Canadians heading south for option of cheaper pet care

Cross-border shopping doesn’t stop at bargain hunting for holiday gifts, many British Columbians are rushing into the US for cheaper pet care.

It turns out there’s a growing group of Canadians crossing the border to get lower cost veterinary services.

One Canadian dog owner, Vince Grywacheski, took his dog to Bellingham, WA to have surgery, which if he had done in B.C. would have cost between $4,200 and $5,500. But in the States, the entire cost came to $3,000.

“We had a client come over from Vancouver Island with a dog who had a cervical disc problem and needed neck surgery,” says Mark Davis, Northwest Veterinary Surgery Inc. “I think the clients I heard back from had a good experience and were thankful for the type of bill they had to pay.”

Davis has been a vet or 20 years across Washington state and says he’s seen an increase in calls and clients from Canada, and so have other vets in the Bellingham area. Some come for routine care like teeth cleaning and shots; while other comes for more serious surgeries.

Why B.C. veterinarian costs are higher, is unknown, Davis suggests it’s due to overhead and availability.

At the border, all a pet owner needs is proof your dog has had their rabies shots.

~ with files from Darlene Heidemann