Archive · 2 Oct 2025
Pet Ownership Costs Rising, Impacting Shelters and Owners
Owning a pet is getting more expensive.
Things like vet visits and pet food cost more now.
This is because prices for everything are going up.
Many pet owners are struggling to pay for their pets and some are even skipping meals to afford them.
Because of the high costs, more animals are ending up in animal shelters.
Pet insurance can help with some costs, but it may not cover everything, like the initial costs of getting a pet or pre-existing conditions.
Financial experts generally recommend pet insurance.
Pet ownership is becoming more expensive due to rising costs of pet care and veterinary services.
The average lifetime care cost is approximately $35,000 for a dog and $32,000 for a cat.
Veterinary and grooming costs have risen 42% since 2019.
Many pet owners have pet-related debt, with some skipping meals to afford pet needs.
Animal shelters are filling up, with an estimated 5.8 million animal intakes last year.
- Who
- Pet owners, animal shelters, and pets.
- What
- Rising costs are making it harder for people to afford pets, impacting animal shelters and pet owners.
- When
- The rising costs are recent.
- Where
- Across the U.S.
- Why
- The everyday cost of products for animals and veterinary care, including inflation, are driving the rise in costs.
- Average lifetime pet care (dog)
- $35,000 (over 10 years)
- Average lifetime pet care (cat)
- $32,000 (over 16 years)
- Increase in vet/grooming costs (2019-2025)
- 42%
- Pet owners with pet-related debt
- 22% have at least $2,000
- Pet owners skipping meals for pets
- 58%
- Estimated animal shelter intakes (last year)
- 5.8 million