Are You Financially Ready For a Pet?

Getting a pet is a joyous time for everybody, but too many people only think about the good times. They think of the cuddles, the silliness, the undisputable loyalty that comes from having a pet. However, in all the excitement, people often forget about the cost of owning a pet. It’s not just buying your cat, dog, rabbit, hamster, or lizard; it’s everything that comes after to make sure it has the very best life you can give it. 

Medical Bills

You hope that your favourite new family member won’t get sick, but it’s something that will happen. Pets get ill, they get hurt, and they will need vaccinations and treatments. 

While your medical bills may be free of charge, this isn’t the case for pets. The yearly cost for a dog’s medical bills is around £180, and that’s just for checkups. Pet insurance is another thing to consider, and the older your pet gets, the more this will cost. 

Depending on how long your pet will live for. You must figure out whether this is sustainable over 10, 15, or even 20 years. 

Pet Food 

Everyone knows they need to keep their pet fed. But it’s often not enough to buy bog-standard food from the supermarket. Some animals require different diets and individual nutritional needs to make sure they grow up happy and healthy. 

This can cost a lot over a year, and you’ll likely spend at least £400 on petty food alone. As well as even more if you’ve got several animals. If this is the case, places such as Time for Paws can help. Especially if you don’t want to feed your pet scraps from your plate every night. 

Exercise and Training

Time is money, and you’ll need to take time to give your pet the exercise it needs to grow into a healthy and athletic animal. As well as wear them out at the end of the day to help them sleep. 

It’s not just exercise, though. Dogs will need training to ensure proper behaviour. Cats, on the other hand, will require a place to explore. While rabbits demand a place to run around in their pen. You must do all you can to provide these for them; otherwise, they’ll become listless and even depressed. 

House Hunting and Travel

If you’re renting, then you may find it challenging to find a place that accepts pets. As well as if they do allow them. You might need to pay a premium to counteract any damages or repairs. 

The same goes for travel. While you might be able to save money on international flights and instead take staycations. You’ll need to find pet-friendly destinations. As well as be prepared for any issues your pet causes when introduced to a new environment. 

A New Member of the Family

A pet can help teach your kids responsibility and bring everybody closer together. But if you want to make sure it lives a full and happy life. You must know the costs involved going into it. The worst thing would be to buy a pet only to realise you can’t afford to keep it. So do your research and budget beforehand.