Your pets may feel like family, but can you claim them as dependents on your tax return?

One New York woman is even hoping to change tax law. Amanda Reynolds filed a lawsuit last year against the IRS, because she wants her dog to be recognized as a dependent.

The suit argues that dogs should be recognized as “quasi-citizens entitled to limited civil recognition, including dependency status for tax purposes (1).”

Defining a dependent

Reynolds’s lawsuit states that her dog, Finnegan Mary Reynolds, is “entirely dependent” on her for survival, USA Today reported. The lawsuit details the expenses Reynolds incurs caring for Finnegan — totaling about $5,000 a year — including boarding, daycare, transportation, veterinary services, grooming, food and housing.

“For all intents and purposes, Finnegan is like a daughter, and is definitely a ‘dependent,’” USA reported the lawsuit said.

The suit claims that Reynolds’ dog satisfies the Internal Revenue Code’s definition of a dependent under section 152, other than not being a human (2).

The two kinds of dependents that you can claim on your tax return are a qualifying child and a qualifying relative.

A qualifying child must be your relative (child, stepchild, foster child, sibling or descendant), be under 19 (or under 24 if they’re a full-time student, or any age if they are permanently and totally disabled), live with you for more than half the year, and must not provide more than half of their own financial support (3).

A qualifying relative must be related to you or be a person who lives with you for the entire year. They must get more than half of their financial support from you, and they must earn below a certain threshold (3).

A report from Forbes notes that “the statute specifically uses the term ‘individual’ which courts and the IRS have consistently interpreted to mean human beings (2).”

If you’re able to claim dependents when you file your taxes, it can mean you qualify for tax credits and deductions, such as the Child Tax Credit, the Credit for Other Dependents and the Earned Income Tax Credit (2). Forbes notes that “Dependents may also qualify for a favorable head-of-household filing status, which offers lower tax rates and a higher standard deduction.”

Although you may be able to make some deductions for animals, such as medical deductions for service animals, or animals used for business, such as guard dogs, typical pet costs are considered personal expenses and aren’t deductible (2).

But expenses for pets can come with a big price tag, regardless of whether they’re companion animals or not. According to the American Kennel Club, the average annual costs for dogs, for things including food, grooming, vet check ups and pet-sitting fees, totals $2,500 (4). The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that annual costs for cat owners run $310 for food and $253 for vet bills, on average (5).