How Much Do People Spend on Pets?

Pets are like children to many Americans. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), dog owners spend an average of $1,380/year on their dogs, helping the pet industry thrive. Here’s what they are buying.

Caring For Canines

Millions of Americans brought home new four-legged family members during the pandemic, with 67% of households now including at least one pet. From food to vet visits to grooming and more, caring for these beloved fur babies is a priority for pet parents across the country. How much do people spend on pets? According to a recent study, the average pet owner spends $111 per month on each animal, prioritizing the best products and services to keep their pets healthy and happy. Pets provide endless support and enrichment in our lives, so it would make a lot of sense that people would want to spend a good amount of money on man’s best friend.

Food

Pet food remains the highest selling category in the pet care market. As people are spending more time with their four-legged family members, we are becoming increasingly aware of our pets’ dietary needs and preferences. No matter what state the economy is in, pet parents prioritize high quality, healthful dog foods that can similarly mirror their human’s diets. Foods with fresh or organic ingredients, superfoods, whole grains, and high proteins are some of the pet food sources that have caught on in a big way in recent years. According to a Packaged Foods survey, pet owners are open to the idea of trying new foods for their animals, with 42% of those surveyed drawn to the concept of refrigerated and fresh-made foods.

Additional supplements such as vitamins, fish oil, probiotics, and even CBD are other products people are buying for their pets as they seek the right balance of nutrition to keep their animals living their best lives. Pet supplement sales reached $800 million in 2020, up 21% year over year, according to Supermarket News.

Grooming

The traditional pet grooming sector is made up of a range of products and services for dog owners to spend their money on, including shampoos and conditioners, grooming tools, and specialized treatments. How much do people spend on pets in the grooming sector? The grooming industry is expected to grow at an annualized rate of 4.5% to reach a total market value of $14.5 billion by 2025.

With pet ownership on the rise, demand for grooming services has increased, presenting the perfect opportunity for burgeoning entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners alike. Pet parents who made the shift to work from home experienced monetary savings since they were no longer commuting to the office, getting dinner out with coworkers, or even getting their office attire dry cleaned. This allowed pet parents to splurge on their pets when they hadn’t been able to previously.

Vet Care

In a national pet owners survey conducted by financial website LendEDU, it was found that nearly half of all pet-owning Americans spend the same as or more on the healthcare of their pets than they do on themselves. Of those respondents, 20% have gone into debt caring for their pets, with the average owed amount being $1,567.

Vet care can account for the higher end of how much people spend on pets due to more expensive emergency visits and procedures that may be less frequent but carry a higher price tag. Aside from semi-annual wellness checks, many pet owners are unaware of other options to engage in preventative care for their four-legged pals.   

Comprehensive Wellness

Scenthound provides all pet parents a perfect opportunity to manage their pets’ overall wellness on an ongoing basis. Scenthound recognizes that the right pet lifestyle choices and ongoing check-ins lead to lower veterinary costs, longer lifespans, and more joy for both pets and their parents.

The Scenthound team is cognizant of how much money people spend on their pets, and endeavors to provide an affordable, membership-based program that is convenient, cost-effective, and beneficial to everyone.  

Scenthound occupies a unique corner of the pet care market by providing a boundary-breaking model unlike any other brand in the industry, single-handedly providing answers to any questions you may have about why now is a great time to open a dog business. Scenthound doesn’t adhere to just one category of pet care. Instead, they are flipping the model of traditional pet grooming on its head by offering a comprehensive wellness-focused pet care program that is the first of its kind.

Franchise With Scenthound

Scenthound franchisees enjoy access to a team of industry experts who will provide world-class training and ongoing support to help you build your business in a recession-resistant industry.

To learn more about franchising with Scenthound, contact us today.