Even during this tough financial time, animal shelters are still searching diligently for people who are ready and able to foster or adopt animals. It may even help that some people are now living more in isolation due to the coronavirus. These men and women are looking for companionship during this difficult time.
Even during tough economic times, the pet and pet care industry is quite resilient. However, you may be wondering just how much it would cost to take care of a pet at the moment. What will you have to spend over the years if you buy or adopt a dog? Let’s look at the following stories and figures.
One woman was surprised when she was interviewed about her dog. Before the pandemic hit and her pet care services stopped, she realized she was spending around $600 a month just on her dog. That included $400 for a month of dog walking, $100 for grooming needs, and another $100 for pet food and treats.
While that figure may be on the high side, the average dog owner can spend around $100 every month on their four-legged friend. Pet food, grooming costs, joint pills, and cute outfits can quickly drain the budget of a dog owner. For many, these costs don’t even include the cost of medical care. For example, one dog lover ended up shelling out an astounding $20,000 to treat the cancer diagnosis her dog was given.
The American Pet Products Association found that around 67% of all households in the United States have at least one animal. In 2019, Americans spent a collective $75 billion on their pets. One issue is medical and dental care. A way to save money in this area is to make sure you always have pet insurance for your animal in the event of an emergency. If you don’t have it, medical bills can cost thousands, if not more, over the course of even a couple of years. No matter how you look at the issue, owning a pet will always be a huge financial investment.
Many pet owners can afford to lavish treats and attention on their pets. As an example, you may have heard about Trouble the Maltese dog. After her owner died, she was said to inherit $12 million. Another dog owner, Chuck Blazer, rented an apartment in Trump Tower just for his cat to live in. The cost? $6,000 a month.
Of course, most pet owners simply can’t afford such outrageous costs. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t spending large amounts on their pets. A new trend is the purchase of different smart home pet products, such as pet monitors that watch your dog or cat while you are away or treat dispensers that are Wi-Fi enabled. There is always something fun and exciting your pet will love to use on the market. If a pet is in your future, make sure you carefully research everything they will need. You don’t want to get caught low on money when they have an emergency.
