The recession has led to people cancelling their pet insurance, according to provider Petplan.
The health of Britain's pets is suffering as a result of the recession, according to a pet insurance provider.
Petplan revealed that it has seen an increase in the number of people attempting to get lower insurance premiums or cancel policies completely. Additionally, a charity the firm works with, the Dogs Trust, has revealed that it is seeing growing numbers of dogs in its re-homing centres with medical conditions for which owners have been unable to afford treatment.
Clarissa Baldwin from the charity said that while people will obviously be trying to cut back on their spending it is important that they do not see pet insurance as a "non-essential".
Petplan marketing manager Alison Andrew explained that eye disorders such as glaucoma were one of the main claims they saw in 2008 and treatment for these can cost upwards of £1,000. "People without pet insurance may find it impossible to raise the money to pay for such re-ccurring conditions," she added.
"It's genuinely worrying to us when we hear people talking about cutting insurance as a money-saving tip, because we understand the heartbreak people can suffer if they suddenly find they can't afford to treat their pet any more."
