We all love our pets, but let’s be honest—they’re not cheap! Dogs can cost between $1,270 and $2,800 a year, and cats aren’t far behind. Sadly, just loving your pet doesn’t make their expenses tax-deductible. But what if your pet does more than just keep you company? There are actually ways to deduct your dog, cat, or even other animals on your taxes. Let’s find out how!
1. Medical Expenses: Service Animals and Emotional Support Pets
If your pet helps you with a medical condition, you might be able to deduct the cost. Pets that assist people with disabilities, like guide dogs for the blind or hearing-impaired, count as service animals. You can deduct things like food, vet bills, and training for these animals.
Service Animals
Service animals aren’t just pets—they’re workers! They help people who have disabilities do everyday things. Some examples include:
Dogs that guide people who are blind.
Cats that help hearing-impaired people by responding to sounds.
Animals that help people with seizures or remind them to take their meds.
Even though most service animals are dogs, other animals, like cats, can be service animals too! As long as the animal is trained for a specific job, you can deduct their expenses. Just make sure you have a letter from your doctor saying you need the animal for medical reasons.
Emotional Support Animals
Emotional support animals (ESAs) help people with mental health issues like anxiety or depression. To get a tax deduction for an ESA, you need a letter from a therapist or doctor saying that your pet is part of your treatment. It’s a little harder to get this deduction compared to service animals, but it’s possible if your pet helps with a diagnosed mental health condition.
2. Business Expenses: Guard Dogs and Pest Control
Did you know that if your pet works for your business, you might be able to deduct their expenses? If your dog protects your business property or if you have a cat that controls pests, you might get some tax breaks!
Guard Dogs
If your dog is a guard dog that protects your business, you can deduct their expenses. The IRS says this is just like paying for an alarm system. But, the dog has to actually protect your business—so don’t try to pass off your Chihuahua as a guard dog. Big breeds like German Shepherds and Rottweilers are what the IRS has in mind for this deduction.
Even if you work from home, you might be able to deduct part of your guard dog’s expenses if they help protect your home office.
Pest Control
Cats aren’t just for cuddling! If your business has a pest problem, and your cat takes care of it, their expenses might be deductible. For example, junkyard owners have been able to deduct the cost of feeding feral cats that keep away rats and snakes.
3. Charitable Deduction: Fostering Pets
If you foster animals for a charity, you might be able to deduct the costs of caring for them. You can’t deduct the value of your time, but you can deduct things like food and vet bills. To qualify, the animals have to be fostered for a recognized charity, like a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Keep good records of your expenses, and if you spend more than $250, make sure the charity gives you a receipt.
What Can You Deduct?
If your dog, cat, or other pet qualifies for one of the deductions, here are some things you might be able to write off:
Food
Bedding
Boarding
Training
Grooming supplies
Vet care
Medications
Pet insurance
For business expenses, you might even be able to deduct the cost of buying the animal! You can either deduct it all at once (up to $2,500) or spread it out over a few years.
Final Thoughts
While you can’t deduct your everyday pet costs, you can get some tax breaks if your pet is a service animal, works for your business, or if you foster animals for a charity. Just make sure you keep good records to back up your deductions if the IRS asks.
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