We have talked about the stunning price increases in pet foods during our discussions about food price overall. However, a remarkable study by Veterinarians Org gives some context to just how much the Joe Biden inflation has driven up the cost of pet foods. [ARTICLE HERE]
Mostly driven by Biden’s created inflation hitting raw farm materials, energy prices, manufacturing and transportation costs, the prices for the most popular wet and dry dog foods have skyrocketed.
One in four pet owners have even contemplated giving their animal up for adoption because they can no longer afford them. This is terribly sad.
(Veterinarian Org) – […] The largest percentage increase compared to 2020 prices is for a wet dog food product by PEDIGREE, which has increased by 207% compared to its 2020 price.
The largest dollar amount increase compared to 2020 prices is for a dry dog food product by Royal Canin, which is currently $43.99 more expensive per bag than it was in 2020.
In a recent Veterinarians.org survey of 1,000 U.S. pet owners, 50% of respondents indicated having to shop for cheaper alternatives to pet food as a result of rising costs. Pet owners also found themselves shopping for cheaper alternatives to pet treats (41%), pet toys (34%), and pet health supplements (28%).
55% of surveyed pet owners indicated having to cancel pet food subscriptions on Chewy.com, Amazon.com, or through a raw food/pre-cooked meal service as a result of rising costs.
22% of pet owners indicated having applied to special services in their state that help pet owners pay for pet-related costs, while 73% of pet owners felt a food pantry for pets would be helpful to them.
24% of pet owners indicated considering rehoming their pet or surrendering their pet to a shelter as a result of rising pet food/pet supply costs.
According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent $50 billion on pet food and snacks in 2021. (read more)
Special services in their state to support their pets?
Welfare for pets? First I heard of this.
I know that as a former owner of 4 horses and 2 labs that it cost more to feed and keep the labs out of pocket yearly.
This was true so long as I could keep the horses healthy on my own (no vet calls) and of course the horses were on pasture. (Not too many horse owners realize that unless horses are worked hard they don’t need grain.)
Going green is hard on pets
First I’ve heard of special services provided by states to support pets, too. Also never heard of “a raw food/pre-cooked meal service.” Seriously???
I hope my tax dollars aren’t going toward any of this….
Farmers Dog, https://www.thefarmersdog.com/
is a raw food/pre-cooked meal service
Fear not, Irish Rose. More than all of your tax dollars are going to pay Dr Fauci’s pension.
2 cats are enough! The wet food for them when I can find it has gone up almost double. Our dog had a stroke and we lost him last year but glad not buying dog food right now.
Here’s the thing…it’s all waste product that doesn’t get processed in human food. That beef cut and salmon fillet and chicken breast graphic doesn’t resemble what’s in the package. Doubt it, do the math comparing meat prices via weight verses pound in bag.
Pet food is nothing more than printing money.
Canned cat food at my home in Mexico isn’t that good, and it’s always been costly, so I’m learning to make it home made. Better nutrition, and I think they eat less, because the nutrition is better.
Funny I almost did this little thread a couple days ago on the are they just gouging us post
I’ve got a farm with a number of animals, so it’s one of the few things that I’m price sensitive about in life. First thing that I noticed was the virtual elimination of store brand pet foods. Never bought them, but noticed them disappearing. But I was affected by the sudden and constant inflation of Friskies canned cat food, which is the next step up in price, as well as big changes in the product where the cats really didn’t like most of them.
My canned dog food was delivered by chewy. Don’t remember the brand, but it’s in a yellow can. It was 80 cents or something like that. I had it delivered automatically every month. I happen to look at the paperwork and noticed that it had gone up to $2.00 a can. I was pissed
What could worst case inflation be for the garbage they make this out of? If we gave them 25%, that would only raise it to a dollar. So let’s do that. Now what’s the other buck? I canceled my chewy thing right away. What if 80% of their customers did that. Chewy still wins. Let’s do some math. Let’s say their profit selling it at a buck would be 25 cents. Well they’re still making the profit for the other 80% in the second dollar. Now think of the cost that they saved. Transportation, warehousing, packing, shipping, boxes, employees, they’re only doing 20% of the work now. And making just as much money. Bastards
I also buy lots of raw chicken hearts for the cats at Publix. They were $1.29 a pound. A couple of packs, three or four pounds of chicken hearts cost under five bucks. I always figured the raw meat is better for them than commercial food. Currently they are $2.99 A pound. Publix does have some chicken quarters, thigh and drumstick that seem to be on sale from time to time super cheap. Several pounds of meat is 4 or 5 dollars. We get them when they’re on sale and the cats chew the meat right off the bone and the dogs eat the bones
Aldi is your best bet for canned cat food right now. 13 or 14 bucks a case, and the cats like it. And Publix sell some sort of off brand hot dogs for $1.59 a pack. We have a little fridge in the office, they make great dog treats for cheap
Same. My current kitty eats raw diet. Back when Sundance warned of pending cost increases and shortages I was buying chicken and pork every time it was on sale. I have a freezer that has more cat food than human food. Supplement I use to mix with raw is Food Fur Life. FFL makes mix for dogs as well.
