How much does a pet cost?

What can be frustrating for those of us involved in animal welfare is the lack of preparation and planning by some potential animal owners, and their failure to understand what they are committing to financially when they decide to get a pet.

This is particularly true (and irritating) when we see clients who have spent hundreds (or even thousands) of pounds on a pedigree animal, and who then expect an animal charity to fund the cost of neutering and vaccinating their pet. They often can’t afford good quality food, or are unwilling or unable to pay for the preventative healthcare their pet needs for a healthy, happy life. This means the poor animal is condemned to a life of substandard care, just because their owners haven’t thought ahead.

Surely, one of the considerations of a potential owner should be whether they can afford the ongoing costs of whatever animal they have chosen? If you can’t afford to keep an animal well, is it fair to own that animal or breed at all?

Let’s first address the cost of buying a pet. This can range from the moggie or puppy which is free to a good home, to French Bulldog puppies which are might reach £2000–£2500.

Some charity and rescue centres will charge several hundred pounds for a puppy or kitten. Often these are vaccinated and neutered already, which is a bargain (along with giving a rescue animal a happy forever-home), but please make sure that this is a genuine rescue charity, not someone disreputable selling poorly-bred puppies to people who feel sorry for them. There are some wonderful charities out there, but make sure you know that the charity you deal with is authentic.

You should also realise that spending a lot of money on a puppy or kitten does not guarantee that it’ll be healthy. Unfortunately, many pedigree animals have inherited defects, e.g. the breathing problems which are endemic to Pugs. This is also true in cats, with cystic kidney disease in Persians or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Maine Coons and British Short Hairs. Find out about inherited disease and whether there are any screening tests to prevent them in the breed you are interested in. Do not assume that just because a pet is pure-bred, it is not going to have any problems.

This is relevant to costs as if your pet has a chronic medical condition, you will need to factor in paying for the treatment they require. If your pet has what is called a pre-existing condition i.e. a problem which is present before you take out insurance, the insurance company will exclude and not pay for it.

When you get a new pet, please make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible to ensure your new arrival is checked for conditions which would cause a problem later in life.

However, the purchase cost of any animal is generally a fraction of the ongoing cost of owning them.

So what costs should you factor in before you get a new pet? I would consider:

Food costs obviously depend on the size of your pet and the type of food you decide to feed. For cats, feeding a good quality dry food such as Hills works out at 50–60p/day or £15/month. This is much better value than feeding a poorer quality pouched food, which can easily work out at more than £1/day or £30/month.

The cost for dogs can vary hugely depending on the size and appetite of the dog. Royal Canin dry food for a small Yorkshire Terrier can cost just 30–40p/day or £12/month. Hills dry food for a 30kg labrador works out at about £1.22/day or £37 a month, whereas, if you fed tins of food to the same dog, it could cost £7.50/day or an astonishing £225/month! The larger the dog, the more it costs to feed, meaning Dogue de Bordeaux, St Bernards and other giant breeds can be extremely expensive to own.

Rabbits require both a small amount of pelleted food (costing approximately 30p/day) and hay (costing approximately 50p/day) a total cost of 80p/day or £24 a month, meaning that rabbits are not a cheap pet!

There is a big difference between good quality and poor quality food. It will be a little more expensive to feed a good food, but in terms of brain and joint development in young animals, coat condition and general health, it is well worth it.

As far as bowls, beds, leads, collars, cages etc, you should be able to get everything you need for under £100; under £50 if you do not need a cage or house crate for your pet. However many people will spend a lot more than this and that’s your choice; you can get cheap, functional well-made equipment or beautiful and expensive accessories; that’s your choice.

So, as well as food and care items, what does your pet need to have? Preventative healthcare is important for all of our pets. This includes worming, flea treatment and vaccinations.

Vaccination boosters are needed annually and cost approximately £55 for a dog, £65 for a cat and up to £65 for rabbits (rabbits need several different vaccines, at least one of which should be given every six months).

Worming in adult cats and dogs should be every 3 months, (monthly in puppies and kittens from 3–6 months) and costs between £4 and £25 depending on the size of your pet. Flea treatment with an effective and safe product works out at between £8 and £20 per month, depending on the size of your pet.

Many vets have a preventative healthcare plan which you can join to pay for these vaccinations, wormers and flea treatment. Depending on the size of your pet, this costs £10–25 per month and is a great way to budget for such regular treatment.

The cost of your pet being ill can vary hugely. I would estimate that it costs between £70 and £90 for initial treatment for most conditions, with addition consultations and treatment costing up to £50 a time. Blood tests are often £150–200 and X rays, because they require sedation/anaesthetic can cause £250–400.

Insurance is an ideal way to budget for these unpredictable costs and make them affordable. Look for an insurance policy which gives you lifetime cover. This means that every year, your pet will have a refreshing level of insurance cover (this may be £4000, £7000 or £12,000 depending on the level of your cover). Your policy will not add any exclusions during the life of your pet, meaning that you will be covered even for chronic conditions.

A lifetime policy for cats is likely to be between £10 and £35/month depending on age and breed of the cat. For dogs, the amount can vary a lot, but £12-£50/month would cover most dogs.

The most important question to answer (and preferably before you take any animal home) is can you afford to look after this pet properly. I hope the answer is yes. If you want some advice, most vets and nurses will be happy to talk to you before you get a pet to discuss the suitability; in fact some of us would love to do so and try to prevent a mismatch of your expectations and what your pet needs.

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