£93 million a week – the cost of keeping the UK’s pets prompts calls for a Government and industry funded Pet Poverty Fund
New research from Petmeds.co.uk, the leading online UK pet health store, has revealed the cost of keeping a pet has increased by £7.6million a week in the past two years, with UK adults now spending £93.6 million a week on their animals*.
But Petmeds warns this is just the beginning and says things are set to get much worse as soaring pet food and medication costs push up animal costs and could lead to millions of pets being abandoned or failing to get vital medication and veterinary checks.
RSPCA figures show an increase in abandoned animals left with the charity last year, up from 6,500 in 2005 to 9,500 in 2007 and Petmeds is calling for the Government and the pet industry to work together and establish a Pet Poverty Fund to prevent the situation getting worse.
Petmeds argues the fund should be available as an option of last resort to which pet owners struggling in the face of rising costs can apply for help. As part of a Pet Poverty Fund initiative, Petmeds is prepared to provide flea and worming treatment for all pets bought in pet rescue centres for the next 12 months as part of a Pet Poverty Fund to help under pressure pet owners.
“The UK is rightly known as a nation of animal lovers but the reality is that many pet owners are really struggling to pay higher food and medication bills for their animals when they are already facing huge increases in their own food, energy and household costs,” states Petmeds.co.uk managing director Ricky Thomas.
“We believe the Government should look at funding a Pet Poverty fund for those pet owners most in need. If people feel compelled to start abandoning their animals or can’t afford to buy vital medication and veterinary treatment, we could face a major national problem which would fall upon charities, local authorities and the Government to address. By providing a Pet Poverty fund we can at least start to address these issues and work with owners to ensure their pets remain safe, well and in the family home.
“We’d also urge pet owners to look for sensible ways to save money on pet costs during the current climate without compromising their animals’ health or wellbeing, such as looking for bulk buy discounts or ways to source medication for less.”
Petmeds has launched its own forum for pet owners to exchange tips and ideas on caring for pets and also aims to undercut the cost of medication from vets by an average of 50%.
Petmeds is a leading and trusted UK pet health store supplying the public with genuine veterinary items at discounted prices. The company offers over 2,000 items for all animal health needs including prescriptions. Most items are sent within 24 hours and Petmeds guarantees to beat any price by 5% or more.
* Findings based on PetMeds analysis of ONS Family Spending Survey statistics
