The number of U.S. households that host a furry, scaly or feathery family member has been on a steady rise since the 1980s but the amount of money pet owners are spending to keep Mittens, Rover and/or Polly in good stead has skyrocketed and is now north of $100 billion every year. A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics finds pet-related expenses are making up a growing percentage of consumers’ budgets, rising from $57.8 billion in 2013 to $102.8 billion in 2021, a nearly 78% increase. The level of pet-related spending in 2021 easily outpaces what U.S. consumers shelled ...