pet costs: August 2009 Archives

This recent MSN Money column by Donna Freedman has drawn a firestorm of comments.

From the piece:

How much is that doggy in the window?

At least $8,000 over his lifetime -- and that's just for basic expenses. Fido costs a lot more if he gets sick, chews up your work boots or ruins the rug. Cats are even pricier. It costs about $10,415 to be ignored until you run a can opener.

In short, if you can't find at least an extra $800 to $3,000 in your budget every year, don't get a pet. If you get laid off, start looking for foster care for your pets until times are better -- and if the job market is particularly bleak, you may have to give them away outright.

Check out the column at the link and tell us what you think.

And here's a link with the column on how to save "big" on pet care. Among the suggestions:

• Take care of some pet needs yourself -- brush your pet's teeth regularly, trim their claws, learn how to do basic grooming.
• Ask your vet whether annual vaccinations are necessary (my vet, I know, would still advise titers to check blood levels; cost is about the same).
• Shop around for medications
• Forgo pet "fashion." "Clothes and fancy bags are a completely unnecessary expense," says Jennifer Fearing, director of economic research at the Humane Society of the United States.
• Avoid emergency clinics when possible.
• Think twice before adding pets.
• But don't buy the cheapest food -- higher-quality food will keep your pet healthier.
• And, of course, spay or neuter your pet.

Previous South Bay Pets posts on pet costs.