In Case of Illness: For Cats, for Dogs – Generosity Comes from Those Who Love Animals

Who is willing to spend money on the health of their dog or cat? And who is even prepared to take out health insurance? These questions were addressed by a European study led by the Messerli Research Institute at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, recently published in “VetRecord.” To this end, the researchers conducted a representative survey of dog and cat owners in Austria, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. The key finding: It is not income but affection for the animal that determines who is prepared to reach into their pocket for their pet - even when money is tight.

Foto: Thomas Suchanek/Vetmeduni

Cost-of-living crisis hits pet owners particularly hard

Rising costs for veterinary care and the general increase in living expenses are prompting pet owners to reconsider how much they can afford for their animals’ care. For example, the PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report already found in 2023 that the cost-of-living crisis influenced the decisions of 22% of surveyed UK pet owners regarding pet care. In addition, over 30% cut back on personal spending to continue providing optimal care for their animals.

Pet health insurance as a countermeasure

Insurance can reduce the financial burden and potentially mitigate inequalities in access to veterinary care. “We therefore used an online questionnaire to investigate the reasons for taking out insurance among more than 2,000 dog and cat owners across different income groups in Austria, Denmark, and the United Kingdom,” explains lead author Svenja Springer of Vetmeduni. The researchers also examined which factors influence owners’ willingness to spend money on life-saving treatments.

Lowest insurance rate in Austria

Overall, 41.7% of pet owners had insurance, with the proportion of uninsured highest in Austria (78.7%). In the United Kingdom, a clear income gradient emerged: owners in the highest income group were more likely to have insurance (65.6%) than those in the lowest income group (34.4%).

Love for the animal is decisive -not insurance or finances

Above all, one point became clear, as Springer emphasizes: “The emotional bond influences owners’ willingness to spend more on life-saving treatments, regardless of insurance status.” Conversely, 6.5% of dog owners and nearly 10% of cat owners would opt for euthanasia in an emergency and spend nothing on treatment. The research team also examined whether a higher income correlates with a greater willingness to spend more. Here, too, the data show: neither income nor the animal’s age is the decisive factor - rather, it is the emotional bond, in other words, love for the animal.

The article „Investigating dog and cat owners’ uptake of pet health insurance and spending on veterinary treatment“ by Svenja Springer, Thomas Bøker Lund, Peter Sandøe and Sandra A. Corr was published in „VetRecord“.

Scientifc article

Scientific contact:
Ass.-Prof. Dr.med.vet. Svenja Springer, PhD
Messerli Forschungsinstitut
Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien (Vetmeduni)
Svenja.Springer@vetmeduni.ac.at

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