As the owner of a number of animals which are kept as ‘pets’ on my smallholding, I have started to wonder whether pet plans, also known as health plans, are worth the cost.

I have four dogs, three donkeys and two ponies, all on health plans. The plans, combined, are quite costly, and, like many animal owners faced with rising costs, I have started to question whether they are value for money.

While pet plans can be helpful, especially when it comes to budgeting, it is important to remember that they do not replace pet insurance for unexpected illnesses and injuries. Pet plans usually cover routine needs such as vaccinations, flea and worm treatments and, in the case of equines, faecal worm egg counts, and while they don’t cover emergency treatment, they often include a discount for treatments.

If you only have one pet and can afford it, the best option would probably be to combine a pet plan with pet insurance, as this will provide you with comprehensive protection for your pet.

Whilst pet plans are generally worth the cost, it is worth bearing in mind a couple of things, such as the choice of medications on offer. For example, when I had my dogs on a pet plan before I moved house, the choice of wormers included in the plan was very limited, and those on offer made two of my four dogs sick. When I enquired about alternatives, I was told those were the only options.

Subsequently this meant paying for the plan but also purchasing a different wormer for two of my pets – a total waste of money! The same can be said of flea treatments; some are more effective than others, and because I live on a smallholding and my dogs run in the paddocks with sheep, goats and pigs, I need something that does the job well.

Despite this, there are, however, numerous advantages of signing up to a pet plan, and these include:
Helping with budgeting – as you are able to spread the cost of vaccines and routine treatment by paying in monthly installments it makes budgeting much easier, especially if you have numerous pets.

Encourages good care – you are less likely to miss a routine appointment that has already been paid for if you pay for a plan.

Ease – pet plans give you peace of mind knowing that essential routine treatments have been budgeted for.

Disadvantages of pet plans are fewer however it it worth bearing in mind that:
Insurance is still necessary - pet plans do not cover unexpected accidents or serious illnesses and therefore insurance costs will still apply.

Utilisation - if you rarely visit the vet with your pet then the cost of the plan may not be feasible although all pets should be treated routinely with vaccinations, worming and flea treatment, sadly this is not always the case. If you have a very healthy pet, it may be worth paying for routine treatments as and when they are carried out rather than having a pet plan.

Many people say they ‘put money to one side every month’ rather than pay for a pet plan or insurance, but I wonder how effective this really is. I too have told myself I would be better off financially if I saved £100 a month in a separate account to use as and when my animals need it, but after decades of owning pets, I still haven’t done it!

Another factor to bear in mind, especially if you have larger animals on a plan such as donkeys, ponies and horses, is to carefully consider what the plan includes. The plan I had with my previous vets included the cost of a call-out fee; however, I was surprised when signing up to a new plan after I moved to a different area of the country that call-out fees were payable on top of the pet plan fee – if more than one visit is required for treatment, this can become costly, as I found out!

It is worth shopping around, as not all vets offer pet plans, and certainly, as in the case of equines, not all vets are experienced enough to provide veterinary care for your treasured horse, pony or donkey.

Despite the call-out charge, I still have my donkeys and ponies on a plan. The plan covers faecal worm egg counts (though the wormer is charged for separately), one routine dental inspection, annual flu and tetanus vaccinations and a couple of other things that I have never used, such as the autumn tapeworm saliva test – there is absolutely no way any of my ponies or donkeys would let me do this! The plan also includes a multi-horse discount and a small discount off veterinary treatment, including medication.



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