Transforming Pet Care: AI Tools, Legal Recognition, and Cost Standardization

Pumpkin introduces AI tool to forecast pet health costs before they hit

17 Nov 2025

Pumpkin has introduced a free AI-powered Pet Health Predictor that estimates future veterinary costs based on a pet’s breed, age, and location. The tool highlights likely health conditions and projects treatment and preventive care expenses, helping owners plan financially—for example, a four-year-old French Bulldog in New York could face annual vet bills of $1,305–$2,710. With pet care costs rising sharply, many owners skip necessary care, and the predictor helps fill this planning gap. By showing projected expenses, Pumpkin also positions its insurance premiums as more reasonable, turning uncertainty into actionable financial insight.

Spain Just Passed a Law Saying Pets Are Family Not Property

17 Nov 2025

In 2022, Spain reformed its Civil Code to recognize animals as sentient beings rather than property, granting them legal consideration in family and legal matters. This change affects divorce and custody cases, requiring judges to consider pets’ well-being, living conditions, and bonds with children when deciding custody. The law also prevents pets from being sold to cover debts and allows owners to recover costs for caring for injured or abandoned animals, including compensation for emotional harm. Advocates say the reform aligns the law with modern attitudes toward pets and may reduce abandonment rates, reflecting a broader societal shift in how animals are valued.

“This hospital costs 1,000 won, that’s 60,000 won.”It’s even more expensive than a sashimi restaurant

16 Nov 2025

South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is exploring a standardized fee system to address wide variations in pet medical costs, which can range from 1,000 to 65,000 won for a first-time veterinary visit. The system would set standard prices for common treatments, easing the financial burden on pet owners and making pet insurance more effective. Currently, low subscription rates—just 11.9%—are partly due to high premiums and limited coverage caused by inconsistent hospital fees. The Ministry plans to develop a model for companion animals gradually, focusing on select treatments rather than implementing a nationwide system immediately. Public veterinary hospitals may be established to help pilot and expand the system over time.