By Christopher Sharp

Copyright walesonline

Celebrated veterinarian Noel Fitzpatrick has confessed his practice is “making a financial loss”, as he revealed the challenges confronting his business. In recent years, mounting worries have emerged regarding how the cost of living crisis impacts households and influences their spending choices. This encompasses deliberating whether to acquire a pet. For those without substantial earnings, considering the expense of a new puppy or kitten can deter them from making the decision. Nevertheless, it’s not solely prospective or current pet owners who are battling hardship, but veterinary surgeries across the nation are also suffering. Well-known vets like Noel, 57, are not exempt from the pressures of Britain’s economic challenges. Speaking to the Times, Noel, recognised by some Britons as ‘The Supervet’, has acknowledged that even his enterprise is facing difficulties. He said: “Anybody looking at our accounts on Companies House will know that I’m making a financial loss. We’re open seven days a week, 24/7, and we are hurting. I’m just trying to survive as a veterinary practice.” Noel also discussed debunking one of the major misconceptions about his profession – that his clients are exclusively wealthy and famous. Regarding this, he said: “People forget that 98 per cent of my clientele are not celebrities. “One or two per cent are. I don’t want people to get the impression that I only treat celebrity dogs, because it’s wrong.” Beyond his veterinary work, Noel operates his own YouTube channel in addition to his Channel 4 show , which he reveals will soon feature an AI Assistant to help him engage with supporters. He explained: “Every scientific paper I’ve published, every lecture I’ve given, can be distilled into an AI avatar. That will hopefully allow me to leave a coherent version of what I feel about moving medicine forward for animals.” Noel’s revelation that his practice faces difficulties follows the RSPCA ‘s release of its 2025 Animal Kindness Index, which found that over 14 per cent of owners have experienced regret about acquiring their pets, with 38 per cent of this group pointing to financial concerns as the cause. The report stated: “Pet owners are increasingly worried about being able to afford vet bills (52 percent) and pet insurance (33 percent), compared to last year. “Consistent with previous years, affording vet bills is the main financial worry among pet owners, particularly for those aged 45–54 (60 percent). “But despite financial worries, responsible pet care is on the rise as 68% now vaccinate their pets annually (up 5 percent from last year), 71 percent take them for regular check-ups, and 89% are registered with a vet. “We continue to offer advice and support on our online cost-of-living hub and through our food bank scheme, which has delivered more than 2 million meals to pets in need since it opened in 2020.”