With pet ownership at an all-time high, it’s no surprise that many are starting to experience some of the realities of being a pet parent. Almost one in ten (9%) British pet owners have even gone as far as stopping to save for big life events such as having a wedding or children, due to the financial implications of owning a cat or dog.
The new research by pet wellness experts Itch, finds that as well as pushing aside major life milestones, others have considered giving up holidays (25%), eating out (21%), having a gym membership (16%) and even dating (8%) as the costs of pet parenting mount up.
The study also found that unforeseen vet costs are the biggest challenge of being a pet parent (56%). Despite vet costs being the highest-ranking challenge, it seems many weren’t aware of this before committing to a four-legged friend, as over one in five (21%) say they didn’t realise how much vet treatment would cost.
The top 10 challenges of owning a pet:
