While the down economy has not seemed to slow consumer spending on some pet items, pet owners are increasingly postponing or ignoring preventive pet care in an attempt to save money. Pet care experts are concerned this could result in a dramatic rise in pet illnesses, pet healthcare costs, increased pet abandonment and “economic euthanasia” in the coming years if the trend continues.
According to VPI Pet Insurance, the nation’s oldest and largest pet insurance company, California ranks number 1 out of 50 states in terms of highest number of enrollments in 2008 and accounts for nearly 19 percent of new VPI policies. The state accounts for 94,032 insured pets as of March including 4,913 in-force policies in Los Angeles, 4,645 in San Diego, 809 in Long Beach and 543 in Anaheim.
Victoria Wheatley in San Diego has been a policy holder for 7 years and has her Shitsu, Reilly insured. Victoria has filed claims for Reilly regarding skin allergies and shots for allergies, teeth cleaning and removal and skin lacerations. The biggest bill was for her eye surgery, Reilly’s eye was removed due to glaucoma, “With this type of breed it has more than paid for itself and saved my family a lot in monthly bills.”