Survey: Pet spending appears to be recession-proof

WHITING, Ind. — A new CouponCabin.com survey revealed that the state of the economy does not affect how much the majority of pet owners spend on their pets.

According to the survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive between April 19 to 23 and polled 2,211 U.S. adults ages 18 years and older (of which 1,299 are pet owners), 75% of pet owners said the economy doesn't influence their spending habits. What's more, more than 1-in-5 (21%) said they spend $51 to $100 per month on their pets, while 12% reported they spend $101 or more per month on their pets. Even though many pet owners said they are able to keep their pet spending in check, others take things a bit too far: nearly 8-in-10 (78%) U.S. adults strongly or somewhat agreed that some people spend too much money on their pets.

"Pets play a huge role in our society and are often treated like members of the family," CouponCabin.com president and chief savings officer Jackie Warrick said. "Many people keep their pet spending within reason, but sometimes it can get out of control. It's important to keep an eye on how much you're spending on your animal companions and not get carried away with extravagant or unnecessary pet purchases."

The survey builds on similar research conducted by CouponCabin.com last September, which found that 68% of U.S. adults ages 18 years and older said their dogs are still a large part of their overall budget.