Cost of having a dog has soared by more than double headline rate of inflation

Dog owners face rising costs when caring for their pets, as ‘dogflation’ soars to more than double the UK inflation rate. 

The current ‘dogflation rate’ – calculated by charity Dogs Trust along with Oxford Economics – stands at 9 per cent, 5 percentage points above the headline consumer price index rate of 4 per cent announced this week. 

As with the CPI rate, it is based on a basket of commonly-purchased goods and services, which represent the average cost of buying and looking after a dog.

The 5 per cent gap was the same last month, and the charity has reported that higher costs mean a fifth of owners are considering switching to cheaper dog food. 

The dogflation basket is made up of pet collars, dog treats, the purchase of pets, dog kennel fees, vet fees, animal cages, dog food and pet insurance.

On Wednesday, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed a surprise rise in CPI form 3.9 per cent, where a fall to 3.8 per cent had been expected.

The charity said that dogflation outstripped CPI every month in 2023, with the rate of increase having been ahead of the economy-wide indicator since August 2022.

It has also outpaced CPI for five of the last nine years.

Owen Sharp, Dogs Trust chief executive, said: ‘Our Dogflation model shows that despite the surprise rise in inflation, dog owners – a third of UK households – are still disproportionately hit by the everyday costs of owning a dog.

‘As we continue to receive handover enquiries from desperate owners, our priority is to keep as many dogs with their families as we can, and we’ll continue to work with our counterparts across the animal welfare sector to try to ensure dogs won’t go hungry.’

The charity said it received 45,000 enquiries from owners asking to give up their dogs last year, with 3,277 in December alone, while its National Dog Survey showed that a majority said veterinary bills are the dog-related costs that they are most worried about.

Looking to help those struggling to care for their dogs, it has even opened dog food banks at its rehoming centres across the country.

Dogs Trust warned that the Government needs to do more to keep dogflation on a leash. 

Last week it handed its ‘Paws the VAT’ petition, which has received over 100,000 signatures, to the Government.

The petition calls for the temporary removal of VAT on pet food and veterinary services, until inflation is at a more measured level.

It says the price reduction could ‘prove critical’ for dog owners and help to offset rapidly growing prices.

Sharp said: ‘This burden shouldn’t sit on the charity sector’s shoulders alone. We desperately need the government to step up and play its part for this country’s 12 million dogs and their owners, by cutting the 20 per cent VAT on pet food, at least for the time being.’