Now the squeeze really hits home – as animal lovers can’t afford a pet

Higher vet bills, steep increases in insurance premiums and the crisis in the cost of living are leading some pet owners to think the unthinkable – and wonder if they can still afford to keep their dog or cat.

According to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the number of pets ending up in the centers is rising as owners can no longer afford their upkeep. Last month, more than one in five pets left with the charity was due to owners no longer being able to afford them. This compares to less than one percent in December 2021.

The number of applications from dog owners who want to rehome their pet is 38 percent higher than last year. Rob Young, head of operations at the charity, blames expensive vet bills. He says: ‘Unfortunately last year we saw a sharp increase in the number of people who had to give up their pets because they could not afford essential veterinary treatment.’

Battersea’s data echoes research from Dogs Trust, a dog welfare charity, which shows that a third of dog owners are concerned about rising costs – with the biggest concerns being vet bills, food and insurance premiums.

The UK veterinary market is controlled by major players including global giant IVC Evidensia, listed CVS and Medivet. Official data indicates that vet bills are increasing at more than 12 percent per year. Pet owner Richard Hood from Romford in Essex believes vets are taking customers for a ride. His cat Molly recently spent a few days at a vet on an IV. He was left with a bill of £1,100. “For the same amount of money I could have spent a night at Princess Grace Hospital in London,” says Richard remorsefully.

The British Veterinary Association understandably thinks otherwise. Veterinarians put the interests of the customer first. President Malcolm Morley says animal welfare concerns are exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis. “Veterinarians report more animals are coming to the surgery with problems that could have been prevented or minimized if medical attention had been sought earlier – many owners cited financial concerns as the reason for the delay.”

He adds: ‘Veterinarians always prioritize animal welfare and work closely with clients to tailor treatment plans to individual circumstances.’

While giving a pet up for adoption is a last resort, many owners take other measures to reduce costs. These include giving up expensive pet insurance, especially when their dog or cat gets old and premiums rise.

The impact of a pet’s age on insurance premiums is significant. Last week, The Mail on Sunday researched lifetime coverage (accident and illness) for a two-year-old and one-month-old cocker spaniel.

Money lender: Rikke Rosenlund

Using the comparison website Comparethemarket, annual premiums ranged from £55.32 (Purely Pets) to £593.16 (Toddle). This was based on a minimum annual vet cost limit of £1,000 with a deductible for each condition claimed. In the case of Purely Pets, the vet’s fee limit was £1,000 and the deductible was £160. For Waggel, the figures were £10,000 and £100. When the dog’s age was changed to eight years and one month, the annual premiums from £142.92 to £1,443.72. If the cocker had health problems, the premiums would have been even higher.

Many policyholders set aside the money they paid for coverage to pay for vet bills themselves. Ten years ago, Catherine Otley, from Dover, Kent, canceled cover for her two dogs and started paying a monthly fee to her vet – the money was then used when treatment was needed.

Although the vet does not pay interest on the deposit, she can request a refund at any time. It was used to cover the cost of end-of-life treatment for labrador Ben who died in late 2019 – and first puppy care for red and white setter Chester, three next month. Catherine, 67, a retired self-storage company manager, also owns a ten-year-old red and white setter named Callum. She says: ‘The £200 I pay each month is more than the vet costs, while I don’t have to pay a deductible like with an insurance policy. Best of all, I no longer have to deal with the anger that rages inside me every time I received a cancellation notice saying my premiums had gone up again.”

Shopping for cheaper coverage can lower the premium, but any existing medical conditions are usually not covered by a new policy. Searching for alternative cover for 15-year-old Westie Buster has saved Ann Dever £230. Ann, who is 66 and works part-time at the gift shop at Wild Discovery Zoo near Preston, was told the renewal premium for her Animal Friends policy would rise to £509, up from £385 last year.

This is despite never making a claim for Buster. “I expected a 10 percent increase, not 32 percent,” she says. She was able to get equivalent cover for £279 from Petwise through a comparison website.

Health Alert: Arlene Wilson wants action to curb premium hikes

Arlene Wilson, from Aberdeen, believes more needs to be done to prevent insurers from sifting through a pet’s veterinary record and rejecting a claim because it’s considered a pre-existing condition. Arlene, a 56-year-old hotel manager, says when a new policy is taken out, a veterinarian should be asked to provide a certificate stating whether the pet has any lingering conditions. “My nine-year-old Brussels griffin, George, was sick five years ago,” she says. “The vet made it clear to him, but I wonder if that illness could be used to deny a claim in the future.”

Many pet owners, especially those on low incomes, turn to charities such as PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) for access to low-cost veterinary treatment.

The British Veterinary Association says many vets have made arrangements with charities to provide services at a lower cost.

Another problem is that some people don’t replace pets when they die. Instead, they use services like BorrowMyDoggy to borrow a pet from a willing owner for a day or weekend. Rikke Rosenlund, founder of BorrowMyDoggy, says she has a million members in the UK and Ireland. Both lenders and borrowers pay an annual fee to join the service.

She says many dogs in the UK are obese or anxious because they are alone when their owners go to work. “Our service addresses these issues and helps dogs’ mental and physical well-being.”

Gill Earl, from Carshalton, Surrey, often loaned her cocker spaniel Millie through BorrowMyDoggy to families with young children.

She is now considering becoming a borrower herself after 13-year-old Millie was put to sleep two weeks ago. She says. “I’ll be 70 in a few months. I wouldn’t have another dog, but I’d love to walk someone else’s pet.”