Amsterdam vets treated 10,000 pets with low-income owners for free

Since 2016 Amsterdam veterinarians treated a total of 10 thousand pets for free under the ADAM regulation, a scheme in which low income households can get a voucher to take their pet to the vet for a consultation or to be chipped and sterilized. Animal welfare alderman Laurens Ivens handed out the 10,000th voucher on Thursday, the municipality said in a statement.

The ADAM regulation is meant to prevent people postponing vet visits because they can not afford it. The city hopes that this will put an end to worsening health complaints, missing pets and animals or litters of kittens, puppies and rabbits being dumped. The scheme was implemented as a test in 2016 and is now a structural part of Amsterdam.

"This arrangement allows us to help the pets of Amsterdam residents with a small wallet", Ivens said. "We have helped them 10 thousand times with a necessary visit to the vet and I am glad that we will continue with this arrangement. There are still people with little money and their pets shouldn't be the victim of that."

Low income households can request a voucher from Amsterdam Animal Ambulance, which can be used at almost all vets in the Dutch capital.