Cost of living crisis impacting ability to care for pets, survey reveals
Benchmark Kennels surveyed over 500 UK pet owners to see which pet costs have risen the most and how pet owners are reducing spending elsewhere to pay for their pet's needs
A new survey by Benchmark Kennels has revealed that just under half (42.1%) of the surveyed pet owners said that they are cutting back on eating and drinking out to pay for increasing pet costs as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
Just 1.7% of pet owners confirmed they don’t need to change any of their outgoings to pay for their pet costs.
The Kennel manufacturer surveyed over 500 UK pet owners to see which pet costs have risen the most and how pet owners are reducing spending elsewhere to pay for their pet’s needs.
The survey revealed that the main increase in pet food costs for half of pet owners is the cost of pet food. Some 49.8% agreed that the increasing cost of pet food has had the largest impact on their pet-related outgoings.
Vet bills are the second-largest cause of pet ownership costs increasing with some 11.8% of pet owners said they have seen an increase in their spending on vet bills.
Meanwhile, pet insurance is the third main rising cost – 9.3% agree that pet insurance costs have risen.
Cheryl Sampson, marketing manager at Benchmark Kennels, said: “As the cost of living across the UK increases, so do pet ownership costs such as pet food, vet bills, and grooming. When considering whether or not to purchase a puppy or kitten, it is essential to do thorough research into the day-to-day costs of owning a dog.
“Pet food may be more expensive than you first thought. Pair this with vet bills and insurance costs, and the total price of owning a pet begins to pile up. Ensuring that the dog’s needs are taken care of is the top priority. Cutting back on luxuries such as eating out or cancelling streaming subscriptions is imperative in ensuring pet costs are cared for first.”
