How Proposed Tariffs Could Spike Pet Care Costs: What Pet Owners Need to Know

Proposed Tariffs Raise Concerns About Increasing Pet Care Costs

INDIANAPOLIS — Owning a pet comes with duties and bills. Pet owners face tasks such as feeding, grooming, and regular care. Proposed tariffs now add a worry of rising costs. Experts and pet owners link tariffs closely with higher pet product prices.

Ellie Cornett is a college student and she owns a King Charles Cavalier named Winston. She tells us feeding her puppy has a heavy cost. “You have to buy special pet food for a puppy. It costs about $50 per bag and one bag lasts a month,” she says. For many students, each cent counts.

Steven Howes cares for a Pembroke Welsh corgi too. He grumbles about lush vet bills. “He is AKC registered, so pet care is always high in cost. Even basic vaccinations have nearly doubled for me,” Howes explains.

Recent findings in USA Today note that pet owners may soon pay more. Rover’s "True Cost of Pet Parenthood Report" finds dog owners might see costs rise by 7%. Cat owners could face a 10% increase this year.

Professor Andreas Hauskrecht from Indiana University Kelley School of Business warns that pet care is already steep in price. He points out that pet food is not cheap. Tariffs on steel and aluminum will push the cost of soft food in cans upward. He adds that many ingredients for pet food come from long supply chains in Mexico and Canada. A break in these chains can hurt prices even more.

Some pet lovers do not back down from the rising costs. Howes shows his resolve as he cares for his dog, Ollie. “If you know true dog lovers, this will not stop us. It is like raising children; he is my third kid,” he declares.

The tariff effects stretch beyond just individual pet owners. Professor Hauskrecht says every Indiana resident should watch these changes closely. "We, as Hoosiers, need to care because Indiana is tied into these complex supply chains," he states.

Looking ahead, Rover forecasts that the average yearly cost of owning a dog may go between $1,400 and $5,200 by 2025, while cat owners might spend between $750 and $3,500. As talks about these tariff changes go on, pet owners prepare for a new financial road. They face a near future where pet care costs may climb even higher.

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