On a recent snow day, eight-year-old Johnny Campbell went outside to play with his dog, Jax. He doesn’t have a toy, so he uses his imagination.
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“I wonder if I make a snowball and throw it at Jax…” Johnny Campbell says as he bends down and grabs a handful of snow. ”Jax! Fetch!”
The mutt bounds across the yard near the family’s Loveland apartment, his tongue flapping out of his mouth. Johnny throws the small snowball up high. Without missing a beat, the enormous 120 pound, golden retriever-German shepherd mix catches it in his mouth.
“Good job!” Johnny Campbell says.
His dad, John Campbell, brought the dog home two years ago. He’s been a source of comfort and safety for his older son, Gage, who is nonverbal and autistic. He’s been a joy for both boys. But for Campbell, it’s a bit of tough love.
“He's a pain in my ass all the time,” he said. “Literally, I can't go anywhere in this house without him being on my butt. But I love him too.”
Taking care of Jax is getting expensive. The dog developed a skin condition that forced Campbell to go through several specialty shampoos. Jax had to be put on a special, all-salmon diet, which was far more expensive than basic kibble.
Campbell has had to cut some of his own grocery expenses.
“I would sacrifice, like sodas, little treats for myself, and I would budget in more for the dog and less for me,” he said. “I felt bad that I can't always give him what he always deserves, like food-wise.”
Plus, Campbell has other financial issues – he is unemployed. His two sons have medical needs. He has had to reach out on Facebook for donations to help pay for Jax’s care.
“We don't have anything left over after the expenses,” he said. “I like Colorado. I just wish it wasn't as expensive as it's been getting.”
Across the country, the cost of caring for a pet has dramatically increased. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows it’s gone up by 85% over the past decade. The rising costs of food, pet services and medicines all factor in, leaving many pet owners feeling pinched. Some are choosing to skip vet visits or groom their animals themselves to save money.
KUNC News reached out to several local Facebook groups about how pet owners in Northern Colorado are feeling.
Some shared that the recent trend of veterinary clinics being taken over by private equity firms has impacted their cost of care. Others said the quotes they were receiving for services like neutering or teeth cleaning were just too high.
“It's all gotten so expensive,” Facebook user Maggie Fast said in the Fort Collins Dogs group. “I really don't know how people afford pets anymore.”
“Dog dental is astronomical,” Facebook user Sarah Neal commented in the Voice of Longmont group. “My dogs have never had dental care for that reason. I feel bad but there's just no way to pay thousands.”
Those expenses have caused some owners to give up their pets entirely. At the Longmont Humane Society, nearly 600 pets were surrendered last year. A good chunk of those surrenders are related to housing – some rental properties don’t allow pets or they charge fees for having them, which can be pricey.
“Folks are at the mercy of their landlord when it comes to what their restrictions are,” Executive Director Gus Mircos said. “That plays into it. The cost factor is definitely there as well.”
He explains that costs are skyrocketing for shelters, too. Mostly because pets are staying longer– nearly three months. That’s one month more than they did in 2019.
“It's taking us a longer time for animals to go out the door, and we're incurring more costs over the course of that time,” he said.
Micros said it also feels like the cost of everything is going up – from labor to shelter supplies.
“I think it’s a perfect storm, in a lot of ways,” he said.
But that hasn’t stopped people from handing over their wallets for their furry friends. Just last year, Americans spent $119 billion on pets, according to federal data. And looking at the Consumer Price Index, officials say there's clear, non-price determining factors that are influencing our decisions to spend.
The Campbell family is feeling those costs. Recently, Jax’s energy has come at a price, with a recent paw injury.
“He's hyper. He's injuring himself…you're like, ‘Oh my god, you know, why did I get it?’” he said. “And then you see the faces on your kids, and you know why you got the dog.”
So, Campbell is working on a budget, trying to get other expenses down. And he’s looking for a job. Maybe they’ll have to eventually leave the state. But for now, he’s making it work.
“Even if we run out of dog food, he can have meat, we could cook it, we'll sacrifice our food for him, too,” he said. “He's not a burden. He's the family.”
This is the second story in a four-part series called “The Price of Paradise.” Read more about what Coloradans are struggling to afford here.
