Commentary
We held this article for a few weeks trying to best present the content for consideration. Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities, wrote it. She shares metrics seen routinely in various media and calls the rising cost of pet care a full-blown pet healthcare crisis.
I disagree. I believe we have a pet parent spending problem veterinary hospitals are being asked to accommodate and fix.
Nearly all service businesses have experienced increasing landed costs to provide goods and services. Of course, these costs will affect the cost of care. Meanwhile, we see survey after survey exposing the lack of pet parent disciplines in setting spending priorities.
Consider a few metrics from a January 2024 survey, for example <Link>:
- Average pet parent spends about $4,800 a year on their pet
- They spent about $633 on food for their pets, but even more on treats ($645)
- They averaged spending close to $600 on fun items such as toys ($585) and clothes ($598)
- Health needs averaged $1,242 on vet visits.
- There was NO mention of costs associated with grooming, daycare or boarding
Spending 50 percent less money on treats and toys would likely cover the annual costs associated with a wellness plan and a pet insurance policy.” – Kirk Augustine
Source: Forbes, May 8, 2025. Link.
INSIGHTS: It would seem we collectively need to spend more energy on what it means to be a responsible pet owner. To their credit, private breeders and some shelters screen for some of these elements before placing a pet, yet financial discussions and qualifications are few and far between.
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