coming in with a young puppy, I\u2019d say \u2018Look, get the insurance. You never know when the need might arrive.\u2019 If it\u2019s something significant like a big illness that requires a significant work-up or a big accident, the cost can be significant.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is difficult to pinpoint average costs for pet insurance, as it hinges on variables such as age, breed and an animal\u2019s health history. Owners have to consider time-limited versus lifetime policies, with the former needing to be renewed annually. <\/p>\n
With the advent of elaborate treatment plans, ethical dilemmas can arise around caring for pets that are approaching the end of their time. <\/p>\n
Naturally, many owners will do whatever it takes to extend a pet\u2019s life, but it is not always the right thing to do. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all the same, and I\u2019m a pet owner too,\u201d Canty says. \u201cWith an older pet, within reason, you want to hold on to them for as long as you can … Usually, [owners will] listen to the voice of reason and experience saying while we can do X, Y and Z, it\u2019s not really in your pet\u2019s best interest. That wouldn\u2019t be an unusual conversation to have.\u201d <\/p>\n
One of the concerns Canty has for the future of the industry is the exodus of young vets. High workloads and staff shortages are the top challenges facing the profession, according to the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe\u2019s 2023 survey. Burnout and mental health were the top concerns identified by respondents to the HLB Ireland survey. <\/p>\n
This appears to go beyond practitioners, with a recent survey carried out by the Irish Veterinary Nurses Association finding that nearly 76 per cent of respondents either \u201cconsidering leaving, unsure about remaining, or planning to leave the profession altogether\u201d. <\/p>\n
Canty says it can be a stressful working environment. <\/p>\n
\u201cNot everybody is equipped to cope with that stress,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n
\u201cTo be very, very busy, [dealing with] very anxious owners. Obviously, people have other stresses in their lives too, so it can all add up to make for a very stressful job. You do have to put in coping mechanisms.\u201d <\/p>\n
Pet insurance in Ireland: <\/p>\n
It is difficult to pin down average pet insurance premiums in Ireland due to variables around age, breed and health of the animal in question. There are no Ireland-specific industry reports for pet insurance either, as there are for car and health insurance. <\/p>\n
With that said, below is a \u201ctypical premium\u201d with Petinsurance.ie for an owner of two pets. One is a six-year-old, mixed-breed dog, and the other is a four-year-old pedigree dog. An owner that takes out an \u201cIllness & Injury Time Limited\u201d policy could expect to pay about \u20ac50 per month, or almost \u20ac600 per year.<\/p>\n
Insuring two dogs with Petinsurance.ie (data from switcher.ie)<\/p>\n
Cover levelDetailsPer yearPer monthIllness and Injury Time Limited1 mixed breed dog (6 yrs)\u20ac287.34\u20ac23.95(no pre-existing medical conditions)1 pedigree (4 yrs)\u20ac307.27\u20ac25.61Total\u20ac594.61\u20ac49.55<\/p>\n
The AA offers introductory or basic, accident-only tiers for cats starting at \u20ac6.21 per month and \u20ac8.33 per month for dogs, rising to at least \u20ac30.00 per month for top-tier, comprehensive plans.<\/p>\n
It is equally difficult to put forward average figures for compensation, but below are typical caps from some of the main pet insurance providers in Ireland, including the AA, An Post, Allianz and Petinsurance.ie. <\/p>\n
Veterinary and medical treatment for injury, accident and illness<\/p>\n
Cover LevelTypical annual capWhat\u2019s coveredAccident-Only \/ Basic\u20ac1,500 \u2013 \u20ac2,000Only pays out for physical trauma (eg, car accidents, bone fractures). Zero payout for illnesses.Standard \/ Time-Limited\u20ac3,000 \u2013 \u20ac4,000Covers both illness and injury, but will only pay for a single condition for a maximum of 12 months.Comprehensive \/ Lifetime\u20ac4,000 \u2013 \u20ac6,000Covers illness and injury. The limit resets every year at renewal, allowing for ongoing compensation for chronic conditions (eg, diabetes or arthritis).<\/p>\n
Other potential compensations, depending on cover level<\/p>\n
Death benefits: Typical payouts range from \u20ac500 to \u20ac1,000 (but there may be caveats, such as age).<\/p>\n
Emergency boarding fees: Typically pays out between \u20ac500 and \u20ac1,000 (to cover kennel or cattery fees due to unexpected hospitalisation).<\/p>\n
Holiday cancellation: Typically pays out between \u20ac500 and \u20ac1,000 if you have to cancel or cut a holiday short because your pet requires emergency, life-saving surgery within seven days of your departure.<\/p>\n
Policy excess: You rarely get the 100 per cent maximum figure because of the policy excess. In Ireland, the standard fixed excess is \u20ac100-\u20ac125 per condition per year. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Not long ago, the most steady work a newly-qualified vet might find was in rural Ireland treating large…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":546963,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[28566,61,60,1634,43],"class_list":["post-546962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-bob","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-media","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=546962"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546962\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/546963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=546962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=546962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=546962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}