前程百利小编为大家带来托福阅读材料。宠物被很多有爱心的主人当成了家庭一员，但是对于它们，主人也需要克制一下消费。文章的难词已经标示出来，希望大家可以学习到相关知识，并通过不断的阅读练习提高自己的托福阅读能力。
They’re part of the family but is our spending on pets getting out of control? (完全可以拿来当自己的作文的开头)Michelle Hamer looks at the cost of escalating veterinary bills.
A report by market research company IBIS World found that although the dog and cat population(数量) has reduced in the past five years “the (veterinary(兽医)) industry has expanded due to higher expenditure(支出，花费) on companion animal(陪伴的动物;通常意义上的pet的另一种说法) vet care”.
The report found that pet owners are increasingly willing to pull out all the stops to prolong(延长) the lives of their ‘fur babies’ with veterinary services expanding to include a raft of(大量) advanced and costly(昂贵的) animal surgical(外科的，矫正的) and diagnostic(诊断的) procedures. Owners are also more likely to invest in holistic(全方面的) and preventative(预防性的) treatments for their pets.
But are some vets cashing in on(从……中获利) pet owner’s emotions by ramping up charges(涨价) and over-servicing?
Victorian dog owner Louise Oldfield thinks some vets overcharge but admits: “We would pretty much spend anything to keep them healthy”.
Ms Oldfield says she’s spent “a fortune” caring for her two canines. “Four cruciate ligaments(十字韧带); three for one dog and one for another each over $1000” she says. “Then blood tests vet visits and medications especially as they age(变老).”
Ms Oldfield estimates(估计) she and her partner have spent almost $30000 on vet care for their dogs.
“I do think vets are too expensive but perhaps that’s because human health care is subsidised(补助，补贴) – so you have a bit of a heart attack when you see the amount for a simple presc<x>ription(处方).”
“Our dogs are on glucosamine(葡萄糖) for their joint (关节)health but if you buy a pet product it’s about three times (the cost) of a people product and it’s the same thing. I think some (vets) prey on(利用) people (who would do) anything for their pets.”
Australia has traditionally had one of the world’s highest rates of pet ownership with an estimated 33 million pets in 2013.
Queensland woman Kate says the more than $6000 she spent on vet care after her 13 year-old-cat was injured a year ago was worth every cent. The cat needed two operations painkillers(止痛药) antibiotics(抗生素) cat morphine(吗啡) recovery food and hospitalisation(住院) after injuring its jaw in an unknown accident.
“Was it worth it?” Kate asks. “Yes because in human years he was only 65. Yes because he’s become so ridiculously loving toward us (and) because he is perfectly recovered and extremely healthy and active.”
She admits however that if she had known the costs ahead of time she might have decided it was more than she could afford.
The past president of the Australian Veterinary Association Dr Ben Gardiner told CHOICE Magazine that if individual vets overcharged or suggested unnecessary treatment their clients would quickly go elsewhere. He said pet owners might be paying more because vets now offer more holistic treatment.
“These days a lot of vets are looking at the overall health of the animal and that means pet owners have more options for treatments” he said. “Vets are moving more toward preventative care. If a vet offers a range of options that could benefit the animal I wouldn’t call that upselling(说服消费者购买更贵的产品和附加产品的推销策略). But if there’s a degree of coercion(强制) involved – if the vet plays on the owner’s sentiments(感情) and pushes things the animal doesn’t really need – we would consider that to be a violation(违背，违反) of our code of practice.”
Despite the high costs of vet care only five per cent of owners have health insurance for their pets.
In a recent interview the Victorian president of the RSPCA Dr Hugh Wirth said some vets immediately suggest costly diagnostic testing without offering alternatives(替代方法).
“A vet should identify what treatments are available…and the costs and benefits of each option” Dr Wirth said. “They shouldn’t make clients feel guilty if they choose the lower-cost option.”
以上就是前程百利小编为大家带来的托福阅读材料，平时的阅读练习是托福考试阅读备考的重要一环。希望大家利用好每份材料，尽可能多地从中获取知识。预祝大家托福考试取得好成绩。
