MADRID – Half of the Spanish households had at least one pet in the past year. In most cases (65%) it concerns a dog. The cat comes second. To keep a pet costs money, how much that is, consumer organization OCU has sorted out.
Pet care represents a significant expense in the long run. In the case of dogs, it amounts to €1,131. People spend an average budget of €986 on cats. These amounts include the costs for vet, food, hairdresser and insurance. Half the cost comes according to OCU corresponds to food; the rest for hygiene and health, the latter much more expensive for dogs than for cats.
Food, health and hygiene
The biggest expense comes from food. Pet owners spend an average of €47 per month on food for dogs and €44 for cats. Or which is the same, respectively €564 and €528 per year.
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Another major expense is the vet. This costs pet owners a lot of money. This concerns bills for consultations, blood tests, X-rays, sterilisation and other operations, hospital stays, medicines and vaccines.
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On average, the owner of a dog has spent €363 on the vet in the past 12 months and that of a cat €202. It should also be noted that when the animals are older, health costs increase significantly.
Another important expense for pet owners is the hygiene of their pets. This concerns product such as shampoo, brushes or cat litter. Services such as hairdressing, nail clipping or antiparasitic products are also part of this. In this category, users spend an average of €14 per month on dogs and about €19 on cats.
Dog insurance
In addition, one in four dog owners has insurance, in almost all cases civil liability insurance, for an average amount of 107 euros per year. According to the preliminary draft of the Animal Welfare Act that is currently being prepared, it is expected that this insurance will become mandatory for all dog owners.
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