Fur-Real Facts!
From kibble to vet visits, the true cost of pet care may surprise you. These are real numbers we see every day—bills we’ve helped pay and food costs we encounter when stocking our pet food pantries.
Average pet food costs (per year):
Dog owners typically spend $1,400+ on food and treats and cat owners spend about $1,000. That adds up fast for pet owners—and that’s just food!
Here’s a look at how we stretch every dollar to help feed local pets in need. By buying in bulk and repackaging, we provide healthy food at a fraction of the retail cost.
Our Weekly Pet Food Pantry Purchase:
$270 buys 282 lbs of dry dog food, broken into 5 lb bags—enough to feed 56 dogs!
$210 buys 260 lbs of dry cat food, repackaged into 5 lb bags—enough to feed 52 cats!
This approach saves 91¢ per pound for dogs and $1.13 per pound for cats, making every donation go further.
More eye-opening averages:
First-year costs: About $8,000 for dogs and $3,000 for cats.
Lifetime costs: $15,000–$40,000, depending on breed and health.
Routine vet visits: $1,500+ for dogs and $900+ for cats per year.
Emergency vet visits: $800–$1,500, with some surgeries reaching $10,000+!
Skipped care: 52% of pet owners have delayed or declined vet care due to cost.
Pet insurance: Less than 4% of pet owners have coverage—most face these bills alone.
Knowing the real numbers helps us prepare and stretch our impact—because every dollar spent with care goes further. And every dollar you give helps close that gap: feeding pets, supporting pet owners, and keeping them together.
Your donation today could fill a bowl, fund a vet visit, or keep a beloved pet at home where they belong.
