The Rising Cost of Vet Care: Why So Many Dogs Are Ending Up in Shelters

If you’ve ever left the vet’s office with a lump in your throat after seeing the bill you’re not alone. What used to be a manageable part of pet ownership has ballooned into a financial burden for many families.

In 1990, the average cost of a routine vet visit was about $25 to $45. Today, that same visit can run $150 to $300 or more without diagnostics, labs, or emergency services. And if your dog swallows a sock or gets into chocolate? You could be staring down a $1,200 to $3,000+ emergency bill before treatment even begins.

 How Much Is the Veterinary Industry Making?

Let’s look at the data:

In 1990, the U.S. veterinary services industry brought in around $4 billion annually.

By 2000, that number rose to about $11 billion.

In 2010, it reached $25 billion.

By 2020, it passed $32 billion.

And in 2024, it’s now estimated to exceed $58 billion.

That’s not just inflation. That’s a 14x increase in industry revenue. And while we all want the best care for our pets, the reality is: prices are growing faster than pet owners can keep up.

 The Hidden Fallout: Shelter Intake Is Rising Again

As veterinary costs skyrocket, more and more dogs are being surrendered to shelters not because they aren’t loved, but because they’ve become unaffordable.

Here’s what the numbers show:

Between 2005 and 2010, shelters across the U.S. were taking in roughly 6 to 8 million animals per year. About half of those were dogs, so the estimated annual dog intake during that time was between 3 to 4 million.

In 2019, total intake was around 6.6 million animals, or about 3.3 million dogs.

During the pandemic, intake dropped. In 2021, approximately 4.6 million animals entered shelters, with around 2.3 million being dogs. In 2022, it dropped slightly again to about 4.4 million total and roughly 2.2 million dogs.

But in 2024, the trend is reversing. Shelter intake rose again, reaching an estimated 5.8 million animals about 2.9 million of those were dogs.

Even more concerning, nearly 29% of these dogs were surrendered by their owners and one of the leading reasons is the inability to afford rising vet bills.

 When Vet Bills Become a Breaking Point

For too many families, rising vet costs aren’t just stressful they’re devastating.

A senior on a fixed income trying to treat their dog’s arthritis.

A single mom whose dog needs urgent surgery.

A working couple blindsided by a diagnosis and told, “If you can’t pay today, we can’t help.”

This financial strain leads to heartbreaking choices: surrendering pets, delaying treatment, or worse euthanasia not because of illness, but because of cost.

 What Most People Don’t Realize About the Industry

Veterinary care is a for-profit industry, not a public health service. Many vet clinics are now owned by corporations, with profit quotas and upsell targets embedded into care protocols.

This has led to:

Inflated pricing for basic services

Pressure to purchase expensive tests and “wellness plans”

Less personalized care and more one-size-fits-all solutions

Even compassionate vets are caught in the middle forced to balance care with corporate profit. And it’s pet parents who suffer the consequences.

 What We Need Instead: Root-Cause Education + Preventive Support

Right now, I work exclusively with people to uncover the hidden root causes behind chronic symptoms, fatigue, and health struggles but I see the same gaps in the pet world that I see in human healthcare. And in the near future, I plan to expand my work to help dogs too, especially in the areas of natural support, gut health, and functional wellness.

The goal isn’t to blame vets it’s to equip everyday people with the truth and the tools to make empowered decisions, before the crisis hits.

 You Deserve Better. And So Does Your Dog.

If you’ve ever skipped a vet visit because of cost.

If you’re watching prices rise while shelters fill up.

Or if you just want real answers without the upsells.

You’re not alone. And you don’t have to navigate it alone.

 Book a free 15-minute call at www.ExecutiveFunctionalHealing.com

 Or join our private group for truth you won’t find in the exam room: Executive Healing Circle