Holidays like National Pet Day on April 11 encourage us to spoil our furry friends. But if you're anything like me, you likely don't spoil your pets only on National Pet Day. You probably spoil them year-round, even taking them shopping with you. But are you aware of just how much you're spending on your pets? And how does it compare to the spending of other pet owners?
Wisdom Panel, the world's leading pet DNA service, wanted to find out just how much money pet owners are spending on their pets. They surveyed over 10,000 pet parents, and some of the things they discovered about how people are spending money on their pets may surprise you!
What is Wisdom Panel?
Wisdom Panel™, a member of Mars Petcare's Science & Diagnostics division, is a pet DNA testing service with over 20 years of researching pet genetics to develop DNA tests that give insight into a pet's breed, traits, and more. Pet owners and veterinarians can use the information from the DNA test to learn how to better care for pets.
More than 5 million pet owners and 7,000 veterinarians around the world have used Wisdom Panel's DNA services, making them the global leader in pet DNA services.
Wisdom Panel conducted a survey on the spending habits of pet parents
In celebration of reaching the milestone of DNA testing 5 million pets, Wisdom Panel conducted a survey with their customers to better understand the bond between pets and their owners. The survey was sent out via email, and over 10,000 pet parents responded. Some of the information the survey uncovered about how much pet owners spend on their pets is shocking!
Over half of pet parents spend more than $1,000 a year on their pets
According to the survey, 64% of pet owners spend at least $1,000 each year on their pets. The cost is likely even more for many people, as the survey also found that 41% of pet parents have at least 3 or more pets in their home!
One of the most common ways pet parents spend money on their pets is for their pets' birthdays. 92% of pet parents said they celebrate their pets' birthdays, and 36% of those parents throw their pets a birthday party!
Some of the most expensive pet items that pet owners spend money on include GPS pet collars and pet cameras, orthopedic or heated pet mattresses, and pet-friendly car or car seat.
Then there are some pet parents that have gone to the extreme for their pets, purchasing extravagant things including:
- Personalized pet portraits
- An entire house
- A trip to Portugal
- An RV for road-tripping with their pet
Could you imagine spending that much money on your pets?
Many pet owners will go to extreme lengths for their pets
The Wisdom Panel survey also uncovered some pretty surprising information about the relationship between people and their pets and the lengths pet owners will go to keep their pets cared for.
The majority of pet owners would choose their pet over their relationship. 65% of pet parents say they’d choose a pet over a partner, and 83% say their pet’s opinion of a romantic partner would likely affect their relationship decisions.
Additionally, 81% of pet owners considered their pet to be their child, and 25% have included their pet in their will!
What do you think about the results of Wisdom Panel's survey? Are you surprised about the lengths some people go to for their pets, or are you the type of pet owner who would do the same? You can check out the other statistics gleaned by Wisdom Panel's survey here.