A proposal in the Nebraska Legislature could increase tax on veterinarian services

There are a lot of ideas and proposals on the table as to coming up with money to balance the Nebraska budget. 

One of the ideas is taking more money from the pockets of pet owners.

“I feel like that would be absurd because we already pay just enough if not more on the exams for them, and let alone the medication and the follow-up visits and everything else that we have to take with it,” Lincoln pet owner, Amanda Haas said.

The proposed tax increase would be on both pet and livestock healthcare.

Governor Pete Ricketts says he will be urging the legislature not to go through with this. He says the only way to get real tax relief is by controlling spending.

“Every time the legislature raises taxes, all it’s ended up is more government spending,” Ricketts said. “It’s unfair to shift a tax from one person to another person so we need to make sure that the legislature gets the message to keep their paws off of our pet healthcare.”

Ricketts gave an example of how much of an increase it would be if the tax was in place. If you pay over $440 a year for pet care, you would be looking at paying an extra $35.

“Adding that onto any other costs like college, it will just make people not wanting to buy pets and that could lead to a lot of problems for animal welfare and people’s cost of living,” Lincoln pet owner, Cloey Nyverg said.

Senators are also looking at other sales tax increases, not just on vet services.

“It already puts a dent in our pocket and just everything else,” Haas said. If they want to raise the taxes with that, it’s just going to be more and you know they are family and they are a part of us, they are our lives.”

The idea of raising taxes on veterinarian services has not even made it out of the committee, so it’s future is unclear.