17 Sept 2025
The charity’s annual Kindness Index Report survey also found indications that financial burdens on pet owners may be easing, despite the concerns over vet bill costs.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Image: © JovialFox / Adobe Stock
Worries about the cost of vet bills remain high with owners, according to latest research by the RSPCA.
The charity’s 2025 Animal Kindness Index report revealed vet bills are the biggest source of financial worry among pet owners, with 52% of those surveyed identifying vet bills as such – a 3% jump from last year.
Almost three-quarters (74%) of owners said pet care was more expensive now than a year ago, although that has decreased from 78% in 2024 and 81% in 2023.
More than one-third (34%) admitted to taking cost-cutting measures due to financial pressures, such as buying pet food less frequently or switching to a cheaper brand, cutting back on their own food or necessities to fund pet care, or stopping visits to the vet.
This has also decreased from 36% in 2024 and 38% in 2023, although almost one in five (19%) believe their pet has suffered because of these measures.
However, there has been a 5% increase during the past year in annual vaccinations (68%), while 71% of owners take their animals to the vets for regular check ups and 89% are registered with a vet.
Vets remain the top source of pet care advice, with 61% of owners turning to them – up 4% from last year.
The next highest is the internet (38%) and then family and friends (28%), while reliance on social media, at 14%, is said to be at its highest level so far.
RSPCA head vet Rebecca Ashman said: “Encouragingly, these results show that pet owners still place deep trust in their vets – but also reflect the financial strain many owners are currently facing.
“As a profession, we are here to help and have an opportunity to engage owners early with preventive care advice to help manage the costs of pet ownership.”
The public was largely in agreement that it is unacceptable to breed animals with genetic health problems (84%) or extreme body shapes (85%).
Ending harmful dog breeding practices was considered among the most important animal welfare issues in need of address by 45% of respondents.
Mrs Ashman added: “It is encouraging to see the public increasingly concerned by the breeding of animals for extreme conformation that risks leaving pets suffering.”
There was a combined 3% decrease in Google searches for bulldog, dachshund or French bulldog puppies for sale, with around 192,200 (17%) of the 1.2 million searches for puppies for sale between April 2024 and March 2025 being for one of these breeds.
However, searches for bulldog puppies increased by 10% over the same period.
The RSPCA also revealed it had a record-high 1,646 dogs in its care in July – more than double the number from July 2020 – having rescued 445 canines that month, 200 more than their monthly average over the past five years. The charity said it had been stretched by several large-scale incidents involving hundreds of dogs and is urging members of the public to help with rehoming.