Even if I had to purchase meat at current pricing it is still a heck of a lot cheaper and way better for her than processed can cat food.
Raw chicken bones are pretty safe for dogs, if they will eat them (I have had dogs that would not eat raw poultry), although cooked ones are brittle and very dangerous for them.
My dogs don’t like the raw chicken, but they do like the raw bones for whatever reason.
Question. What’s the difference between a school of piranha and a herd of farm cats when presented with a couple pounds of raw chicken hearts? Answer. Nothing that I can see.
Hearts are full of taurine, an essential amino acid for cats. I’m trying making homemade cat food, with chicken, white rice, hearts, livers. and adding it to the WM brand, which they like.
It just went from 58c to 64c per small can. Grrrrr…
I’ve been informed that indeed, pedigree was the dog food brand
One of the reasons I do not ever have it shipped automatically. They never notify you. My Grandson got a long haired cat that has to be trimmed every few months. The grooming price went up about $60.00. I bought a &39.00 trimmer and we spent about 1/2 hour trimming her. She looks great so cancelled my appointment for her.
Boy did I notice dogs do not like the new and more expensive canned dog. I threw two away a can with two tablespoons gone.
I have always rescued cats. I’m glad I’m down to 4 cats now. I rescued “Mustang Sally” in 2010 and found out quickly how pregnant she was when I heard muffled squirmings under the bed. Sally will eat just about anything I give her. But the others are fussier, having never lived on the street. Thanx Sundance for confirming what I have been grumbling about every time I shop. During the phony pandemic, I couldn’t even find their favorites — at ANY price. I do love dogs, but the expense does put me off from rescuing one from the shelter.
Maybe the WEF doesn’t want us eating our pets when food is scarce.
They do want you eating your pet bugs.
Thank goodness my pets don’t eat that much.
I’d get a dog, but couldn’t afford one in the good ol’ days (BJB-Before Joe Biden)–certainly couldn’t afford one now……
Beautiful tank! (We used to keep a 40 gal. in our first apartment.)
Reminds me of the post by Sundance yesterday:
Bathtub Principle = Your fish tank has a leak, you just ruined the carpet in your apartment, the landlord is going to charge you… Solution, clog the drain, make the bathtub overflow, that hides the fish tank issue and puts landlord on hook.
Nice fish tank, WM!
Fish don’t fetch or bring you a mouse.
We have dogs and horses…..for all you horse people out there, we are in SE/Mid-Atlantic area where good hay prices are $20/25 a bale (small squares)…….pasture is possible sometimes but I do have some who are older and have metabolic conditions which limit or eliminate pasture (grass) from their diets. I don’t feed my dogs kibble, I feed a freeze dried, re-hydrated mixture that I formulated myself after having a sick dog that needed a special diet and was so successful helping him heal and give him longevity that I have stayed with it……yeah, our pets are part of our family here, too and we feed them a healthy diet, just like we try to feed ourselves…….keeping the Drs away and keeping the DVMs away too! LOL
AND, I should mention, I do not vaccinate for any reason other than the most dire (rabies) and even then I titer both dogs and horses to determine their immunity levels and work hard at keeping their immune systems strong. Over vaccination with pets, in my mind, is a nasty thing, as well….who KNOWS what is in them???? And after COVID, I think it bears out…….
all of my cats came knocking on my door. I only do the rabies cuz the vet wont spay or neuter without it. It is a great blessing that the furballs are unaware of the state of the union and continue to purr and be happy!
That is cute when they continue to purr and be happy. Good cuddling with them.
You can still obtain yearly dog vaccinations (4way for example) and administer them yourself. Not sure if you can still obtain injectable penicillin or not for horses and dogs after mid year. I do know that the oral bolus penicillin for calf scours is no longer obtainable this year.
