Portuguese vets deliver petition to parliament seeking cut in VAT on pet care from 23% to 6%
The Portuguese Veterinary Association says more than 8,000 people signed, and the petition must be debated once the signatures are validated, Portugal Resident reported.
The Portuguese Veterinary Association (OMV) is submitting a petition to parliament that asks for a lower rate of IVA, Portugal's VAT, on veterinary services for pets, according to Portugal Resident.
The petition has more than 8,000 signatures. It asks for the tax on these services to be cut from 23%, which the outlet describes as the top rate, to 6%.
Portugal Resident reported that because of the petition's size, parliament must debate it once all the signatures have been validated.
The OMV is presenting the petition ahead of the detailed discussion of the 2027 State Budget, the outlet reported. It said the association hopes the petition can bring about a change before January 1.
In a statement, the OMV said the "strong support" for the petition shows that the issue matters to far more people than vets alone. The association said it has drawn in citizens from across the country who see the importance of making veterinary care more accessible.
The association called the submission a decisive moment in the debate, pointing to "the broad public support achieved" and the "growing awareness in society" of how veterinary medicine protects animal health and, as a result, public health.
OMV president Pedro Fabrica, quoted in the statement, said political parties now have a chance to show where they stand.
“Political parties now have the opportunity to show, once and for all, the priorities they stand for regarding an issue that has an impact on the lives of a very significant number of people, since it is estimated that 2.2 million families have at least one pet animal”Pedro Fabrica, president of the Portuguese Veterinary Association
When the OMV first announced the petition, it called the current IVA policy "an enormous fiscal injustice," according to Portugal Resident. It also said the government "cannot see pet animals as a source of income towards its Budget."
For pet owners in Portugal, the request concerns the tax on every vet bill. Moving from 23% to 6% would put veterinary services for pets in a much lower tax band. The OMV argues that this would make care easier to afford.
Several things are still unclear. The report does not say when the signatures will be validated or when parliament will hold the debate. It does not report how the government or any political party has responded to the petition, or whether any party plans to propose the change during the budget discussion.
The report also does not say whether a lower rate, if it were approved, could take effect by January 1, as the association hopes. Portugal Resident is the only source for this story, and its report presents the veterinary association's view.
