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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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From vet bills to dog food: Earn points, miles and cash-back rewards on pet expenses
Summer Hull has been covering (and using) travel tips, rewards credit cards and loyalty programs for over a decade. She has flown close to a million miles, often on points and miles and with her family in tow.
Lyndsey Matthews is the managing editor on TPG's points and loyalty programs team. She has 17 years of experience in digital media, predominantly in the travel industry.
also contributed to this story
October 3, 2026 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Pet owners can maximize points, miles and cash back by purchasing pet supplies through online retailers and shopping portals.
Checking targeted card-linked offers and using online portal aggregators can help identify the best opportunities for additional rewards.
Pet store loyalty programs, such as those from major chains, offer points or cash back on purchases, with some requiring paid memberships for enhanced benefits.
Stacking multiple reward opportunities, including portal bonuses and loyalty programs, can significantly increase savings on pet-related expenses.
What to consider
Reward rates and portal offers can change frequently, so it is important to check current deals before making purchases.
Some pet store loyalty programs require a paid membership for higher earning potential, while others offer free entry-level rewards.
Introductory 0% APR offers on certain credit cards may help manage large, unexpected pet expenses, but terms and eligibility vary.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed strategies for stacking rewards and maximizing savings on pet supply purchases, including portal and loyalty program comparisons.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
When maximizing points and miles for your family, there’s no reason to leave the furriest family members out of the fun.
Whether you have a points pup or a first-class feline, there are plenty of ways to turn those monthly orders for food, toys, pet supplies and more into your next vacation. (We’re just not responsible for what your pets may do when they see your suitcase come out — again.)
SLOBODENIUK/GETTY IMAGES
Maximize points, miles and cash back on pet supply purchases
One of the best shopping revolutions of the 21st century is having 40-pound bags of pet food delivered right to our doors, thanks to online shopping (and strong delivery people). Luckily, when you order pet food and other supplies online, you can easily rack up the rewards just as you do with most other online purchases.
Check credit card offers
Lyndsey Matthews, TPG’s managing editor of points and loyalty programs, makes monthly online purchases for her two cats, Chips and Dip. She uses Chewy to get food, litter and treats to her door every few weeks. Since her cats are seniors, she buys prescription food, which can add up quickly.
To maximize her pet-related purchases, she has made it a habit to check her Amex Offers and Chase Offers to see any offers she's been targeted for. Once an offer is added to her card, she can use it to automatically save money or earn bonus points.
The exact pet-related offers come and go, but previous offers TPG staffers have seen include:
Bark: Spend $20 or more, earn $10 back, up to 2 times (total of $20; through Amex Offers)
Chewy: Get $5 cash back when you spend $50 or more, including taxes and after any discounts (through Chase Offers)
Shop through an online portal
On top of this, Lyndsey maximizes her points and miles earnings by heading to a shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor or Savewise to find the online shopping portal that awards the most points, miles or cash back per dollar spent at the places she wants to shop. These rates can and do vary, so check each time, but a few current examples include:
Petco: 6% cash back through TopCashback and 3.4 miles per dollar spent through Rove
Typically, these portals offer 1% to 2% cash back (or 1 to 2 points per dollar spent) at most pet supply stores, but keep an eye out for limited-time offers with much higher rewards. For example, during Black Friday in 2024, Lyndsey spent $47.76 at PetSmart and earned $7.16 cash back through Rakuten during a 15% cash-back deal.
Check the United MileagePlus X app
You can also stack United Airlines miles earnings by purchasing immediate electronic gift cards within the United MileagePlus X app. For example, if you are shopping at Petco and your total is $85.84, you can open up your app and immediately purchase a Petco gift card for that exact amount and earn bonus miles by paying at the register with your new gift card. This also works when paying for an order online.
In addition to Petco, you will often find opportunities to earn bonus miles at pet-friendly shopping destinations such as Walmart and Sam’s Club within the app. Those with a United credit card, such as the United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees), get a 25% bonus on miles earned via the app.
Stack and save directly through pet store loyalty programs
Of course, you can earn extra rewards and savings directly through the loyalty programs of major pet store brands.
Petco, PetSmart and Chewy all have loyalty programs, but Chewy+ requires a paid membership to earn rewards. Here's what kind of rewards you can earn through the free programs (and stay tuned for a longer comparison article including the paid options):
Petco Perks: The free Petco Perks program offers 10 points per dollar spent (or 30 points per dollar spent on Petco brands). Once you earn 5,000 points, you can redeem them for $5 worth of Petco Cash. That's roughly a 1% to 3% return on spend, depending on which products you buy.
PetSmart Treats Rewards: The entry-level member tier offers 10 points per dollar spent, with redemptions starting at 1,000 points for $2. That's a 2% return on spending, though the higher tiers of this program (which you become eligible for once you spend a certain amount per year) offer even better rates.
Stack and save on Amazon
If you order your pet supplies via Amazon, there are a few ways to stack earnings and save money. First, set up an Amazon subscription for discounts on items like dog or cat food and treats. The Prime Visa is also an option that offers 5% back on Amazon purchases.
The information for the Prime Visa has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Unfortunately, emergencies can happen with your pets, and if you don’t have pet insurance, these can create massive vet bills. However, credit cards can play an important role here, as many offer an introductory 0% annual percentage rate on purchases for a period of time after opening.
Nick Ewen, TPG’s editor in chief, utilized this exact strategy with his dog, Winston, who underwent emergency surgery to remove a mass on his spleen a few years ago.
"Winston is a part of our family, so there was no question that we would do everything we could to help him. However, rather than dipping into our savings to cover the expense of the procedure and his recovery (which came close to $5,000), I utilized my then-new Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees), which offers 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months (then a variable APR of 18.49% to 27.99% applies). This allowed me to fit a manageable monthly payment into my budget, and I still earned valuable rewards in the process."
Owning a pet can easily cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year, for everything from vet visits and boarding to supplies and medication. It pays to use the right credit cards for pet costs.
For charges like vet checkups and grooming appointments that fall outside routine credit card bonus categories, a solid everyday credit card is probably your best choice for pet expenses. A few of our suggestions include:
Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 2% cash back on everything (broken down as 1% back when you make a purchase and 1% back when you pay it off).
TPG "pawrents" stack many of these opportunities to turn dog and cat treats into beach retreats. Once your pets help earn all these points and miles, it’s only fair to explore how to take them along on your next vacation.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
