OWNING A DOG OR CAT IS ALREADY COSTLY — AND IT’S ABOUT TO GET EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE

Sara Amato never planned to own a dog, but once she got one, she went all in. She adopted Finn, an Australian cattle dog mix, from a rescue when he was just 8 weeks old in 2022.

Taking care of Finn isn’t cheap. He has serious allergies and needed special training to help him be calm around people, get along with other dogs, and not bite. Sara, a 37-year-old web designer from Union City, New Jersey, spends about $722 a month on Finn’s special food, insurance, grooming, and training. That’s about $8,664 a year. She has also spent $8,804 on one-time costs, like extra training when Finn was a puppy, unexpected vet bills, and allergy testing. Finn is allergic to things like human skin and trees, so he needs immunotherapy and special food because regular food upsets his stomach.

Owning a pet like Finn can be very expensive, and these costs are rising. According to a report by Rover, a company that offers pet services, dog owners can expect costs to go up by about 7% this year, while cat owners might see a 10% increase. The average yearly cost for a dog in 2025 ranges from $1,390 to $5,295, depending on the dog’s age, size, breed, and health needs. Puppies can cost even more, from $1,520 to $6,415 a year. For cats, the average yearly cost is $830 to $3,095.

Over a pet’s lifetime, the costs can add up. The report says that caring for a dog for 10 years could cost about $34,550, while a 16-year-old cat could cost $32,170. Most dogs live between 10 to 13 years, and most cats live from 12 to 18 years, with some reaching 20.

Pet costs are increasing not just because of inflation, but also due to tariffs on goods from other countries. More than half of pet owners are worried that these tariffs will make owning a pet even more expensive. Prices for pet care are expected to keep rising, including a 11% increase in vet fees, a 183% rise in pet cleaning supplies, a 20% hike in grooming supplies, and 85% more for treats.

Many pet owners are feeling the pressure. Almost half are worried about how they will afford pet care in the future, and a third have cut back on other expenses, like groceries or entertainment, to afford their pets’ needs. Still, most pet owners say they would only cut back on pet spending as a last resort.

Even though the costs of pet care are going up, the price of adopting a pet has actually dropped compared to last year. Adopting a dog now costs between $1,150 to $4,420, a 19% decrease, while adopting a cat costs $750 to $2,715, a 16% drop. Adopting from a shelter is usually the most affordable way to get a pet since it often includes initial vaccines and spaying or neutering.

The pet industry has changed a lot over the years. In 2024, people spent $150.6 billion on their pets, much more than the $91 billion spent in 2018. By 2030, the industry could grow to $207 billion. Pets are no longer just animals—they are part of the family. People now spend more to make sure their pets are healthy, happy, and well-cared for, leading to the rising costs of pet ownership.