Judicious use of and knowledge of antibiotics by farmers and ranchers saved many a farm animal…….I expect that to be completely off the table soon. Call the vet and lose your profit in future
Breeders noticed issues with too frequent vaccine schedules over a decade ago and stopped annual shots. I vaccinate for rabies every three years with my vet and do the rest myself, usually, on the same schedule. I have had no issues with this schedule.
Be aware that everything you do at your vet’s office is being sucked up by government data mining sources. Big shepherd mix I have bolted in a thunderstorm and ended up in doggy jail. It was a big negotiation with the superintendent to get him released without neutering him. In urban areas they are not used to working farm dogs that have to fight coyotes and bad guys. She sat down at the computer and had all my records for all my animals from every different vet I had used for the last 10 years. It turned out to be helpful, my dog was able to come home in one piece, as she decided that I was a responsible owner. But it was alarming at the same time that data was being entered into a computer somewhere and ending up in Broward County records
Wow, I had no idea that the government had access to vet records, or that vets were entering this info into a government database. I live in Central Florida.
Just another bull shit government intrusion on our lives.
They would ban pets if they thought they could get away with it.
Just wait until the county bills you for tags. Even if you get them at vet.
I did too….all we are doing with the continual vaccination schedule that many vets propose is funding their family vacations to private Hawaiian resorts, imho. Unless, of course, you have a vet like mine who agrees with the over-vaccination rigamorole and does everything in her power to help you save money AND have healthy animals….dogs, cats, horses…etc. But I DO realize, much like human requirements, they may have you by the short hairs on this one, especially if you show or travel with your horses, dogs, cats, etc…..they have you over a barrel on that one…….
Most vets aren’t getting rich.
“two-thirds of veterinarians suffer from clinical depression. Certainly! Encourage her to the long hours and relatively low pay, shackled to the incredible debt most vets incur from veterinary school. In fact, the monetary realities of this no-stress career are actually delightful compared to the kick-to-head heartbreak that veterinarians are four-times (yes FOUR TIMES) more likely to commit suicide than people in any other profession. Your sweet, puppy-kissing pet-vet will be twice as likely to take her own life than her human-medicine counterpart. Do you personally know six veterinarians? If you do, at least one of them has seriously considered killing themselves. In fact, I live with a statistical example.”
https://drandyroark.com/the-rule-of-five-why-youre-killing-my-wife/
We have a Sphynx kitten who had a large lump on his hip, a reaction to the rabies vax. I was scared as it could be cancer, but thankfully, after 2 months, it is shrinking. I wish I could get away with no rabies vax…..our clowder are all 100% indoor cats.
Guess I need to start square baling a portion of this years hay crop. My admittedly limited experience with the senior horses is that good quality pasture is great for them supplemented with wet down feed to a mush state. One of or guys got to be over 35 and they do require a lot of extra care.
Yes, I have two that are in their mid-twenties and I did have an old guy who lived to his mid-thirties. They are a joy but, like any animal, there comes a time when the hard decision has to be made and is the kindest thing to do for them. I have had horses all my life and all but one of them has stayed with me ’til the end. Same with the dogs and cats. To our family, it is a commitment….even the “evil” ones are sent to boot camp and rehabilitation (on site) and made to become upstanding citizens. Living this way, I could never go to any school that has taught me more about life than life with my critters…..
I love horses and hate cows but economics have forced me to raise cattle, chickens and geese both for the profit and to keep the property taxes in a lower “farm” bracket.
Horses taught me a whole lot speaking to your point. Horses are such fun to be with using natural horsemanship techniques and once convinced you will protect them, will do almost anything for you.
luv your rehab thinking. gotta happen. I could be making this up, but, it seems that the younger generation of pets is more ADD, etc. than their forebears. I wonder if it could be vax related…or, am I making this up…
That is terribly expensive hay.
Tell me!!! LOL ALWAYS shopping, however……
$20-25/ square bale? Wow! We just paid $12.50 and thought that was pretty pricey. FL mid-west coast. 2 dogs – 4 ponies.
Bush, Clinton, Dubya, and 0’Bama are the four horsemen of the globalization apocalypse. Some may say, “What about Biden?” But he’s being run by 0’Bama and has the cognitive capacity of a corrupt turnip, so he doesn’t count.
I don’t know what a corrupt turnip is, but the description is a good fit for the subject! 🙂
Pets cause “climate change”…
The WEF and the WHO said they do, so it must be so.
Ergo more and more expensive for people to have them. Especially for those who find it hardest to absorb the increases, but for whom their pets are a loving lifeline in these terrible times.
That’s the subhuman method to their madness.
May “they” all rot.
