Australians own more than 33 million pets, costing their owners US$1.8 billion in petfood and US$319 million in pet care, according to Australia's Herald Sun.

The average pet owner spends US$58 a month on petfood along with US$500 a year on accessories, health products and veterinary bills, a recent Coles' pet survey of more than 1,000 participants found. Dr. Karen Budd said that as many pet owners choose to purchase from specialty shops, the quality of the petfood ingredients has become more important than the retail outlet from which the food is purchased.

"We love our animals, but just like humans we need to make sure we're finding what's best to meet pets' individual requirements," Dr Budd said. "Rather than focusing on one particular brand, quality ingredients to give your pet the nutrients it needs should be the key factor when deciding on your pet food."