Vet Bills

sillysmiles

Does anyone know if there is any forms of tax rebate available for claiming back vet bills? Like Med1 forms?
Especially it's medical bills for a family member :-)

Stheno

No there is not

mistybluehills

sillysmiles wrote: »

Does anyone know if there is any forms of tax rebate available for claiming back vet bills? Like Med1 forms?
Especially it's medical bills for a family member :-)

Pet insurance might be an opTion going forward. Also some vets allow a monthly subscription to be paid which then covers a lot of basic treatments
If you're farming the farm dogs e.g. a sheepdog, you could write off cost of vet treatment against tax, say working, flea tx, getting brokennleg fixed
Just a few ideas mate.

tk123

I wish lol!

nala2012

You can claim back the vet if you've a working dog. You can claim it back on the food too!

sillysmiles

Not farming so unfortunately that's not an option and insurance not an option due to age and preexisting ctds.
I knew it wasn't really but thought if anyone knew of a loop hole the boards folks would!

DBB

nala2012 wrote: »

You can claim back the vet if you've a working dog. You can claim it back on the food too!

Define working dog?
I'm assuming this is limited to guide dogs and registered therapy dogs?

Mooooo

DBB wrote: »

Define working dog?
I'm assuming this is limited to guide dogs and registered therapy dogs?

Herding dogs, sheep/cattle dogs

DBB

Mooooo wrote: »

Herding dogs, sheep/cattle dogs

You can write off vet bills and food for your collie? Really?
Every day's a school day

Mooooo

DBB wrote: »

You can write off vet bills and food for your collie? Really?
Every day's a school day

Yes. There are a lot more older farmers in the country than any other demographic and sheep farmers in particular in commange areas they would be necessity when rounding up stock. As important to some as a tractor would be to others I'd imagine

DBB

Mooooo wrote: »

Yes. There are a lot more older farmers in the country than any other demographic and sheep farmers in particular in commange areas they would be necessity when rounding up stock. As important to some as a tractor would be to others I'd imagine

I don't doubt it, I've worked on a huge sheep farm in my time, loved working with the dogs
I just never thought of the dog's care as being writable-offable! Makes sense really.

tk123

Lol... we get healthcare for ourselves and any dependants as one of our benefits in work and I'm always saying 'but the dogs ARE my dependants!!!'

Ashbx

Out of curiosity, how does someone prove its a working dog?

tk123

Anyone who's filled in Form 11 would agree with me when I say leave well enough alone lol

Choc Chip

DBB wrote: »

Define working dog?
I'm assuming this is limited to guide dogs and registered therapy dogs?

As Moooooo said, I'd imagine costs associated with herding dogs would be wholly and exclusively incurred for the purposes of running the farm so tax deductible as a general rule (though not something I've looked at).

Interestingly though (to me anyway), guide dog expenses aren't generally deductible - there is a specific allowance for guide dogs of €825 which is available at the standard rate of income tax, so worth around €165 in the hand. Not particularly generous.

I'm not aware of any tax deduction available for registered therapy dogs...

Springwell

Gundogs count too, if you're a game keeper or such

DBB

Choc Chip wrote: »

I'm not aware of any tax deduction available for registered therapy dogs...

My guess would be that they could, in theory, avail of the same deductions that guide dogs get... I know therapy dogs generally don't get specific mention in official documents, even in the legislation, but from what I've seen to date, registered therapy dogs (and they must be registered) are lumped in with guide dogs by the spirit of the law, rather than direct law itself.
Does that make sense?!

nala2012

In my case it was for a "yard dog". My partner is a self employed builder/machine driver so has a yard. Nelson was a mastiff.

Choc Chip

DBB wrote: »

My guess would be that they could, in theory, avail of the same deductions that guide dogs get... I know therapy dogs generally don't get specific mention in official documents, even in the legislation, but from what I've seen to date, registered therapy dogs (and they must be registered) are lumped in with guide dogs by the spirit of the law, rather than direct law itself.
Does that make sense?!

It's not an area I'm familiar with, but I'd be doubtful of getting the same treatment for a registered therapy dog tbh - Revenue specifically require that the individual must be entitled to the Blind Person’s Tax Credit and provide written confirmation from the Irish Guide Dogs Association that he or she is the registered owner of a trained guide dog (http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/credits/guide-dog.html is a handy link on it).

Revenue state in separate guidance that "providing and maintaining assistance dogs" for kids with autism or dyslexia is not tax deductible.

Having said all that, the section that provides for the deduction for health expenses (s469 TCA 1997 for anyone who is really interested) doesn't set any of the above out specifically so it's open for someone to challenge Revenue's interpretation if they were in that scenario.

Choc Chip

nala2012 wrote: »

In my case it was for a "yard dog". My partner is a self employed builder/machine driver so has a yard. Nelson was a mastiff.