Yes Betsy there is that perspective. Worker bee serfs shouldn’t have or require pets. After all serfs are just expensive robots right?
Pets gone first, then they move on to us. Hard to eat with a jackboot on your face, monticello.
Makes things simple if you’re surrounded Betsy. 😇
Absolutely, my friend😉
You can judge a man by the way he treats animals.
EVERY SINGLE TIME, Error.
Yes, pet food & Vetrinary service costs have skyrocketed. I planned ahead thanks to SD & my fellow treepers.
Not giving up my bff.
sing it, soldiersmom!
walmart has the cheapest cat food – special kitty brand – my cats love the kitten food and its $12 for 24 cans
fancy feast is 90 cents a can, used to be the most expensive at 45 cents a can
about every fifth case of fancy feast has ‘something’ wrong with it – normally hungry cats won’t touch it
then again, it was purina chicken feed that was stopping hens from laying
maybe i’m paranoid, but at a higher level, elimination of pets, is another stake in the heart of traditional family life
they keep saying that your cat has a large carbon footprint
i’ll go hungry before I starve my cats
Cats are pretty good at killing their own food, if they are hungry. Mice, vols, birds, and rabbits have no chance with a determined cat. I found many small carcasses in my yard when we had cats. We had to bury the last cat in 2012.
We buried our last dog in late 2021. A new pet would very likely out live both of us now. The high cost and poor quality of foods and vet care had gotten pretty bad by then, but the prices found on here are ridiculous. All of God’s creatures deserve the best we can give them in exchange for their captivity.
in NYC, the small 3oz cans of Fancy Feast are $1.29-$1.49,
5oz cans of Friskies are $1.09 – $1.59.
The Prozac for my crazy cat is less than 10cents a day.
The only food my corgies can eat…they have vy sensitive tummies..is Taste of the Wild…lamb dry. It has gone up SIXTY percent since 2020. Fortunately Theo only eats one cup of kibble a day.
I supplement with a tbs mix of low salt tuna (in water) which I get on sale.
I used to show corgies and they thrive with beautiful coats on this routine!
What other retirees with the bigger breeds are doing ….I have NO idea.
Shocking, Meanwhile with the exception of eggs MY grocery bill keeps climbing!!!!
I get the 4Health for my cats. The $12.99 bag now cost me $27.
I am buying eggs at Walmart for an average of $6/dozen. That is, when they have them.
NYC supermarkets had eggs typically@ $5-7.00, until this week when prices started to drop.
Eggland’s Large were $2.99dozen.
Butter, which was $2-$3.50 three years ago, went up to about $7-$8.00, occasionally on sale @ $4.50-$5.00.
I’m in a (blue) Midwest state and Walmart eggs (Great Value large white 18 ct) is only $1.83 per carton here, and they’re $1.25 for a dozen at the Dollar General up the street from my house. Just not long ago those eggs were $6.80, and $5.75, respectively. Egg prices are going back down now so hopefully you’ll see some relief where you are, soon.
People have stopped purchasing as many
Taste of the Wild is a decent, mid-range kibble if you have to feed kibble. Please be careful feeding tuna to your dogs as it contains a lot of mercury. Canned sardines or mackerel packed in water is a better alternative.
I may be wrong but the price of liquor is pretty much what it was a couple of years ago (at least within 5%).
Reminds me of the Soviet Union where vodka was always dirt cheap, so the population would always be stoned and therefore easier controlled.
Per your theory, I read the price of weed is coming down, 50% in Colorado and 75% in Michigan
Because post-legalization supply has more than tripled as idiots everywhere want to cash in on “legal drugs”.
Simple economics.
No coincidence, George…
While most businesses were forced to shut down…
Liquor stores were allowed to remain open during the “pandemic” 🙂
The Plandemic.
No faux quotes necessary.
😵
But not bars. Might seem counterintuitive but … the War of Independence was kick started in a tavern.
Essential, dontcha know.
The ‘no-kill’ shelters in my area are full. Pets are to expensive now for many middle-class folks.
We have found that grocery store prices for pet food has gone up more than the same food at less convenient outlets like farm supply stores. In our area that would be Rural King and TSC. Plus, nearly all agricultural supplies stores have pet food (Burkman and Southern States COOP here). It might be worth your time to search these out. They generally do not locate in retail areas (except TSC.)
You might check with a local feed store. They are often very competitive with pet food prices.
Ag supply are feed stores, plus more. Burkman is one.
