We love our pets. For many of us, our pets are considered
family members. The unfortunate thing
about those particular family members is that Americans
are spending billions of dollars on their pets, and spending is at an
historic high. I’m not just referring to
dogs and cats, but also reptiles and tanks of fish. Of course, Americans are not the only ones
spending their hard-earned money on their pets.
But in America alone, The American Pet Products Association
estimates that more than 50 billion dollars was
spent on pets in 2011, and that number is increasing each year.
How is that money spent? The biggest expense is food, which is about
half of all the money spent on our animals.
Veterinary bills are next, with supplies and over-the-counter medications
being in third place. And, there’s also
grooming and boarding, which can add up to huge sums as well.
I worked for four years
in a veterinary hospital as their collections agent. I was the one who sent out all the past-due
bills and letters. I learned that pet
owners will spend almost any amount to be sure their pets are healthy and
happy. Even when they can’t afford it,
people will go into debt to care for their four-legged family members. I remember one woman who brought her elderly
dog to a Veterinary Cardiologist for open-heart surgery. She spent tens of thousands of dollars. When it comes to cutting back during a poor
economy, pets are one of the last expenses to be reduced.
There are pet insurance
policies which, like human health insurance, may cover a percentage of their
veterinary expenses. Prices vary greatly
on pet insurance, and if a pet doesn’t need any expensive treatment for years,
the insurance premiums certainly can add up.
Fortunately, there is an
alternative to reduce pet care expenses other than paying expensive insurance
premiums. Pet Care Savings Programs are
now available in most large cities and in some small to medium sized cities. Xpress Healthcare® offers one of the best and
its features include:
• 25% savings on network
veterinary services. (Not available in
all cities.)
• 10% to 35% savings at
participating providers on pet services such as boarding, doggie day care,
training, pet sitting and grooming.
• 10% to 35% at
participating merchants on pet supplies such as
food, beds, toys, treats and vitamins
• Free pet ID tag(s) and 24-hour location service for lost pets
• These programs can be used for nearly all animals, from companion animals such as dogs and cats to exotic animals such as birds and reptiles
• Our savings plan is NOT insurance.
• Free pet ID tag(s) and 24-hour location service for lost pets
• These programs can be used for nearly all animals, from companion animals such as dogs and cats to exotic animals such as birds and reptiles
• Our savings plan is NOT insurance.
Pet Care Savings Program
is only part of Xpress Healthcare’s® Lifestyle Select Discount Package. For only $19.95 per month, all the pets in
the household are covered by these discounts, plus you and your immediate
family will receive Roadside Assistance, Legal Services discounts, and LifeLock®
Identity Theft Protection.
We’ll never stop loving
and pampering our pets so it is good to know that we can greatly reduce the
cost of their care. (Only available in the United States),
Visit http://PetCareDiscounts.info/ for details.
Please Note… Discounts on the following
are at the veterinarian’s discretion:
- Food
and flea products.
- Low
margin medications.
- Non-medical
boarding and grooming.
- Any
outside services, such as lab work or outside specialists. When products
are not discounted, members may still find discounts from our
participating merchants.
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