Britons are increasingly finding that their beloved pets are biting the hand that feeds them.
The BBC notes that many people are losing money through caring for their furry friends, as cats and dogs use their paper notes as play things before chewing them up.
New figures from the Bank of England have revealed that it received 4,916 claims for a total of £113,000 in 2008, from owners who had seen their hard-earned cash being gobbled up by a hungry critter.
This was an increase of 23 per cent on the previous year's figures.
But pets were not the only ones at fault, with many more bank notes being ruined after being put through the washing machine or even burned in oven.
When they're not enjoying a costly snack, animals can also prove a financial drain on their owners' wallets should they need medical treatment.
It could therefore be said that Britons would be wise to take out
pet insurance.
And while some animals have been stealing money as a quick snack, the Observer reports that 200 domestic cats are to be fitted with electronic tags to monitor how much of the wildlife death toll they are responsible for.
Pet insurance from
InsureandGo is one way for loving owners to make sure their pet can be treated swiftly should they become unwell.
