Pet spending has soared since Covid, but some Americans can’t afford to keep their cats and dogs
Owner surrenders have soared across the US this year as families grapple with higher costs. Does that say anything about the economy?
America loves its pets.
According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), some 49 million households have a cat, and a whopping 68 million households have a dog. That means — without even counting fish, reptiles, horses, or birds — a large majority of American households have a pet. That love only intensified during the pandemic, as we sought companionship wherever we could find it.
But now, some owners are having to give up their furry friends, with CNN reporting a rise in “owner surrenders” as the increasing cost of ownership bites. One animal shelter in North Carolina reported that owner surrenders are up 43% this year. Meanwhile, Ruff Start Rescue in Minnesota has seen applications rise 16%, and the Animal Care Centers of New York says it has reached a “breaking point,” suspending its intake entirely.
Fur-saken
Per the APPA, Americans are on track to drop $157 billion on their pets this year, 62% more than they spent in 2019. About 43% of that is on people sustaining their pets day to day with food and treats, while the rest is spent on vet care, medicines, supplies, and more.
Indeed, though pet food costs are up more than 20% since the pandemic, it seems to be pet services like veterinary access and grooming that are breaking the bank. Per Bank of America analysis, pet services are 42% more expensive in 2025 than they were in 2019.
Pets as a recession indicator?
It might sound barking mad, but given the emotional connection involved, any decision to surrender a pet is presumably never taken lightly — suggesting serious economic hardship is likely at play when so many Americans make the difficult choice to give up their companions.
