How Much Does It Cost To Have A Pet

Introduction

You’re ready to add a furry friend to your household, but you’re wondering just how much does it cost to have a pet? The answer depends on the animal, of course. But the price tag goes beyond their initial purchase or adoption fee. You’ll also want to budget for food, toys and other supplies — plus preventative or emergency vet bills. Here’s what you need to know about the costs of owning a pet so you can make an informed decision before bringing home your new companion.

Initial Fees

Adoption fee: If you decide to adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue, there may be an adoption fee. The shelter or rescue will tell you what the adoption fee is before you make your decision.
Vaccinations: Your pet will need several vaccinations in order to be protected against diseases such as distemper, parvovirus and rabies. The cost of these vaccines can vary depending on where they’re purchased and how old your pet is when they receive them.
Spaying/neutering: Neutering (for male dogs) and spaying (for female dogs) are often done as part of the initial medical care for puppies in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies and health problems later on in life for both dogs and cats. Typical prices range from $50–$300 depending on where you live, how complicated the procedure becomes (such as if there’s cancer involved), etcetera).

Food

The most important cost you’ll have to consider is food. Pet food costs can vary widely depending on the type of pet you have, but for most owners, it’s the biggest expense. This can be startling if you haven’t had pets before—you may think that feeding your pet will only cost a few dollars a day or week. However, depending on what kind of animal you own and how much they eat each day (many small dogs require less than a cup), this could easily be an annual expenditure in excess of $1000 per year.

To save money on your pet’s food budget, keep track of how much they eat over time and look for ways to buy in bulk at discount retailers like Costco or Sam’s Club (even Amazon sells certain brands). If you’re looking at buying online instead of visiting brick-and-mortar stores, research which brands offer coupons or discounts before making your purchase so that every dollar goes toward getting great deals on high quality products rather than paying full price!

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses are not as high as you might think. That’s because your pet will require a routine of vaccinations and first aid, but these costs should be relatively small. The cost of food and water for a dog or cat averages about $20 per month, while the average monthly spending on toys is only around $5.

Pet Insurances

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Other Costs

Pet supplies:
Pet toys:
Grooming services:
Boarding services: * If you don’t have a yard for your dog to play in, consider boarding them at a kennel when you go on vacations or leave town for an extended period of time. This will cost between $30-$50 per night depending on the facility, but it’s well worth it if you don’t want to worry about whether or not they’re being taken care of properly.
Pet sitters are also quite helpful when you have to travel! This can be done through companies like Rover and DogVacay.com that connect pets with people who are willing to take care of them while their owners are away (sometimes even overnight). Most pet sitters charge around $15-$20 per hour depending on where they live and what type of animal needs attention–but remember that this is often cheaper than having someone else watch your pet while they’re away from home!

Having a pet is expensive.

Having a pet is expensive. The average dog owner spends about $1,500 on their furry friend each year, and that doesn’t include the cost of food and veterinary care. If you’re planning on adopting a new kitty or puppy, it’s important to know just how much you can expect to spend on that critter.

We’ll go over some of the most common expenses associated with having a pet below:

Conclusion

In short, owning a pet is a lot like raising a child. You have to make sure your pet stays healthy and happy, which takes care and commitment. That also means it’s expensive! The good news is that with proper planning and budgeting, you can provide everything your pet needs for less than $1,000 per year. If you want to do things on the cheap side (no pets allowed in apartments), then try one of these alternatives: Guinea Pig or Hamster Cage