Britain’s cash-strapped pet lovers are giving up treats such as holidays, eating out and trips to the pub to ensure their dogs are still being well cared for, a study shows.

According to research by Burns Pet Nutrition in light of the cost-of-living crisis, almost three-quarters (73%) of dog owners have, or are willing, to make sacrifices to make sure their dogs don’t suffer.

They are sacrificing holidays (36%), cutting back on the cinema/theatre trips (40%), holding off eating out (58%), limiting going to the pub (43%) and being frugal when buying new clothes (36%).

However, the research by Burns Pet Nutrition has also found that a third of pet owners are having to spend less on buying presents and gifts for their canine companions, with 29% limiting visits to the dog groomer.

Meanwhile, one in 10 owners say that they plan to cut back on pet insurance and vet appointments.

Some pet owners already have, or plan to switch to a cheaper brand of dog food (28%), however 17% will eat cheaper food themselves to ensure their dog is still fed.

Founder of Burns Pet Nutrition, John Burns MBE (above) said: “A lot of dog owners are having to make huge sacrifices for their dogs given the cost-of-living crisis and we salute them. These decisions cannot be easy to make, but some cutbacks such as grooming, switching to lower quality pet food or vet visits could have an impact on a dog’s health and wellbeing and could result in higher costs for pet owners in the future. I urge pet owners as much as you can, please continue to support your dogs even if you must cut back on some of your luxuries – your dog will be forever grateful.”