UK pet parents face rising unexpected costs but stay committed to care, study finds

A recent research by the British charity People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) reveals that more than 40% of British owners state that having a pet is more expensive than they expected.

Rabbit owners lead this sentiment at 56%, a figure that has been consistent since 2020, followed by dog (46%) and cat owners (41%).

Meanwhile, almost all pet owners believe that the cost of pet ownership has increased, with rabbit owners leading again at 92%, followed by dog (90%) and cat owners (89%).

When it comes to pets’ health, 91% agree that the animal’s well-being should not suffer due to owners’ financial hardship. However, over half (52%) also agree that people’s financial circumstances shouldn’t prevent them from having the opportunity to own pets.

Meanwhile, 51% of pet owners are concerned about their ability to afford veterinary care. The top 3 ways to pay for unexpected bills are insurance (35%), with dog owners taking the lead, followed by savings (23%) and credit cards (15%).

Ownership behavior

The PDSA study found that most pet owners have undertaken preventive health care, including vaccinations, deworming, flea treatment and neutering. Dog owners are particularly active with regular boosters and vaccinations (81%), deworming (81%) and primary vaccinations (79%), while cat owners lead in flea treatments (79%) and neutering (84%).

Out of the pets, 90% of dogs are registered with a veterinarian, compared with 85% of cats and 79% of rabbits. 61% of dogs are insured, compared with 46% of cats and 24% of rabbits.

The majority of dogs and cats are also microchipped, at 82% and 79% respectively, with only 10% having outdated chips.

Pet population

According to the PDSA, the UK pet population in 2025 is dominated by dogs at 11.1 million, up from 10.6 million in 2024. This is the highest figure since 2011, according to the organization’s own data.

Cat ownership, on the other hand, decreased to 10.5 million from 10.8 million last year. The peak cat population in the UK was recorded in 2011 at 11.8 million. Approximately 24% of UK adults currently own cats, a figure that has remained consistent since 2014.

Meanwhile, about 2% of UK adults own rabbits, and the population has declined to 700,000 from its peak of 1.6 million in 2012. In 2024, the rabbit population was estimated at 800,000.

The majority of dog owners acquire their dogs from breeders (33%), while cat owners primarily obtain their pets from rescue or re-homing centers (33%). Meanwhile, rabbits are mostly bought from pet shops or garden centers (26%).