50 lb lay pellets for hens went from $16 to $20 to $22 to $25 in the space of around three years I noticed it dropped a little to $23 recently. We have a 40 lb rescue Aussie mix that needs small kibble because she’s missing her premolars from birth. Pure Harmony has gone from under $20 to $28 when it’s not on sale in the three years we’ve had her.
This regime is trying to destroy whatever happiness we have. H*ll can’t come fast enough for them.
Lost our beloved family dog of 14 years the other day. It has left a whole in our hearts that will not soon be mended.
Despite the increase in costs , I would gladly pay it today to have more time with him. Man’s best friend doesn’t begin to describe him.
We miss him and hope everyone with a pet can make it through these tough times to keep them healthy and happy.
****hole not whole***
It is tough to lose a pet. I am sorry for your loss.
Sadly, pets come with an eventual heartbreak included.
That said, I sincerely hope you are one who knows this is merely a “see you later”, not a permanent “goodbye”.
The Sons and Daughters of the Most High will get their beloved pets back, for this will glorify the Father and bring great joy to all.
Let the reader understand.
“With eager hope, the creature itself looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death.”
Romans 8:20b,21
I’m so sorry. Been through that myself and it’s never easy
So sorry about your friend.
Take comfort in knowing you took good care of him and he loved you.
We lost our 14 yr old LLewellin setter a couple of years ago, she was a real love. I was looking for a pup and looked at animal control and lo and behold, they had a female just like my remaining male, about same age. We brought her home and my husband thinks she is the bees knees. He lets her sleep on the bed and the other dog sleeps with my son. Our vet told her she won the lottery. I could not think what life would be like without them and the cat.
The worst part of having a pet……..
is when they pass away.
And no matter how many pets you have throughout your life….
it never get easier when they pass away.
I am sorry to hear of your loss.
puppy breath will ease the pain
Thank you all for the kind words. We were better for having him in our lives.
To all the pet owners and lover of animals, stay safe and let’s keep marching forward.
My deepest condolences for your loss. They really do leave paw prints on our hearts.
At Sam’s club 60 count 5.5 oz cans of Friskies Gravy went from $30 to $42.48, or about 42%.
We try to snag a few boxes at Sam’s if we see them. The price increases hurt.
Our household is between pets right now. Cat and dog both loved to death I guess. Years and years of in and out. This and that.
We miss them dearly!
I needed a new concern -just like most of you. I look over my shoulder at the neighborhood developed on scruffy old pasture land. And how that has concentrated wild birds that sustained on native grass and weed seed, sheltered in trees that were bulldozed in large piles and hauled away, into a small greenbelt that remains.
Costs of wild bird seed to maintain and attract the ones that remain has become an investment. Prices have more than doubled in 2 years.
Advice has been given to spend money on items with and maintain value.
This is my gold.
I don’t have any pets. We had two birds that we loved very much, for about 5 years. Then suddenly, one died and within a few months the other one died too, probably of a broken heart as the two of them were inseparable. We do have lots of wildlife around here though; birds, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, ducks, geese, raccoons, and opossums. I live in the city, and these animals are all around my neighborhood on a daily basis. Everyone around here feeds them. The geese are hilarious because they like to hangout in front of the bowling alley and they just casually walk from one side of the street to the other and the traffic always stops for them. I loathe the state I live in (blue Midwest state) but the city I live in isn’t that bad, and my neighborhood is a good one, with a HUGE heart. It makes the days living here, bearable.
We keep about 30 squirrels in the hood fat, may need them later. They have started planting some peanuts and they are growing well, so maybe they are helping with the cost.
Our cats and dog have been on Royal Canin their whole life, and I can vouch for that number you mentioned.
We have not considered trading off yet and we will always find a way to keep our pets no matter how bad it gets because they are family.
I recently was made aware that RC is made-imported from France.
An emergency dog ration from way back in the day.
Greasy cornbread and table scraps. Cornbread with lard or fatback or bacon grease or what have you mixed in and add table scraps.
Years ago this is what was fed to the hounds. Dog food (dry) wasn’t in existence until about 1860 .
What did dogs eat before dog food? They ate what their owners did.
I make my own for our small dog. Lot’s of healthy recipes on the internet.
The fatback or bacon grease helps maintain a healthy, glossy coat. Too much, though, can give your dog the–uh–trots.
When I was young, my grandma saved bacon grease in a jar and it was grandad’s favorite snack with a hunk of bread.
They did not however live to a ripe old age.
Friend’s mom used to save her bacon grease and use it to fry bread in a skillet. Holy cow was that tasty!
I’m told that’s where the term hush puppies began.
