Having a sick pet is emotionally a lot to handle. But now with the skyrocketing costs of emergency vet care, it can mean Americans are looking at their bank accounts first before making important decisions about their pet’s care.
It’s because many households haven’t or don’t have the capacity to financially plan for that moment. New 2026 data from Rover’s Cost of Dog Parenthood Report shared with Fortune found 38% of pet parents couldn’t cover an emergency vet visit without taking on debt—even though nearly nine in 10 said they’d felt financially prepared before bringing a pet home.
