Animal charities have warned they could face breaking point due to an influx of older dogs being taken to rescue centres.
They said more and more owners were struggling to keep up with increased medical needs and vet bills from older animals.
But charity bosses said they were “petrified” numbers would “increase massively” over winter, putting more financial pressure on centres.
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The Office for National Statistics estimated the cost of veterinary and other pet services had increased by about 50% since 2015.
Cindi McNeil Regan, who founded Rushton Dog Rescue, in west Somerset, said the sharp rise was partly behind an influx of older dogs being dropped off at charities due to unaffordable costs.
And she said the problem is likely to get worse with less people wanting to adopt older pets. She said they were sending older dogs to a foster home while covering the vet costs to save space and warned it was causing a “never-ending circle”.
Ms McNeil-Regan said the thought of winter and increased cost of living issues was “petrifying”, as it would put further pressure on Rushton.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
She said: “Fuel prices have increased. Veterinary costs have increased food. Food for the dogs has increased. With winter fast-approaching, the influx of animals before and after Christmas will increase massively.
“And we feel responsible for animals that we haven’t yet met that are needing help, and it can have a toll on many charity workers up and down the country.”
Sam Wilden, a canine re-homer at Cheltenham Animal Shelter, said their vet bills totalled £75,000 a year. But he said they had let potential owners know “how much heart” the older dogs had.
He said: “A lot of them, even though they have medical issues, have got so much to give. With some medications, we can show them different ways and different prices.
“Even though yes, they’ve got these medical issues, the actual overall cost doesn’t have to be that much.”
Owners who have adopted older dogs across from rescue centres said they were well worth the money.
Ralph Gale, who adopted black lab Cindy in the last few years of her life from Rushton Dog Rescue, said: “If it’s not too much of a cliché, it was love at first sight… I knew from the first time I saw her she was the dog for me.
“With an older dog, you may inherit one or two problems but I thought I’d go for an older dog because I’m a bit of an older dog myself. What she provides is greatly in excess of what she takes out.”
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