New figures from the PDSA suggest that 1 in 10 pet owners in the South East have cut back on essentials in the past two years to care for a pet.
The charity says people are now being forced to choose between heating, eating or paying for treatment for their animals.
Almost one in five pet owners says the cost of that care has caused them stress.
PDSA warns we are on the brink of a pet health inequality crisis.
Consumer Psychologist, Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, explains that pet health inequality is not only about the impact on pets but about the human-animal bond and the heartache it causes loving owners:
“It’s no overstatement to say pets are a lifeline for millions of Britons: offering comfort, connection and unconditional love. This is why it is upsetting to hear about the stark choices people are facing as the cost of living crisis and ‘petflation’ mounts. It has an impact on the owners' own wellbeing, as well as that of their pets. People don't want to cut back on food or healthcare for their pets, because they want to do the best for them. That means they suffer financially and emotionally, as they have to make difficult choices in order to cope."
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