Vancouver’s Vet Price Gap, Explained

In the first half of 2025, Montreal shelters saw a 32% surge in surrenders. Calgary's waitlist jumped from zero to 200 animals. Toronto's pet food bank usage doubled. And in Vancouver, you're likely sitting in your living room right now, looking at a vet quote you can't quite afford, wondering: Is this normal? Am I being overcharged? Can I find something cheaper without sacrificing my pet's care?

You're not alone. And you're not imagining the impossible choice.

Why This Is Happening

The Numbers Behind the Surrenders

The pet affordability crisis isn't new—but it's accelerating. A June 2025 Gallup/PetSmart Charities study found that 50% of Canadian pet owners skipped or declined necessary vet care in the past year. Only 28% were offered alternatives when they asked about cost. Only 21% were offered payment plans, despite 66% saying they'd use interest-free options.

Even more striking: According to a September 2025 Hill's Pet Nutrition report, 72% of prospective pet adopters cite veterinary care as a top 3 expense concern, and 72% say vet costs directly affect their willingness to adopt.

The result? Pets are being surrendered. Families are being fractured. And the system treats this as inevitable rather than a signal.

But here's what shelters aren't always saying publicly: This isn't just about wealthy vs. working-class families. According to Abacus Data polling (May 2025), 37% of Canadian pet owners call vet fees "unreasonably" high, and even households earning $90k+ report skipping care due to cost.

The affordability crisis has a hidden culprit: information opacity. Pet owners don't know what they should pay. They don't know what's included in quotes. They don't know what questions to ask. So they either overpay in guilt or skip care in desperation.

What It Looks Like in Vancouver

We analyzed hundreds of bills and quotes from 125+ Vancouver-area clinics across four core services: wellness exams, core vaccines (DHPP), spays, and neuters.

What we found: Massive variance—but not random.

The Shocking Numbers

Let that sink in: A pet owner paying for a core vaccine could be paying 8 times more than another pet owner for the exact same pharmaceutical product.

A spay that costs $229 at one clinic costs $1,444 at another—a $1,215 difference that represents a month's rent for many Vancouver renters.

This Isn't Outliers—It's Your Neighborhood

Kitsilano / West Side Cluster (Within 2-3 km):

Your choice: Spay quotes of $575, $770, or $1,250 within the same neighborhood. That's a 117% markup between lowest and highest.

Downtown Vancouver Cluster (Within ~2km):

Your choice: All three are reputable, accessible clinics. Spay quotes range from $990–$1,102.50. Most pet owners will book at Clinic D or E without realizing Clinic F is 11% cheaper.

Burnaby Cluster (Same general area):

Your choice: Clinic G's spay is $1,000. Clinic H's is $658.70—a 52% difference for the same procedure in the same area.

Why Is This Happening?

Here's what matters: Price variance isn't always unjustified. But it's almost always unexplained.

Before you assume one clinic is overcharging, understand what different quotes might actually include.

Real Reason #1: What's Actually Included in the Quote?

A $575 spay quote might include:

• Pre-surgical bloodwork: No
• Pain management: Basic post-operative pain medication
• E-collar: Provided (included in quote)
• Follow-up exam: Included

A $1,250 spay quote might include:

• Pre-surgical bloodwork: Yes (especially if your pet is older or has health concerns)
• Pain management: Multi-day injectable pain management + oral medications
• Anesthesia monitoring: Continuous monitoring equipment + trained technician present
• E-collar: Premium/medical-grade collar provided
• Follow-up exams: 2 follow-ups included
• Complications coverage: Extended post-op support included in price

The price difference might not be gouging—it might be different services.

Real Reason #2: Who's Performing the Surgery?

Some clinics employ specialized surgeons; others employ general practitioners. A board-certified surgical specialist commanding a higher fee isn't the same as a clinic overcharging for a routine procedure performed by a generalist.

Real Reason #3: Clinic Overhead & Service Model

A clinic in a premium commercial space with advanced diagnostic equipment (ultrasound, digital radiography, in-house lab) has higher fixed costs than a clinic in a lower-rent neighborhood with basic diagnostics. Those costs get passed to all services.

Real Reason #4: Clinic Business Model & Ownership Structure

Not all clinics are independently owned. About 20% of Canadian veterinary clinics are now owned by corporate chains—larger organizations with different operational models, overhead structures, and service philosophies.

Corporate-owned clinics often have:

• Higher facility standards and equipment budgets
• More full-time specialized staff on payroll
• Advanced diagnostic capabilities
• Standardized protocols and quality assurance processes
• Higher commercial rent and overhead costs

Example from North Vancouver:

The corporate clinics are running $25–$55 higher on exams, $12–$27 higher on vaccines.

How to Actually Use This Information

Before you book or pay a quote, here's what to do:

1. Use a tool like Vetpras to get a directional sense of costs based on real bills submitted by other pet owners in your area.

Then, ask these questions:

2. "What's included in this quote?" (Bloodwork? Pain management? Follow-up visits? Complications coverage?)
3. "Will my pet need pre-surgical bloodwork, and is it included or extra?" (Older pets or those with health issues often need bloodwork. Some clinics include it; others charge $150–$300 extra.)
4. "Who will be performing the surgery?" (Experienced generalist or board-certified specialist? It matters, and so does the price difference.)
5. "What's your pain management protocol?" (Single injection vs. multi-day medication changes the quote—and the recovery.)
6. "What happens if there are complications?" (Are follow-ups included if something goes wrong?)
7. "Do you offer payment plans?" (66% of pet owners say they'd use interest-free payment plans—but only 21% are currently offered them.)

You have the right to:

• Call multiple clinics
• Ask for cost breakdowns
• Understand what's included
• Compare apples-to-apples
• Choose based on value, not just sticker price

And here's the thing: Clinics know this reduces patient anxiety. Transparent clinics aren't afraid of comparison shopping—they attract the right clients.

The Hidden Cost of Not Shopping Around

Remember that statistic? 50% of Canadian pet owners skipped necessary vet care due to cost. Many didn't even try calling other clinics. They just... didn't go.

What they don't realize:

• A more affordable option might exist 10 minutes away
• That payment plan might be available if they'd asked
• That their pet's condition might worsen because they delayed by months

The pet surrender crisis isn't just about wealthy vs. poor families. It's about families who could afford care—but didn't know they could, or didn't know how to find it.

Help Us Close the Information Gap

Vetpras is building Canada's first crowdsourced vet pricing map. We're collecting anonymized quotes and bills from pet owners like you to make pricing transparent—so the next family doesn't have to guess.

If you've received a vet quote or paid a bill in Vancouver, you have data that helps others.

Submit your quote or bill (anonymized) to Vetpras. Help us map pricing across neighborhoods and procedures. Help the next pet owner avoid the $1,214 shock and find the right clinic for their budget and needs.