I mostly use #9 for our two best friends as a supplement to a chicken/and meatball (they go insane for DG Italian meatballs) meat mix I pressure can when there’s a sale on it at DG (the chicken; meatballs are still 2 bucks a bag). Dollar General sells the #9 Purina for about 23 bucks for a 10lb bag (no larger bags), which is about half of the Royal Canin I used to use (up in the 60 buck range for 10lb). I’d say the Purina has went up about 30% at DG since the rotting bag of oatmeal took office.
I’m using the dry food because of the Glucosamine content and other vitamins in it…the dogs are on the old side. The Glucosamine is higher in content in the Purina than the Royal Canin. The boys pick out the venison and turkey chunks first after the canned chicken/meatballs, and then get back to the kibble later on at night.
Those dogs will eat as good or better than I do, no matter what. They are mobile alarms and real damn good at their job.
Consider sharing your dinners with your pets.
Made an Irish Stew last week, and my Belle baby loved it — her portion was about 12% of the total:
Pennies on the dollar compared to the frozen raw food which I used to buy.
Be careful of what is in the human food you give to your pets. Somethings, like garlic, are not good for dogs for example.
Yes there is that. When people used to feed their dogs from the table the table fare was much very simple and didn’t contain very many spices.
No garlic and grass-fed lamb only, and grass-fed chicken bone-broth; organic produce only: potatoes, parsnips, rutabagas, and carrots.
and so on….
🙂
Most human food is bad for animals. And feeding it to them brings problems.
This understanding requires wisdom, and self-discipline.
Nonsense. If you saw what goes in pet food you would never feed that stuff again.
Growing up in the 60/70’s never fed our dog pet food. Eggs, burgers, rice, salad, Heidi was the food disposal.
A little off topic but dealing with Bidenflation, we share a 6 yd Dumpster with with a couple neighbors for waste/trash removal. The cost has gone from $110 to $190 a month in three years.
Great compilation of data! We feed many homeless animals and now we ask local skilled care nursing facilities to give us uneaten patient food as opposed to just throwing it out.
Connect with local grocers and restaurants they throw away tons of perfectly suitable food for dog fare.
Bird seed has almost doubled in the past two years.
Pets solely for companionship are a luxury. And too often a replacement for children and other human relationships, especially with feminists and other “progressives”.
The modern west got used to luxuries like this, and animals have been personified now, aided by realistic CGI in media, its surreal.
Time to get used to the idea of the coming scarcity, being gradually forced on the US and western alliance by our own governments as part of weakening us to help raise the new Eurasian hegemon.
Animals will return to their former uses for food and utility, people will hopefully return to their primacy over animals.
that’s a very utilitarian outlook, gb,
so in that vein may i submit the following:
companion and service animals provide aid and comfort to the sick; the elderly; the lonely; the physically, emotionally, or intellectually challenged; the housebound; the infirm; the desolate.
they give many people a reason to get up in the morning and get going all day,
and always look forward to your coming home.
they are in some cases, one’s only connection to the natural world.
i believe they are gifts from God Almighty,
sent to those who have survived the last of their family,
or to anyone who just appreciates His wonderful creations.
they serve man, oftentimes better than our treatment of them.
they are not human nor should they be anthropomorphized,
but offer a unique and precious friendship that many people find benefits their lives immensely.
i, too, cringe at the toy poodle in a baby carriage (yes, i’ve seen it),
but name anything that some people won’t take to extremes.
my dogs have seen me thru some rough times,
and more on the way i’d guess.
dogs and man have a long history together,
and i refuse any totalitarian attempts to end it.
Companionship has always been an integral part of the human/canine/feline compact, since time immemorial.
I imagine it would be the same for many equine owners.
Living with these creatures are a literal gift from God, hence I treat it the same way I would any great gift from the Almighty.
It’s like many third-world countries … Animals must have utilitarian purposes, like roof dogs in S. America. Pets are only for the wealthy.
All kidding aside it’s probably cheaper to feed my dog hamburger and rice than the high priced dog food that is also suffering from shrinkflation. Any wonder why dogs are human edible in Asia.
Please make sure you give very little carbs to your dog. I have a dog that had cancer, vet says keep carbs low. I feed him hamburger (cooked) with no seasoning. My other dog I feed chicken Also cooked, no seasoning) and a high quality kibble.
Low carb — or only veggie carbs — Yes.
I know that as a former owner of 4 horses and 2 labs that it cost more to feed and keep the labs out of pocket yearly.
These crazed fools are literally out to destroy everything that’s good and enjoyable in life.
