Over half of all American households (57 percent) have a pet. Nine out of ten pet owners say that their pets are members of the family. Around 37 percent of dog owners and 31 percent of owners have photographs of their pets prominently displayed in their homes, and many also have pictures of their pets in their work space.
Pets are loved and well cared for. Sometimes the care and feeding of pets can get expensive. The cost for vet office visits, food, and other essentials such as flea collars and identification tags can add up. Just like health care costs for humans, prices for vet services and vet visit costs have gone up in recent years. Veterinary prices are influenced by the rising costs of medicine and proper training for staff as well as the costs associated with running a business.
The cost for vet office visits and vet prices are not the only expenses for pet owners. Pet food, cat litter, flea collars, dog shampoos, pet toys, raw hides and cat nip are just some of the items that Americans purchase regularly. They also spend around 5 billion dollars a year buying holiday gifts for their pets.