I'm struggling to afford my dogs :(

[Ogoyt]

They're all over 5 and we're adopted as pups when I was in a much better situation.

Things are generally worse now but everything going up in price is killing me in general.

I've already swapped their food from raw food to dry (that I add dog broth to and fish occasionally)

My insurance for them all is 90 a month.

Im going to have to cancel it. I just can't afford it anymore.

I will NEVER rehome them. So don't suggest that.

Just a sad little rant

@magimedi That is definitely one of the most unhelpful replies that I have seen on mumsnet.

OP, could you contact a food bank? Sometimes they give out animal food to owners who are struggling.

They need a specific food because of their allergies. Well, 2 of them.

Are the two with allergies allergic to the same stuff? Or could you feed different foods?

Rant away, OP.
I cancelled my dog's insurance years ago as it was getting to £100 each month. She is now at an age where I would not put her through anything invasive or major anyway.
It is worth calling your provider up anyway and seeing if they can reduce it in any way. They tend to hate customers leaving.

No harm in asking whether they have anything appropriate.

www.rspca.org.uk/costofliving/foodbank

Blue Cross also have pet food banks, and there are independent ones popping up too.

Well I'm sure this made the OP feel a lot better 🙄

What are they allergic to? Do they need certain biscuits/wet food?

They're on Barking heads fish.

It's the only dry food they've not had a reaction to.

Do better.

Unless they are working children they are a luxury too.

Ouch, that is expensive. How long does it last you?

Have you considered contacting the Cinnamon Trust - they will have local volunteers who can walk your dogs for free?

Don’t cancel insurance. You’ll kick yourself when one of them needs vetinary care and in all likelihood it’ll be a matter of when and not if

4 dogs that you can't walk and are struggling to feed means you have to think about rehoming.

You are not the only person who could love them.

£90 per month for insurance sounds a lot! Will you be able to afford them if you cancel the insurance? If you were struggling to pay for vet bills, would you be entitled to help from PDSA?

I would see if the insurance company can reduce the cost by increasing the excess before cancelling . Our very fit 12 yo patterdale x was suddenly taken ill on New Years Day and so far this month the bill is approaching £1200 and we still haven’t got a definitive diagnosis .

Have some compassion

Did you miss where PP said they were the joy of her life and keep her spirits up?

It's 30 per dog which is standard, even cheap these says

OP I cook my JRT brown rice and with either carrots or a lump of frozen spinach or whatever vegetables I have really (not onion or ones that dogs shouldn’t eat obvs).

It’s a bit cumbersome, but I’m sure I save loads of money, he gets 25g of rice, and 1/2 a tin of butchers tinned meat. (I know not many people like it, but my dog does!)

My old dog used to get ‘dog mince’ from the actual butcher, £1 for 500g, which I used to cook up and it lasted about 4/5 days but our local ones don’t do it. It’s deffo worth asking if yours do as whist it’s not as swanky as the raw dog food places, it’s much cheaper and pretty much the same stuff. Just all the ends minced up together.

The downside is that he doesn’t really like dry food now, and whenever I feed him it if I haven’t managed to cook for whatever reason he gives me a look of pure horror and takes about 12 hours to eat it very begrudgingly!

I don’t insure my dogs. Insurance is affordable for the first few years then it gets higher and higher. Loads of stuff isn’t covered. And if you do manage to make a claim there’s an excess, then they bump your premium up immediately so you can’t continue to afford the insurance. You pretty much get one claim then it becomes unaffordable. I have a credit card with a £5k limit, that’s my insurance!

Fair. Have you suggested rehoming the kids?

Please do not cancel their insurance, if they get sick they will need treatment and that's probably one of the most expensive aspects of owning a pet responsibly! Cancelling it will mean short term financial improvement but longer term heartache when you cannot have them treated.

In terms of help, can you reach out to PDSA or local charities to see if you can get assistance with food/bedding etc?

I appreciate you are saying don't suggest rehoming them, however, it is kinder to them than cancelling pet insurance which ensure they can access treatment if they need it.

Please try reach out to charities/ friends/ family. It's not ideal but supermarkets do budget range food such as Aldi/Lidl or there are places online or wholesale where you can buy in bulk and therefore try make it more cost effective.

Barking heads are on Amazon’s subscribe and save which will cut some £ off the cost which may help.

I don’t have any suggestions to add, but I understand what you’re saying in terms of expenses. We only have one dog and it’s definitely become more expensive to look after him the way we want to.