The petitioners are calling for the tax rate to be cut from the current 23% to 6%.

Once the signatures have been validated, the number collected will require the initiative to be debated in a parliamentary plenary session.

According to the OMV, the “strong response” to the petition shows that the issue extends far beyond the veterinary profession, mobilising citizens across the country who recognise the importance of making veterinary care more affordable.

In a statement, the OMV said submitting the petition marked a decisive moment in the debate, given the “widespread public support achieved” and society’s “growing awareness” of the role veterinary medicine plays in protecting animal health and public health.

In recent weeks, the organisation has met with political parties represented in parliament to advocate for a reduction in VAT on veterinary services for companion animals as part of the 2027 State Budget.

“Political parties now have an opportunity to show, once and for all, where their priorities lie on an issue that affects the lives of a very significant number of people, given that an estimated 2.2 million households have at least one pet,” said OMV president Pedro Fabrica, quoted in the statement released by the organisation.

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