Can You Really Afford Your Dog?
Dogs are known to lower stress and teach families lessons in responsibility — but dog ownership demands fiscal responsibility, too. Many people don’t realize this until it’s too late, and an emergency vet bill comes up or you’re rebalancing your budget to afford the medications or food your dog specifically needs.
With that in mind, it might be helpful to know that the first year of dog ownership will cost anywhere from $1,314 for smaller dogs up to $1,843 for the largest breeds, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. That includes one-time expenses such as spaying, neutering, training, initial medical fees and a crate.
After the first year, ASPCA figures a dog’s annual cost at anywhere from $580 for smaller dogs to $875 for big breeds, which gobble more food. Other sites figure the yearly average at $2,858 factoring in pet sitting ($25 per night), dog training ($40 per hour), teeth cleaning (at least $400) and emergency vet bills (from zero to more than $3,000).
Now, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get a pet dog. In fact, we’re suggesting the opposite. We believe that responsible pet ownership stems from being an informed owner. Now that you know the average costs of owning a dog, it’s up to you to decide if adopting or purchasing a pet dog is right for you and your family.
And, even with the best intentions, there’s always the possibility that you’ll be faced with an unexpected vet bill. Fortunately, if this happens, you can turn to one online site, NetBet, to play some online slots and win some money to build up your funds. You don’t even have to wait until you’re faced with an unexpected bill to do this. You can build your savings by playing this simple game. Not only will you be ready for whatever comes in the future—you’ll be building your funds.
An alternate avenue that you may want to consider is pet health insurance; this will cover all the unforeseen costs that may occur. Some of the plans even include the spaying, vaccinations and prevention treatments. The latter of these would see you covered from spending money on heartworm medications; of course, essential for all dogs.
Insurance isn’t as expensive as it should be, with a typical package costing between $200-$300 per year. It could be a massive life saver as it could save you a fortune in the long term.
Every dog needs a loving companion, but it is also imperative that they are cared for and looked after in the way that all dogs should be. Owners should be realistic about their financial situation before taking that final jump and picking up your dog. The last thing any responsible dog owner wants is to resent their dog because of changes in their money. There is no doubting however that with a correct plan for your lifestyle you will receive a lifetime of happiness from …