I found the results of this survey interesting...
• 58% of dog owners are not at all likely to set aside money to pay for unexpected illness/surgery for their dog
• 76% of dog owners do not have an emergency pet savings account
• 46% of dog owners paid for their last vet visit with cash, check or debit card
• 26% of dog owners paid for their last vet visit with a credit card
• 34% of dog owners did not charge any money on their credit card for vet care
• 47% charged between $1-$1,000 for vet care on their credit card
• 17% charged over $1,000 for vet care on their credit card
• 57% of dog owners pay off their credit card bill for veterinary care immediately
• 22% of dog owners pay it off within 5 months
• 76% of dog owners have not given up vacation to pay for their pet's medical care
• 60% of dog owners have not sacrificed/postponed major purchases to provide pet health care
As you can see, most dog owners are not proactively saving for their pet's health care costs and most are paying with cash. However, while the majority of responders indicate that they have not given up big purchases or vacations, there are a significant number of them who have - 24% have given up vacations and 40% have delayed big purchases.
I think this further supports the fact that pet owners are not prepared for costly vet bills.
When pet owners are hit with a costly vet bill, it can have a real impact on their life - from vacations and bigger purchases to everyday living expenses.
So please think about this before a problem happens with your dog. I see so many pet owners who are unprepared for emergencies and unexpected health problems, which forces them to make difficult decisions including euthanasia.
• 76% of dog owners do not have an emergency pet savings account
• 46% of dog owners paid for their last vet visit with cash, check or debit card
• 26% of dog owners paid for their last vet visit with a credit card
• 34% of dog owners did not charge any money on their credit card for vet care
• 47% charged between $1-$1,000 for vet care on their credit card
• 17% charged over $1,000 for vet care on their credit card
• 57% of dog owners pay off their credit card bill for veterinary care immediately
• 22% of dog owners pay it off within 5 months
• 76% of dog owners have not given up vacation to pay for their pet's medical care
• 60% of dog owners have not sacrificed/postponed major purchases to provide pet health care
As you can see, most dog owners are not proactively saving for their pet's health care costs and most are paying with cash. However, while the majority of responders indicate that they have not given up big purchases or vacations, there are a significant number of them who have - 24% have given up vacations and 40% have delayed big purchases.
I think this further supports the fact that pet owners are not prepared for costly vet bills.
When pet owners are hit with a costly vet bill, it can have a real impact on their life - from vacations and bigger purchases to everyday living expenses.
So please think about this before a problem happens with your dog. I see so many pet owners who are unprepared for emergencies and unexpected health problems, which forces them to make difficult decisions including euthanasia.
Thanks Doc John!
2 comments:
It's unfortunate that some people just don't know how much owning a pet costs...
but it's nice to see that some people will make sacrifices for them, just wish these stats were higher.
I work at a vet clinic where I get a pretty good discount, but I also have money set aside for emergency situations.
That is interesting and partly how I got my chi, Bonnie. My vet called me because the pup's owners were out of town and would not authorize treatment for her. She was 4 months old, weighed 1.4 lbs and had a prolapsed rectum. We paid, with the understanding that these fine, upstanding citizens would not be getting her back. She is now 4.1 lbs and rules our house!
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