Currently, about 37% to 47% American households have a dog. Many households, however, have several family dogs. Did you just receive a puppy or an older dog from an acquaintance or family member? Is the beloved addition to your family was through purchasing him or her from a breeder? It’s also likely that you prefer to take care of a rescue animal, and have adopted your new family member from a shelter.
A recent survey showed that most people receive their pets from acquaintances and family members. About 28% of dogs, however, are purchased from breeders. Adoptions are also common, and 29% of dogs join a family by being adopted from a local shelter or rescue center.
Another survey showed that Americans spend quite a bit of money to provide for their pets. Consider these figures as an example of the United States’ annual spending in these categories:
- Pet food: $20.46 billion
- Pet supplies and over the counter medications: $12.56 billion
- Veterinary care: $13.59 billion
In order to protect their animal’s health and to assist with the costs associated with veterinary care, many Americans are purchasing pet insurance for dogs. In addition to basic pet insurance for dogs, there are also pet wellness plans for dogs. Basic pet insurance plans for dogs, for example, will cover any illnesses or accidents that may occur throughout their lifetimes. These policies don’t, however, cover any pre-existing conditions, wellness visits, or vaccinations. In order to obtain coverage for wellness visits and vaccinations, a pet wellness plan can be purchased.
Whether your family just brought home a new puppy from a local breeder, or an older dog from an animal rescue center or shelter, you’ll want to learn more about how to protect your new pet’s health. Since you want to provide the best possible life for your new pet, remember the importance of taking them for wellness check-ups and vaccinations. You don’t want to wait until your beloved dog becomes ill or injured before you take them to a veterinarian. When you contact a pet insurance company to learn more about the different plans that are available, you can also obtain information about the costs of these as well as add-on polices.