Yes; we shall call them from this day forward “Destructo-crats.” Fits them to a T — Or, Destro-Commie crats. Yes. I like this better, as it pretty much covers the bases.
Edit:
Destructo-Commiecrats.
😉
My dog food (Ultra) is up to $105 for a 40lb bag or $2.62/lb. I’m now buying raw bone-in chicken thighs or ground beef on sale. I roast some very large carrots and potatos in beef stock and they have never been happier or healthier for about $1/lb
I tried for grants to get my elder cat’s teeth fixed, and no one would help, so I had to put him down, the vet wouldn’t come off of her price for dental, and I couldn’t afford the soft vet food for him,,,,down to two cats and one dog, and the cats are seniors, don’t know how long they will last, one is 17 and one is 13 and we are the only home they have ever known
Folks, they’re animals, they don’t live as long as we do and you can always get another one.
We never bought a pet. Dad would drive and if he saw a dog without collar would open the passenger door and if the dog jumped in, that was our new pet.
My animals are not disposable chattels or sundries, to be discarded and replaced when they wear out.
I’m so very sorry about your kitty. We had an elder cat with stomatitis which is an extremely painful oral disease. Due to his age and other health issues, he could not have a full mouth extraction, which is the recommendation for stomatitis. We tried meds and laser therapy which worked for a while but ended up making “the decision” when it was clear there were no other options and I couldn’t see him suffer anymore.
I would like to see that same chart done on just cat food prices. The 8.5 pounds bag of Hills c/d dry kibble was $41.99 on 4/3/20 and is now $61.99, an increase is 47.5%.
Remember how they used to claim that grandma had to buy cat food to have something to eat? I’m pretty sure she can’t afford that now.
Map stock price, printing money.
My Sheltie requires an extra low fat diet so I typically make my own food for her then supplement it with canned Hill’s Senior Vitality but at over $4/can, it’s getting harder and harder to keep up with costs. She’s 13 now and doubt she’ll be around too much longer due to compounding health issues.
I have needs of two different kinds of prescription cat food so far. Can you guess how much the price jumped since last summer?
A whopping 45.7% jump.
I was joking to one of my cat (he’s on Science Diet c/d since he’s three years old) that he should just under go the surgery and be done with his crystal problem. He’s now 9 and a half years old, still expecting to live for close to another 10 years (as average of live expectancy of all my other cats).
You can cook for your pets for much less money, especially if you have a garden or even can keep grass-pastured chickens. Dry commercial pet food can be your backup when you are too busy to do the cooking. Dogs thrive on rice, eggs, and squash or pumpkin plus a few supplementals. Cats need more of a meat-based diet but are said to do well with eggs and tilapia.
Dogs also like sweet potatoes. Microwave for 8 min. on high.
I have a Westie – and I feed him chicken and carrots that I cook myself. I put 5 chicken thighs into a crockpot, dash of salt, chicken stock and a couple of handfuls of baby carrots. That will last 9 days – and he loves it! It is all I have fed him for the past several years as he seemed to be getting a lot of skin problems, not to mention he didn’t much like any of the wet dog foods we tried.
Chicken thighs have tripled in price since Biden, but it is still cheaper than dog food. We buy bulk packs of 10 for around $9 (they did go up to $15 a few months back). We used to pay around $3.50 per pack pre-Biden.
Since being on this diet, his vet visits are always perfect with the vet shocked at how healthy he is 😀
He gets one dog treat each morning and then as many baby carrots throughout the day as he wants.
His bag of dog treats is unbelievably expensive at the moment. $12 for a bag of ” bacon”… used to be around $3.
Westies are the besties! I cooked for mine for 12 years because of his allergies. Vet said he was the healthiest Westie he’d ever seen.
Last year I bought ten bags of dog food waiting on this eventuality. Glad I heard SD’s warning.
So sad. We have definitely noticed the increased prices for our German Shepherd’s food, but so far, the impact hasn’t been so bad for us. Our three year old dog eats a fair amount of our leftovers and we often have six or seven people (including 4 boys in their teens or 20’s) living here. We don’t throw out any food. Plates get scraped right into the dog’s bowl. I’d say I buy (on average) a 40 pound bag every 3 months at BJ’s or Costco. And the other thing – our dog’s stomach isn’t sensitive so I can shop around for a good sale price and switch up the food. Our other German shepherd had terrible allergies and could only eat duck based dog food, which fortunately BJ’s used to sell under their Berkley and Jensen brand. But we don’t have to worry about getting pricey duck dog food anymore because good old Chase Muttley, the best dog that God ever put on this earth, went to his final resting place at the age of 14 last year.
