Our kids have been begging for a dog! We already have 2 kitties. And we’ve killed multiple fish over the years. Living in our small condo, (We Love Our Small Home) there’s only so much room for more pets and no easy doggie door to let them run outside to potty, someone has to take them for a walk. So we sat down and went over the real cost of a pet with the kids.
The First Cost of a Pet: Getting One
The first step, of course, is acquiring a pet.
You could go to a pet store and pay top-price for a purebred or custom mixed puppy. (Please don’t encourage the puppy mill mass breading of pet stores, know how they get their pets before you buy).
Or find a private breeder and pay even higher prices, but at least see how your puppy was raised.
Maybe, you have a friend whose pet had babies. That is an excellent way to know exactly where your new baby came from and hopefully keep the costs down.
We got both of our kitties from the Humane Society.
They come pre-neutered, micro-chipped, and with a clean bill of health! If they develop any health issues within the first month of having them, the humane society has their vets on staff to get them back up and running for free! (One of our kitties had tummy issues the first week we got her. The humane society vet had her good as new, for free. Very helpful for a nervous new kitty mommy.)
Sometimes, the humane society runs free or discounted adoption specials, when they get too crowded.
These are pets who need a loving home before the humane society has to make a very hard decision in order to make more room. The humane society does its best to care for these babies when no one else will.
So even if the adoption is full price, which is still much lower than a pet store or breeder, I feel good knowing that the fee is going towards caring for the animals, instead of a pet store’s profits.
All Their Stuff
“Oh, let’s get a small pet that won’t take up much room. Like a $10 guinea pig!” I said to my mom when I was 10. “I can even buy it myself!”
Sure, my ten-year-old self bought the $10 guinea pig proudly, but then my mom was dragged through the store by the pet store employee. Purchasing a cage, food, bedding, toys, and whatever else, my $10 guinea pig had almost $100 with of “stuff” before we even brought him home!
(This is a great example of Teaching Kids About Money)
Like any other member of the family, pets require “stuff.”
Indoor cats need a little box, a scooper, and a constant supply of clean litter and food.
Dogs need leashes, collars, balls, treats, and lots of food.
Even small pets, like hamsters and fish, need cages, bedding, toys, and food.
No matter what type of pet you bring home, they will need “stuff.” So make sure to account for the costs of all that stuff before buying a pet.
Many pet parents spend more on spoiling their pet with goodies each month than they do on themselves! Can you say doggie pajamas?!?
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Vet Bills
No one wants to think of their new fur baby getting sick, but it happens.
Pets get sick. They get hurt. And even harder to handle, they get old. And as their pet parents, you are in charge of making sure they get the medical care they need, and that’s not always cheap.
My dog in college managed to get a foot infection because grass seeds got stuck in his toes. Our kitty got stomach upset because grandma was giving her too much tuna. (Grandmas don’t just load up kids with treats to the point of puking, furry grandbabies are fair game to spoil too.) My friend’s dog got his stomach twisted and needed surgery.
Random things happen to pets, and vet bills can get big, really fast. Just like human medical bills. (Hacks to Reduce Medical Bills)
One option is to get pet insurance. Just like human insurance, you pay a little bit every month to help cover the costs of expensive surgery.
Pet insurance is good if you have an older pet who may need extra care as they get on in years. It can also help a lot if you have a specialized breed that is known for having health issues. (Research your pet’s potential for health issues.)
If you have a younger pet that is mostly kept inside, they usually just need basic checkups, vaccines, and the occasional upset tummy visit.
This is the case for our kitties.
So for now, we just make vet care part of our Expected Expenses. We put away a little money each month so that when the time comes to visit the vet, we can pay cash. Because no one wants to worry about money when your pet’s health is in jeopardy.
Time and Energy
Sure, a fish is often fine to just get fed a few times a day and swim around her bowl. Maybe clean out the tank every few months.
But most pets require quite a bit more time and energy.
Dogs need to go potty outside, take walks, play, and just need general attention.
Cats, as independent as they may be, still need cuddles, playtime, and a consistent feeding schedule. (They will certainly let you know if you’re late with breakfast!)
Smaller pets need attention, exercise, and constantly cleaned cages.
When deciding to get a pet, it’s important to consider the time and energy required to keep that pet happy and healthy.
Busy families who are hardly ever home, probably shouldn’t get a high-energy dog who needs to run around on a daily basis. It’s just not fair to the doggie to be stuck at home all day. And he will definitely get himself into trouble making both him and his hoomans upset.
But that high-energy dog might be perfect for an avid hiker who can get that doggo outside on a daily basis, running in nature. They’d be perfect buddies!
When looking for a pet, make sure to really examine your lifestyle and see what type of animal can easily join in the mix for a happy life together.
Location
My mom has horses. In order to have these horses, she also needs to have a few acres of property for them to run around. She lives in rural Oregon.
We live in Honolulu, HI. In the middle of one of the most expensive cities in the US. No way can we afford to own acres, therefore, horses are not a great choice of pet for us. Obviously.
Where you live and how often you like to travel are huge deciding factors when it comes to getting pets.
As much as our kids want a dog, they have also just reached an age where we want to get out and travel more.
With our 2 kitties, grandma lives nearby and can easily come over for free and have a staycation at our condo or we can bring the kitties to her house for a few weeks without a problem.
But with a dog, grandma would not be able to physically handle taking the dog out for walks or playing on a daily basis. If we were to travel, we would need to bring them with us (not an easy task flying on and off-island each time), take the doggie to a care facility, or get a pet sitter.
These options add a lot more work and cost to our potential travels than the current cats we have now.
So we have to decide where our priorities lie and figure out what makes the most sense for our family at this point in time.
Wrap-Up
For now, we have put the kids off until our son is as tall as my chin. Me being 5’9’’, it should take him at least another year or so. By then, he will be almost 12 and taller than most of the people in our community allowing me to feel more confident he can safely take the dog for walks around the neighborhood by himself.
Welcoming a pet (or another pet) into your household is a big decision. They need to meld into your lifestyle, finances, home, and with other furry family members.
Taking in a fur baby is a long-term commitment to love and care for another life. Make sure to weigh all the possibilities and be prepared for both the joy and hardships it can cause. But if you treat your new pet right, you’ll probably be smothered in more love than you can handle.
What do you think? How did you prepare for a pet? Are there any expenses I missed? Leave a comment below and join the conversation.