Even as overall inflation has eased in recent months, it is getting more expensive to own a pet in Canada.
New data published Tuesday by Rover.com shows that the cost of having a cat or dog has surged compared with last year.
The increase can be attributed to the price of pet food and supplies, which rose by 2.1 per cent year-over-year in February, according to the latest inflation data released by Statistics Canada on Tuesday.
“There are definitely inflationary pressures that are facing pet parents in Canada these days, driven by the rising costs of pet food (and) veterinary care,” said Rebecca Greenstein, chief veterinarian of Kleinberg Veterinary Hospital in Ontario.
Supply chain difficulties and an increased demand for premium pet foods have made feeding pets more expensive in Canada, Greenstein, who is also the veterinary medical advisor for Rover.com, told Global News in an interview.
On top of that, Canadian pet owners are also grappling with soaring veterinary bills due to staffing shortages and an increase in medicine prices, she said.
“Owning a pet is a significant financial undertaking, and many people will underestimate that, particularly the cost of emergency care.”
