Consumers may be forced to make choices regarding their companion animals' food as the prices for corn and grain rise, driving up feed prices, according to pntonline.com.

In the last 12 months, the commodity values for corn and grain have nearly doubled, the US Department of Agriculture reported. As of February 7, corn prices were US$6.98 a bushel, which is up from US$3.86 at the same time last year, according to Peggy Burns of USDA. These higher commodity prices are passed on to consumers through higher feed prices, which has forced some consumers to seek alternative ways of feeding their pets or to give up their pets altogether.

“You don’t see as many with just companion only type of pets; things are tighter and they’re stretching money to make ends meet,” said One Stop Feed employee Austin Hale.