18% of pet owners cut back on weekly food shop to afford pet care

Four million pet owners in the UK are cutting back on their weekly food shop to ensure they can care for their pets, according to data from vet charity PDSA.

Around 3.7 million owners are cutting back on their energy costs for similar reasons.

As many as 770,000 owners are even going without necessities, including skipping meals, to keep money aside to afford the costs associated with looking after their pets.

Alongside this two million families are cancelling or not going on holiday to save as much money as possible to continue caring for their pets.

Nearly half of owners are worried about affording the cost of treatment if their pet should fall ill or be injured and a quarter of all pet owners said they would go into debt, either with family and friends or via credit and loans, to cover the cost of unexpected vet treatment.

Furthermore, 95% of people are determined to do whatever possible to avoid having to decide whether to rehome them, or having them put to sleep, due to the ever-increasing cost of living.

Lynne James,PDSA veterinary surgeon, said: “Everyone wants the best for their pets and hearing the lengths loving owners are having to go to during the cost of living crisis so they can continue providing for them is heart-breaking.

“In 2022 we provided veterinary care for over 390,000 pets, whose owners would otherwise have struggled to afford the cost and may even have had to resort to other options such as rehoming. Now more than ever, the treatment we provide is a lifeline for families who face the horrible decision of being able to eat regular meals or provide their furry family member with their usual necessities.”