Despite recession, Americans spent $53 bn last year on pets

Despite the protracted economic slowdown, US pet lovers spent an astonishing $53 billion last year on food, veterinary care, kennels and other services, a figure that has risen every year since the onset of the 2008 recession.

The $53 billion annual spending on pets is more than 12 times the $4.4 billion spent annually by the Indian government on healthcare for its citizens.

Spending on pets - ranging from dogs, cats, iguanas, parakeets, squirrels, turtles to fish - on items like food, organic treats, medicines, grooming, pet insurance, accessories, toys, and even designer wear, rose from $41.2 billion in 2008 to $53 billion in 2012, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA).

With more than 46 million American households owning a dog and around 7.4 million having a cat, the APPA said that about $34.3 billion was spent on food and vet care, representing about two-thirds of total spending, while $12.5 billion was spent on alternative vet care, such as acupuncture.

Spending on services like grooming, boarding, hotels and pet-sitting grew nearly 10 per cent to almost $4.4 billion.

An average dog owner spent around $655 a year on health care, $407 on surgical visits, $248 on routine checkups, $274 on kennel boarding and $254 on food, $95 on vitamins, $43 on toys and $78 on travel.