I'm trying to figure out how I can justify that my big lazy monster is wholly necessary for my business.... stress relief?

tk123

DBB wrote: »

My guess would be that they could, in theory, avail of the same deductions that guide dogs get... I know therapy dogs generally don't get specific mention in official documents, even in the legislation, but from what I've seen to date, registered therapy dogs (and they must be registered) are lumped in with guide dogs by the spirit of the law, rather than direct law itself.
Does that make sense?!

I was thinking the same thing - could it be classed as discrimination and challenged under the equality act I wonder? For an assistance dog though rather than a therapy dog that visits hospitals etc

DBB

tk123 wrote: »

I was thinking the same thing - could it be classed as discrimination and challenged under the equality act I wonder? For an assistance dog though rather than a therapy dog that visits hospitals etc

Sorry, yes, I have meant assistance dogs, as opposed to any other sort of therapy dogs.. it seems bizarre that a family that has an assistance dog to help kids with autism (or other behavioural challenges) can't avail of tax deductions, on medical grounds at least. Hmmm. Maybe the concept is still a bit new in Ireland?

mistybluehills

sillysmiles wrote: »

Not farming so unfortunately that's not an option and insurance not an option due to age and preexisting ctds.
I knew it wasn't really but thought if anyone knew of a loop hole the boards folks would!

There's still the option of some sort of flat pay subscription type payment to your vet.
Some practices run it
It might help with budgeting at least?
You are also entitled to get a prescription and buy meds at another outlet- you don't have to get them at the expect vets where your pet is treated. Perhaps there's a saving there?
I'm sort of out of ideas now though!!

Choc Chip

DBB wrote: »

Sorry, yes, I have meant assistance dogs, as opposed to any other sort of therapy dogs.. it seems bizarre that a family that has an assistance dog to help kids with autism (or other behavioural challenges) can't avail of tax deductions, on medical grounds at least. Hmmm. Maybe the concept is still a bit new in Ireland?

In fairness, it shouldn't require a legislative change, just a change in treatment by Revenue to extend their view of guide dogs to include other registered assistance dogs. It'd probably require a decent amount of evidence of the effectiveness of such dogs, but Revenue can be open to changing their view of such things if you can make a good case to someone at an appropriate level.

TK - I'm not a lawyer and I'm not familiar at all with equality legislation so I'm not sure if it provides for discrimination in the context of equal treatment for different medical conditions?

OP - Sorry if I'm dragging the thread off-topic. I need to pack for a trip so I'll stop now!

mistybluehills

nala2012 wrote: »

In my case it was for a "yard dog". My partner is a self employed builder/machine driver so has a yard. Nelson was a mastiff.

I think we should say to check with tax advisor/accountant before doing any of these things.
Revenue can take a dim view of some things put down as "expenses" and it can double-cost you if they do an audit!!

DBB

Choc Chip wrote: »

In fairness, it shouldn't require a legislative change, just a change in treatment by Revenue to extend their view of guide dogs to include other registered assistance dogs. It'd probably require a decent amount of evidence of the effectiveness of such dogs, but Revenue can be open to changing their view of such things if you can make a good case to someone at an appropriate level.

A starting point might be that the same organisation trains guide dogs and assistance dogs (IGDA)... Although there are other charities that specialise in assistance dogs only.

nala2012

mistybluehills wrote: »

I think we should say to check with tax advisor/accountant before doing any of these things.
Revenue can take a dim view of some things put down as "expenses" and it can double-cost you if they do an audit!!

It went through the accountant!

Choc Chip

nala2012 wrote: »

mistybluehills wrote: »

I think we should say to check with tax advisor/accountant before doing any of these things.
Revenue can take a dim view of some things put down as "expenses" and it can double-cost you if they do an audit!!

It went through the accountant!

I know this is A&PI, but just in case someone is reading this in future, an accountant is not necessarily a tax specialist and the tax treatment of an expense can depend on specific circumstances. In addition, legislation is subject to change. So even if it was the correct treatment at that time in those circumstances, it doesn't mean it will be the right treatment in future for someone else - always worth checking the current position with a tax advisor.

sillysmiles

Choc Chip wrote: »

OP - Sorry if I'm dragging the thread off-topic. I need to pack for a trip so I'll stop now!

Quite happy for the thread to be dragged off topic. My query was fairly tongue-in-cheek anyway and was based on attending the GP (for myself) and the vet (for the dog) in one day and paying out €65 for the GP and €200 for the vet and knowing I have recourse to claim against the smaller amount!

The reality is that my dog will get the best we can afford, but it would sometimes be nice, as a PAYE worker, to be recognised for doing the right thing and taking care of our responsiblies.

thegreatgonzo

Choc Chip wrote: »

I know this is A&PI, but just in case someone is reading this in future, an accountant is not necessarily a tax specialist and the tax treatment of an expense can depend on specific circumstances. In addition, legislation is subject to change. So even if it was the correct treatment at that time in those circumstances, it doesn't mean it will be the right treatment in future for someone else - always worth checking the current position with a tax advisor.

Yeah...when I was doing my farm accounts last year my accountant wouldn't let me write off the dog food. I didn't question it because even though my dog keeps me company as I work he isn't essential to the running of the farm...my accountant is very honest!