I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately on the costs of pets. And I am astounded by it! I suppose I should have realized it, as I have also been a pet owner. I got rid of my dog because I didn’t like her personality and was worried when my son was born that she would turn on him. Kids first, pet much later… Well, I looked at an SPCA site that shows the costs. Here’s a summary:
- To keep a medium sized, mixed breed, spayed female dog the yearly cost will be approximately $1,196.00 per year (this does not include emergency medical care, initial vaccinations, obedience classes, the cost of fencing, or bed).
- To keep a spayed female, domestic long haired cat, the yearly costs will be approximately $899.00 (This does not include emergency medical care, initial vaccinations, the cost of an outdoor cat run or bed).
- To keep a domestic rabbit the yearly cost will be approximately $449.00 per year
- To keep a domestic guinea pig the yearly cost will be approximately $420.00
- To keep a domestic hamster/rat/gerbil the yearly cost will be approximately $225.00
None of these include one time costs for things such as vaccinations, collars, cages, feeding bowls, care products (brushes, clippers, etc). And of course any medical costs are not included, as they vary depending on the health of the animal.
A lot of people do not really think about the ongoing costs of a pet. And if you have a pet that does such things as destroy your property by chewing or messing in the house, then these costs only escalate. Also consider the impact that a pet will have on your lifestyle. Pets take care. They do require a lot of time and energy, and while that might be very worth it to some people, not everyone realizes the true commitment it takes in terms of personal time and effort.
If you decide to have a pet, also consider the long term health care costs. If your pet is a larger animal, such as a dog or cat, then the veterinary bills as the animal gets older can be considerable. Put this into your budget! There is pet health insurance available, which in many cases is a good idea (I used to have it for my dog). You could also self insure through a savings plan, such as putting $25 or $50 a month aside into your savings account and have it allocated to pet costs for the future vet bills.
Always plan your budget thoroughly, and remember each cost that you have!
