Pet owners deal with reduced finances and care opportunities during pandemic

Nearly half of U.S. pet owners have been affected by the pandemic, whether because of job loss or reduced income, according to a new survey. The nationally representative survey of 1,000 pet owners, from Brakke Consulting, is the first of three that the firm plans to release in the coming months to assess how pet owners are faring.

“Expenditures on pets have held up remarkably well given the financial burdens on pet-owning households,” said Dr. Robert Jones, Brakke’s president. “Interestingly, 20% of pet owners even added a pet since the beginning of the year, a testament to the importance of pets in people’s lives.”

Still, some households have reduced spending on pet food and medications. Many pet owners have also had to cancel veterinary appointments because clinics have cut down on the services they’re offering.

Merck recently launched a program that will offer up to $1,000 per dog or cat that develops a disease because of missed vaccinations, fellow NAVC publication Today’s Veterinary Practice reports.

Shelters in big cities, meanwhile, have reported an influx of pets. In New York, CNN reports that rescuers are taking in pets whose owners have died of COVID-19, while the Los Angeles Times reports that officials say they’re taking in pets whose owners can no longer afford to care for them.