We have two dogs and like children, they are always doing something to themselves. It is kind of inevitable that they will either injure themselves as they leap around stupidly for no reason, or some sort of illness befalls them, and they lie around looking really sorry for themselves.
But on top of all that sort of stuff, many pet lovers here in New Zealand, actively seek out the best foods and supplements to feed their beloved fur babies, to ensure their brief, but exciting, lives are fulfilled with them at maximum health for as long as you can support it.
That’s why many pet owners, and I’m talking specifically about dog owners here, choose to purchase supplements and vitamins to help the pooches have a great life. It is also a smart strategy to avoid lots of vet visits as we know what they cost! So, we joined the growing number of New Zealanders purchasing pet pills and lotions from online international supply outlets. The one we used was iherb.com, who provided the most amazing range of pet nutrients and at very reasonable prices. Why did we not buy locally? Well, we would have if a) we had a decent range of suppliers and products to choose from and b) the prices made it worthwhile.
Unfortunately, neither really applied so we purchased online and from a speedy delivery company. That was until NZ Customs and the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) decided to intervene in the packages delivery on the basis that they wanted to inspect it and check the contents for illegal substances. Well, that sounded reasonable but given that we had purchased a lot of products over several years, with no issues, this all seemed a bit “new”. However, after two weeks of emails, form filling and phone calls, we managed to get the Glucosamine pills for our 12-year-old dog released so we could resume his daily treatment. The pills were making a massive difference to his quality of life and the seemingly unnecessary delay and scrutiny was both unexpected and particularly arduous.
Well, lo and behold, we went online last week to order our regular supply and the website for iHerb tells us that their products are “no longer available in New Zealand”. Seems that our beloved bureaucratic babysitters have decided that we shouldn’t have the choice to purchase products from whoever and wherever we want. No, we must source them locally and pay a higher price for a generally substandard and limited range. This echoes the sort of manipulation and authoritarian meddling that is conducted here regarding the funding for and availability of life saving drugs for a range of human patients needing specialist medicines.
Who are the self-appointed “guardians of the public interest” making these decisions and forging decrees about what pills, supplements or lifesaving drugs that New Zealanders can source for themselves or their animals? Why are we allowing these faceless, uncaring and supremely arrogant bureaucrats to trample on our democratic right to a freedom of choice in terms of these products?
More importantly why does no-one say anything about this outrageous practice of protectionism for weak local industries at the expense of our right to choose? Doesn’t it occur to these corrupt officials that most of us would happily use locally sourced products if they were first rate and a reasonable price?
Our pets can’t speak for themselves, so we owe it to them to highlight what is going on here. It is also astounding that human patients are continuing to die and suffer needlessly because pain relieving medicines are kept out of reach or made unaffordable.
Clearly these bureaucrats and politicians who support this lack of democracy and compassion would change their tune if it was them or their families that required such treatments. Shame on the lot of them.
