I love pets. I also love clean paperwork. Strange combo, I know. This year, while filing in 2025, I tested which pet costs the IRS actually lets you use. I used TurboTax, H&R Block Online, and FreeTaxUSA. I kept receipts. I asked a lot of dumb questions. And yes, there was cat hair on my keyboard the whole time.
(By the way, if you want the expanded play-by-play of this little experiment, you can read the full diary-style breakdown right here.)
Here’s the thing: most pet costs don’t count. But a few do. And those few added up for me.
My real setup (so you know I’m not guessing)
- I have a trained service dog named Finn. He helps with panic disorder. I have a letter from my doctor and training records.
- I foster kittens for a local 501(c)(3) rescue. They don’t reimburse me for food or litter. I do the driving to vet visits. (I’ve also used the “No More Homeless Pets” community clinic for check-ups—my candid review of that low-cost option is here.)
- I run a tiny home bakery as a side gig. I thought about calling our big mutt a “guard dog.” Spoiler: I didn’t claim it. It didn’t fit the rules.
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You know what? I went in hopeful. But I also went in ready to delete things if they felt shaky.
What I actually claimed (and why it worked)
1) Service dog costs as medical expenses (Schedule A)
Finn isn’t a pet to the IRS. He’s a medical need. That matters. Under the IRS rules for medical and dental expenses, which you can skim in Publication 502, costs for a qualified service animal fall right in line.
- My 2024 medical costs that tied to Finn: about $2,480. That was food, vet checks related to service work, flea meds, special harness, and small training refreshers.
- I also had therapy bills ($3,200) and meds ($900). So my full medical total was $6,580.
Now the tricky part. Only the amount over 7.5% of your AGI counts on Schedule A. My AGI was $62,000. Seven and a half percent is $4,650. So I could count $1,930 of my medical costs.
Was it thrilling math? Not really. But it still helped.
The software steps felt clear:
- TurboTax asked if any animals helped with a medical condition. It wanted a doctor’s note. I had that.
- H&R Block did the same. It warned me about the 7.5% rule right away.
- FreeTaxUSA didn’t have a fancy guide, but it let me enter the numbers cleanly.
2) Foster pet costs as charitable donations (Schedule A)
This one surprised me the first time I learned it. If you foster for a real charity that’s a 501(c)(3), and they don’t pay you back, your out-of-pocket costs can count as a donation. The nitty-gritty lives in Publication 526, but the short version is you can deduct unreimbursed expenses as charitable contributions.
My 2024 foster costs:
- Food: $720
- Litter and liners: $250
- Meds and tiny syringes: $95
- Laundry and cleaners: $50
- Driving to the vet and events: 180 miles at 14 cents per mile = $25.20
Total: $1,140.20. I kept all the receipts in one folder and a silly little mileage log in Google Sheets.
The tools handled this in slightly different ways:
- H&R Block Online had a neat “volunteer expenses” path. It even did the 14¢ per mile math.
- TurboTax asked for the group’s name and EIN. It also asked for written proof for anything $250 or more. I had emails from the rescue saying I was not reimbursed.
- FreeTaxUSA let me list it under charitable gifts with a note. Simple, but no hand-holding.
I was glad I emailed the rescue for their EIN early. That saved me from digging at midnight.
What didn’t work (and why I dropped it)
- Guard dog for my home bakery: I wanted it to work. But the dog stays with me at home. My “shop” is my kitchen. He’s not posted at a separate business space. He’s not trained for security. That’s a no for Schedule C. I took it out.
- Adoption fees for my new cat: I tried. It’s not a donation to me; it’s a fee. No go.
- Regular pet stuff: grooming, toys, food for non-service pets—nope. (Even the cozy cave bed my dog tested—results here—doesn’t move the IRS needle.)
Honestly, I felt better after cutting those. If it feels like a stretch, it probably is.
Did itemizing beat the standard deduction?
I file single. For 2024, the standard deduction was $14,600. My itemized total won by a hair.
- State and local taxes: $5,000
- Mortgage interest: $6,700
- Charity (foster costs): $1,140
- Allowed medical (the part over 7.5%): $1,930
Total itemized: $14,770. That beat $14,600 by $170. Not huge. But a win is a win.
Software quirks I noticed while filing
- TurboTax: Best at walking me through service animal rules. It kept me honest with gentle nudges about proof.
- H&R Block Online: Best for volunteer/foster mileage. It asked the right questions and felt calm.
- FreeTaxUSA: Cheapest and fast. You just need to know where things go. Fewer prompts, more manual feel.
They all e-filed fine. I filed with H&R Block in the end because the foster flow felt smoother. Personal taste.
What I kept as proof (and you probably should too)
- Doctor’s letter that says I need a service animal.
- Training records for Finn.
- Every foster receipt. Even the $4 bottle brush.
- Email from the rescue with their EIN and a “no reimbursement” note.
- A simple mileage log with dates, where I went, and why.
Sticky note tip: I wrote “FOSTER” on each store receipt. Sounds silly. Saved me time later.
Quick hits: what counts vs. what doesn’t
What usually counts:
- Service animal costs tied to your condition
- Unreimbursed foster costs for a real 501(c)(3)
- Charity driving at 14¢ per mile
What usually doesn’t:
- Regular pet costs
- Adoption fees
- “Guard dog” claims that are really just a house pet
If you run a real shop with a trained guard dog who stays on site, that can be different. That just wasn’t me.
My verdict: Worth it, but narrow
Pet tax deductions in 2025 aren’t magic. They’re narrow, but real. My service dog costs helped once I crossed the 7.5% medical line. My foster costs counted as charity and actually pushed me past the standard deduction.
Would I do it again? Yes. I’ll keep fostering. I’ll keep the folder. And I’ll keep my claims clean. If you’re unsure, ask a tax pro. A 15-minute chat can save you a headache. For a quick, plain-English breakdown of common pet-care expenses and how they line up with current IRS rules, check out the guide at PetCareServices.org.
One last thing. I know money is tight for a lot of folks. If you’re caring for animals and doing good work, it’s nice when the tax rules see that. Even a little. It felt good to have that noticed, on paper and in real life.