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The Cost of PetsThe amount of money that a pet will cost once it has been purchased is rarely considered when most people see a cute puppy or kitten. Those that take the time to calculate what it will cost to take care of a pet may consider the cost of food and assume they have an accurate idea of what the yearly cost will be. Some people might take it a step further and calculate in a few hundred dollars for shots and supplies to come to what they believe is a good estimate of the yearly cost of a pet. The truth is, knowing the true cost of a pet may surprise you.
No matter what your feeling is toward pets, it is important to fully understand the financial costs you will incur if you decide to adopt a dog or cat. This is essential because they will likely cost you a lot more than you initially assumed and you have to account for these costs in your budget. If more people took the time to calculate the true cost, there probably wouldn't be near the problem there is with abandoned pets due to economic circumstances.
The cost of a dog ranges between $4,000 and $39,000 during the dog's life depending on a number of factors: Purchase price, food, vaccines, vet bills, spay/neuter, bed, treats, chew bones, bowls, collars, leash, training, fence, vitamins, flea control, heartworm, shampoo, grooming, grooming tools, dental care, stain cleaner, waste disposal, training aids, deworming, boarding, crate and car restraint. A lot of the cost depends on where you live with cities being much more expensive to own a dog than people that live in the suburbs or in the country. The size and breed of the dog also has a big impact for food consumption and estimated vet bills. Even if you eliminate the cost of many of the items listed and just give your dog the basics, you're looking at about $300 a year in expenses. Of course, none of this calculates in the cost of the things that you dog damages and needs replacing or the devaluation of items like a car due to a dog.
While you might assume that the cost of a cat would be a bit less expensive to own per year, this is only true on the high end of the chart. The lifetime cost of a cat is estimated at between $4,000 and $18,000. You still are going to pay a minimum of $300 a year for the very basics if you keep a cat when you consider food, cat litter, flea control, vet bills and other small incidentals. Again, this fails to take into account damage that the cat may cost due to scratching and staining and the cost of replacing or the items devaluation which can make their cost a lot more.
As with all purchases, you need to take the time to realize the full cost of adding a dog or cat to your family and make sure you have the budget to cover their expected expenses. This site will show you how to reduce some of the typical expenses that are associated with pets by showing you how to get discounts on the services or give alternatives that cost less. By taking a proactive view of keeping your pet healthy while spending money on only those things your pet really needs, you can find that while it will never be free to own a pet, you can save a lot over what you have been paying in the past.
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