As veterinary costs skyrocket, pet owners need more affordable means to provide emergency health care for their pets.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than being forced to put down a pet that could have been saved, simply because you couldn't afford the veterinary bill.

The pet insurance industry has been growing rapidly in recent years, sort of like a tag-along little brother to the enormous human insurance business. But it makes sense: As people become more and more overwhelmed with health care costs for themselves, there is less and less left in their own budgets to cover Fido's and Fluffy's needs.

At the same time, as more people are discovering the rewards of pet ownership and the personal and family enrichment it provides, there are more animal adoptions than ever. Sadly, the cost of health care for pets has already reached unaffordable levels for many owners, and insurance is quickly becoming another necessity in the average household budget.

This is where an affordable insurance policy can come to the rescue... literally... for many pets. Where veterinary costs can be prohibitive for some owners, and for some situations, more pets can be saved than in the past, when costs dictated that your precious cat or dog be put down.