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France is a nation of pet-lovers – the country is home to 80 million of them, outnumbering people. 

In terms of popularity, cats come out near the top. There are , compared to 7.5 million dogs, making France the second-biggest cat-loving nation in Europe after Germany. And the French , a record among EU countries. 

However, the most popular pet by far is the humble fish – 29 million are kept domestically in France.

With so many animals to look after, we look at ways to save on their care. 

Vet fees 

Vet fees in France cost an average of €830 per year for a dog and €388 for a cat. 

If your pet needs an expensive procedure, it can be worth getting several quotes to compare treatment at different clinics. Some vets may offer discounts if you have several pets. 

If you live close to one, consider veterinary schools: prices can be around 30% cheaper. Although your pet will be examined by students, the quality of care is the same as they are supervised by qualified vets. Drawbacks are the often long waiting times, and geography – there are only four main national veterinary schools in France, located in Lyon, Maisons-Alfort, Toulouse and Nantes. 

Animal charity La Société protectrice des animaux (SPA) offers help to low-income pet owners who cannot afford veterinary care. It has 12 clinics across France. You can find out where they are located here: tinyurl.com/3wfpvwn6.

Other financial help is available via associations such as . It funds one third of the cost of vet bills for low-income households, and one third is waived by the vet. 

Finally, remember to keep on top of your animal’s care – from regular vaccinations and de-worming to ensuring their teeth stay clean. It can all help to avoid larger costs for more serious conditions further down the line.

Pet insurance 

Ensure you are covered in the event of an emergency by taking out pet insurance. 

Costs vary depending on the level of cover. Insurance can include routine expenses such as checkups and vaccinations, and unexpected costs such as surgery or medicines. 

Premiums will also vary depending on factors such as the age and breed of your pet. 

A 2025 by insurance firm Hellosafe found just 5% of French pet-owners take out pet insurance, compared to 25% in the UK, 20% in Germany and 91% in Sweden, the leader when it comes to insured pets. 

One reason given is that France's pet insurance market is relatively young, with fewer providers than many other countries. 

Pet food 

The price of pet food rose 28% between January 2022 and November 2024, according to consumer organisation UFC-Que Choisir. 

It found E.Leclerc is the cheapest supermarket for both dog and cat food, followed by Hyper U and Auchan. 

The cheapest brands of dog kibble are Fido, Brekkies and Friskies, while for cats they are Whiskas, Brekkies and Friskies. For wet food, Fido, Friskies and Pedigree are cheapest for dogs, while Whiskas, Félix and Purina topped the rankings for cats.

Bulk buying pet food when it is on offer can help you save in the long run. 

Pet-sitting

Another sizable pet expense can be paying someone to look after your animal while you are away.

This is one reason for the increasing popularity of pet-sitting – often a cheaper alternative to kennels or catteries. Websites such as advertise people willing to pet-sit in France. Owners can create a listing and can match up with potential pet-sitters who will usually come and stay in your home while you are away.

It is also worth looking on social media, such as Facebook, for house and pet-sitting groups in your area.

Tips from readers

“How about pet-sitting among friends, so no money changes hands?” - LW 

“If you have several pets, ask your vet for a discount. We have a 10% discount. Sign up for Zooplus’ loyalty programme. The money off each order far outweighs the cost of the programme. Then there are the accumulated points for little freebies.” - SS

“Specialist pet foods and supplements can be sourced at a lower cost from online retailers such as Chronovet who will deliver to your local vet with no delivery charge. Also, many prescription meds are available from your local pharmacy at a lower cost compared to the vets. Just take your prescription there instead.” - GC 

“Make sure the cabinet vétérinaire you are using is definitely independent as this should give the practice more flexibility in negotiating payment schemes and in deserving cases even reducing fees.” - MB, retired veterinary surgeon.

“We buy chicken and offal and mix it up with carrots. Offal is really cheap in all supermarkets.” - EBR

“For fleas and ticks I prefer to use herbal solutions added to their food and sprays for their coat. I’ve found it’s as good as anything on the market with zero toxicity.” - JO 

“Don’t rely on crisis management. Make sure your pets (two cats in our case) are fed good quality food, given fresh water, receive regular tick and flea medication, are vaccinated, are regularly wormed and are groomed. That way, you’ll be less likely to need to see a vet apart from a routine check when having the yearly vaccine.” - SC 

“We wait until pet food is on offer either in the supermarket or Zooplus and then bulk buy.” - NM

“Another vote for Zooplus as the supplier of choice for value for money.” - AB 

“For food, I search on Amazon, it’s not that expensive.” - JJ 

“For toys, harnesses etc we find it cheaper to buy online from England or Germany rather than French suppliers. Prices in physical French pet shops are drastically over-inflated!” - RA