'He's family’: Heartbroken owners turn to Crowdfunding to save beloved pets
Over £150k was raised to cover vet bills for Leeds pug Chilli on GoFundMe
The number of online UK fundraisers set up to pay for vets bills to fund urgent treatment has surged, new data shows.
The warnings comes as rising costs leave pet owners struggling to afford care as GoFundMe data shows a 54 per cent increase in campaigns since 2022.
The trend comes as veterinary prices have climbed sharply - rising 63 per cent between 2016 and 2023 according the the Competition and Markets Authority - pushing many to seek financial support to cover life-saving care.
The donations stumped up in 2025 alone were up 71 per cent on 2022 donations to similar appeals. And 2026 is already eight per cent ahead of last year's pace, with over £800,000 raised by mid-June.
The biggest campaign for an animal so far this year saw Oliver Cutts, 38, from Leeds, raise over £150,000 on GoFundMe to cover vet bills for his pug, Chilli, after vets said treating his seizures could cost up to £30,000 a year, he claims.
Chilli, a seven-year-old pug, has over 1.5 million followers on his TikTok page King Chilli The Pug.
Oliver said: "The fundraiser has gone far beyond anything we ever expected.
"He has made millions of people laugh online, but to us he is our little boy.
“Chilli is our family - We love that little man so much and we know so many of you love him too.
"Social media income is irregular and mainly comes from brand deals, which we do not do constantly.
"We are not saying anyone has to pay for Chilli. We would never want anyone to feel pressured.
"We are simply asking that if Chilli has made you, your friends, or your family smile over the years, and if you are able and willing to help, donating or sharing gives him a better chance.
"Every donation is for Chilli’s emergency treatment, specialist hospital care, medication, follow-up appointments, possible relapse care, and any long-term treatment he may need.
"We are incredibly grateful, overwhelmed, and still taking everything one update at a time."
In a recent update, the couple have revealed Chilli is now awake and is eating and drinking and has been trying to move again, though is not fully recovered and is still under specialist care.