It was meant to fix a broken system. Instead, it risks reinforcing it.
The CMA arrived like a wrecking ball, promising to take on a veterinary sector that many believe has become a game of Monopoly. Too few players. Too much power concentrated in too few hands.
At first, it felt like real change was coming.
But the final outcome tells a different story.
Yes, there are caps on prescription fees. Yes, there will be clearer price lists. But these are surface-level fixes in a system where the board is already owned.
Because this is no longer just about vet practices.
Corporate groups now span the entire board:
- First-opinion vets
- Referral centres
- Emergency clinics
- Pharmacies
When one player owns all the squares, the game is already decided.
Even when you think you are choosing independently, the system often loops back into the same corporate structures. The money goes round the board, but it rarely leaves it.
And in this version of Monopoly, there are no winners.
Not the vets, who are under pressure inside corporate systems.
Not the pet owners, facing rising costs and limited real choice.
And certainly not the animals, whose welfare depends on trust, time and proper care.
The CMA itself said the market is not working.
But instead of breaking up the board, today’s measures simply make the rules a little clearer while the same players keep control.
Transparency is not enough if there is no real choice.
At the Union of Good Dog People, we believe in a different system. One where independence survives. Where ethics matter. And where those who live and work with dogs every day have a seat at the table.
Because dogs deserve better than being caught in a rigged game.
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