While many households in the United States have a variety of pets, cats and dogs are more common than not. There are about 76.43 million cats in this country, and around 60 million of these are feral. Dogs are part of 46.3 million American households.
Most people’s pets come from acquaintances and family members. Others, however, are purchased from breeders. This is the case with approximately 28% of dogs, for example. Approximately 29% of dogs and cats are adopted, however. Many people in the United States choose to adopt their pets from shelters and rescue centers, and in some cases, they may take in neighborhood strays.
Annual Spending on Pets in the United States
Americans love their pets. As a result, they spend a considerable amount of money every year to ensure that they are healthy and happy. Recent information shows that this amounts to the following dollar amounts for these products and services:
- Pet food: $20.46 billion
- Pet supplies and over-the-counter medicine: $12.56 billion
- Veterinary care: $13.59 billion
Insurance for Pets
Many pet owners are interested in learning more about purchasing pet health insurance plans. These policies can assist pet owners with protecting their animal’s health. There are different types of pet insurance plans from which to choose, and these include basic policies as well as optional add-on policies.
It’s important to note that these policies don’t cover wellness visits, vaccinations, or pre-existing conditions. They do, however, cover any illnesses and/or accidents that may occur over the course of a pet’s life. Optional add-on policies are available for both wellness visits and vaccinations.
Since insurance for pets provides coverage for the veterinarian costs associated with illnesses and accidents, it can assist with reducing stress in this regard. Since regular wellness visits are also important for ensuring that a pet is healthy and happy, an optional add-on policy can assist with defraying veterinarian costs for these types of visits.
When households bring a new puppy into their home, having an add-on policy for vaccinations also makes sense. At times, older dogs may also need vaccinations for a variety of reasons.
