Health benefits and potential budget savings due to pets:

 

Health benefits and potential budget savings due to pets: Australian and German survey results

Australian Social Monitor: Volume 2, Number 2: May 1999

Bruce Headey and Peter Krause

Australian and German dog and cat owners use health services less than the rest of the population. In both countries pet owners make about 12-15% fewer annual doctor visits than non-owners. German owners spend 32% fewer nights in hospital. Benefits appear particularly strong for older people, the population group with the worst health and heaviest use of health services. The paper also links the survey results to national health expenditure in order to estimate potential savings due to pet ownership. Indicative estimates are given of $2 billion savings for Australia in 1994-95 and DM9 billion for Germany in 1996.

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