Pet care is expensive and that is something you should take into consideration before bringing home a new pet. Do your research and decide if owning a pet is something you can fit into your budget.

According to the ASPCA, the average annual cost of owning a dog is $1,391 and $1,149 for a cat. Costs include veterinary care, food and treats, toys, supplies, health insurance, kennel and boarding care, grooming, and more. An initial vet visit can cost $300.00 or more and spaying and neutering can cost between $150.00-$300.00. If your pet has medical problems the costs can rise significantly.

If you are thinking about bringing a pet into your home, consider adopting from a shelter or the Humane Society. There are so many pets that need a loving home. Often when you adopt from a shelter the pet has already had their initial vaccinations and other medical care and many have already been spayed or neutered.

Here are some tips on how you can reduce the costs of pet ownership.

Spay and Neuter

According to the ASPCA, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized annually (1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats) and an estimated 70 million dogs and cats are homeless. Making sure your pet cannot reproduce cuts down on the number of unwanted and euthanized animals. Dogs and cats can have many litters of puppies and kittens over their lifetime and those babies can end up in shelters or worse. Save yourself the trouble, time, and money and get your pet neutered or spayed. It is the responsible thing to do as a pet owner to help reduce the pet population. It is also healthier for your pet because it prevents disease which reduces health care costs. See my article Spaying and Neutering Your Pets.

Interview Several Veterinarians

Medical care can vary widely depending on where you live and the veterinarian you choose. Speak with several local veterinarians to get an idea of basic costs such as vaccinations, checkups, medical tests, emergency care, medications, spaying and neutering and other expenses. Also look for low-cost clinics in your area, check with the Humane Society, ASPCA and other animal advocacy organizations to find out what options are available.

Medical Care

Schedule regular health care visits for your pet, keep them up to date on vaccinations, heart worm testing, dental care, flea and tick treatments and other health care. Preventative care is much less expensive compared to the cost of treating a disease or problem that could have been avoided. Regular exams detect problems early, before they become more serious and more expensive to treat.

Protect Your Pet from Parasites

Flea and tick infestations can cause many medical problems from minor skin irritations to life-threatening blood loss. Talk to your vet about the best products to use and treat them as directed.

Groom Pets at Home

You can avoid grooming fees by grooming your pets at home, they need regular bathing, brushing, nail trimming and tooth brushing.

Choose Quality Pet Food

You might think that buying the lowest cost pet food will save money but it’s better to feed them healthy, quality food. Just like people, animal health is partly determined by the quality of their diet. Many low-cost pet foods contain very unhealthy ingredients that can contribute to health problems which ultimately leads to higher vet care bills.

Treats

We tend to spend a lot of money on treats for our pets but that is not necessary. Choose health treats that are not highly processed. And limit treats to just a few a day. You can also make your own pet treats out of low-cost ingredients like peanut butter, canned pumpkin, bananas, oats, and other pet safe foods. Many fruits and vegetables are safe, and you might be surprised at how much they enjoy them. Search for recipes and pet safe foods online but don’t feed them table scraps which can lead to health problems and obesity.

Toys

If you visit your local pet supply store you will see tons of overpriced pet toys. Pets don’t need expensive toys, most are happy with just simple things to play with, what dog doesn’t love a ball? Cats are happy batting around almost anything that rolls or moves, and they love empty cardboard boxes. Check out local yard sales or consignment shops where you can find discounted toys in great condition.

Regular Exercise

Make sure your pet gets regular exercise which prevents disease and obesity and has many health benefits. Regular activity also prevents behavior problems, pets who have pent up energy and are bored are more likely to misbehave.