Overview

• Thousands of veterinarians and pet owners demonstrated in 38 cities on June 8 to protest Real Decreto 666/2023 and its PRESVET prescription-monitoring system.
• Protesters argue the decree’s administrative demands delay diagnoses, create excess drug stockpiles and heighten the risk of unsafe self-medication.
• The Colegio de Veterinarios and allied associations have urged a full revision of the decree, including scrapping PRESVET, updating technical drug profiles and cutting veterinary VAT from 21% to 10%.
• More than 200,000 people signed a Change.org petition backing the call for regulatory changes to protect animal welfare and professional autonomy.
• The Ministry of Agriculture maintains that current regulations allow clinicians to exercise their judgment when prescribing antibiotics and rejects claims of hindrance.