Pet owners opting for wellness plans
Priscilla Butterfield of Richland owns seven cats and a dog and spends hundreds of dollars annually taking care of them.
But she hopes to reduce those costs by enrolling in a pet wellness plan offered by her veterinarian.
Well Pet Plans are essentially prepaid discounted pet health services. Pet owners sign a 12-month contract with a provider, pay a monthly fee and get a set of services that includes office visits, blood tests, vaccinations, de-worming, spaying or neutering and discounts for other medical procedures.
The plans are not pet insurance, which has co-pays and deductibles. They are more like a gym membership, said Daniel J. Patton, whose Pasco-based company, Prevent Plans, developed the program. Its focus is preventive care to save money in the long run, he said.
Veterinarians can catch a potential problem early, treat it and help prolong a pet's life, said Patton, who has degrees in veterinary sciences and business administration.
He and his wife, a nonpracticing veterinarian, started the business in March. So far, he's signed up 10 veterinary practices in the Northwest and is working with a private group that has 150 practices in 30 states, he said.