I had to change my Gracie’s dog food from Science Diet to an off brand as the price shot up from $50 to $78 for a 35lb bag.
Poor suspicious cat. 🐈
I didn;t know they had such programs but one of the cat
shelters in my State (CT) runs a program where if you have
the finances to do so you can Sponsor a Senior, where they match
senior cats (over 12) with senior citizens, the shelter pays for the
everything the food , litter, vet and any medicines.. The senior
citizen provide the loving home.. and you can sponsor one
for 6 months or a year..to help cover the cost.
Its a good program to put senior pets in homes…
I’d make a joke about pet food recipes, except pet lovers would object.
It reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode To Serve Man:
“It’s a cookbook!”
For all you dog lovers out there, feeding raw may be cheaper than kibble. I have 4 youngins, (3 German Shepherds, 1 Brittany Spaniel), for around $30 a week. I get family box, (25lbs), chicken thighs at the local butcher for .79 lb, 3 lb. Chub hamburger, $12 bag frozen broccoli cuts, $3. They all get a raw egg with shell, (my own chickens). I’ve never fed kibble and my oldest Shepherd lived to 16yrs. I will be happy to help anyone with questions.
Excellent Raenah. I feed raw to my dog as well and have also been supplying my raw foods to a few grateful neighbors. The most expensive ingredient in my food is the protein source (chicken, beef, turkey, and even pork) at a max of $1.99 per pound (look for the sales and make a large batch at once and freeze individual containers). Compared to decent kibble bag costs at $56.99 for a 28 pound bag, it is well worth it considering the raw food blends I use are 1000% more healthy and nutritious. I am also willing to give my recipe to any treepers who would like to try it.
Yep, $1.99 is our max also. We get pork loin in the vacuum bag thingy for $1.49. My Shepherds get
20 to 24 ounces a day of raw food and the Brittany 16 ounces, (she’s very very active)!!! They get a chicken liver every 3 days just make sure they dont anemic and a tablespoon of food grade diatomaceous earth each day for too many minerals to list and a parasite killer.
Do you feed raw pork to your dogs? I have at times given our dogs raw meat but I had thought raw pork was a no no? Also, I have given our German Shepherds chicken bones. They eat them. I think the collagen is good for them. I wouldn’t give any chicken bones to a smaller dog because they could choke. But the German Shepherds just chew them up.
Your not going to have pets and you will be happy.
I had been feeding Royal canin to my 3 year old, 120 lb dog. It is now selling at $100 for a 30 lb bag. I can literally feed her hamburger, rice and veggies cheaper!
Drill baby drill!
Yeah, this is the most noticeable Brandinflation example Ive noticed. My pooch is one of my children so this is personal. Enjoy the Decline
This is not for most people but, in my state it is legal to pick up road kill. If you have a daily commute in a rural area, you are likely to come across road kill deer that are not in bad shape. If you’ve butchered your own animals before it’s not that big a deal to process. Dogs are not picky so the meat does not need to be cleaned and trimmed. You put chunks of meat (doesn’t matter if it has hair, bloodshot or gristle on it) into the cheapest ziplocks you can buy and freeze. This is the best thing you can feed your dog, their coat will be soft and grease free and I know I guy who extended the life of his cancerous Bernese Mountain dog by two years doing this.
For my part, I feed Skeptie and her stepbrother meat renderings from my hunting and fishing. We have something called whitefish in our rivers with no catch limit. They are native but considered a bit of a nuisance because they are so abundant. People want to catch trout, not whitefish. I focus on them and fill my freezer in summer for the dogs to eat later. They each get a whole one in the morning (or deer or elk or trout) and a little kibble in the evening. Nothing goes to waste. Word of caution – some bony fish and cooked fish (bones will harden with cooking) are dangerous to feed to dogs, but frozen fresh trout, salmon or whitefish are aok.
Correct me if I am wrong, but there are three elements of food inflation: price, product shrinkage, and product contents (more filler, more water, cheaper ingredients). I’m seeing the first two, in spades, with human food. Certainly the first in pet food. As for product contents, we’ve started baking our own bread, and eating the least possible processed food possible whenever we can. And then there are the rumors about MRNA in the beef/pork chain. It’s just a never ending cascade of chaos-by-design. As for our poor little stray cat we feed, it’s lived 15 years to all our surprise on canned wet… but I do hope they aren’t making it even worse with cheaper fillers.