To think having a pet is not affordable these days?

[cadburyegg]

So as not to drip feed, I completely believe that once you have a pet you are 100% responsible. I grew up with pets and had many animals over the years. We don’t have pets anymore but when we had rabbits, one of them had long term health problems and we were often at the vets with her, until she died.

We had insurance, but the cost of that plus yearly vaccinations, vet check ups, other appointments that the insurance didn’t cover - it all added up. So we haven’t had animals since our last bunny died.

I think my DH would quite like a cat but I can’t see us being able to afford to pay out for everything that it would need.

So, AIBU? How do people manage the cost of a pet?

Our dog costa a small fortune - or at least feels like it.
Monthly food £68 and petplan £29,
Insurance is a lot plus excess of £150 each visit (and he has lots)
Passport costs and vets visits in France before return.
Additional hotel costs and Shuttle costs
Daycare and boarding fees
Balls. Lots of balls at £5 a time for ones he doesn’t destroy after first throw.
Car adjustments - guard, bed, non spill water bowl, shades etc.
Crates. Leads. Lifejackets.
I’m thinking it’s like having another child.

I don’t think it’s an odd post - and I don’t think you can compare a car to a dog when a car is an essential for many people.

We have 2 kids and are an average family with an average family income, I guess I just think it’s a shame that pets have become unaffordable for us and other people in similar positions.

We used to pay £60 a month to feed and insure 2 rabbits, when one of them needed a dental op (which was at least every 3 months) that would be an additional £300. Yes we’d have that if we didn’t pay for childcare/the cost of running our cars etc. Just wondered how others afford it

My dog is very cheap. She's a small whippet, food is cheap - she mostly eats our unprocessed left overs and extra kibble. She also has regular insurancw/flea treatment etc. All comes to approx £25 pm..

She is hugely special to us all and I would spend more on her of needed

I had no idea rabbits were that expensive to keep. I’ve had cats (two at a time) for about 18 years. They haven’t needed any vet treatment outside of flea and worm medication and jabs, all PTS due to untreatable issues at the end. Some pets just don’t cost much.

I got my first dog when I left work with a payout to clear all debts so financially my husband and I were doing well and I had the time. Circumstances changed and I had to cancel insurance due to having to severely tighten our belts. We’re no where near as well off financially still but a little better so we pay £12 a month to the vets for flea and tick treatment, discount on any medical treatment, nails clipped and two check ups per year. We changed our dog on to cheap food while we were tight and now that it’s not as bad she’s back to good food. She’s a healthy dog but even then when things get a little better for us we’ll start insurance again or put the money aside which probably works out better financially. We rescued our dog so she’s still better off with us because she was close to being put down because no one wanted a big dog from the pound even if she isn’t insured.

You were unlucky with your rabbit. I have two outdoor rabbits that have never needed the vet (about 5 years old). I have two dogs. I don’t insure them once I realised for one it had gone up to £70/month even though I had never claimed! The one issue I did have would not have been over the excess anyway. I’ve always had pets they’re part of the family.

It’s just a matter of income and priorities. Some people pay for children, holidays, expensive hobbies, gym membership, haircut and colour, takeaways, makeup and nails...some have pets.
Some can pay for all, and a new car. Some select their top priority as a pet.

I find the money, somehow. Same as I find the money for my kids' hobbies etc.

I don't buy new clothes though or have holidays abroad, so there's your answer!

Like PPs have said, you save elsewhere. I don't think my DDog costs that much - £20 insurance and maybe the same for food - plus worming/tick/flea stuff quarterly and vaccinations. I just spend less on myself. What she brings to our family though, the love and enjoyment, is priceless.
I also think you must have been unlucky with your rabbits as that sounds out-of-proportion expensive!

@starzig
Can you explain what you mean by "it always seems to be benefit people who have dogs"???

Pets aren't cheap but if you can afford them, get them, if not, don't.

I have two small dogs and a cat. Their collective insurance is 100 quid a month. One dog has a heart problem needing medication which costs around 20 quid a month on top of Insurance.
Grooming is 50 per month.
Good around 80 per month

Then add in odd bits such as flea and worm treatment etc

Not cheap, but then pets are a luxury

Our cat costs a fair amount, I won't feed him the cheapest rubbish I can buy, I make sure his flea and worm treatment is effective, bought from the very not frontline type which is rubbish (we do now get a private prescription and order from animed which saves a bit), and his insurance is comprehensive and covers his pre-existing heart condition. He costs around £60 a month and that doesn't include incidentals such as grooming brushes, scratching posts, toys, vet trips when he sprains his paw.... We did post for vaccination for life which was a great deal, £100 one off and he gets his vaccinations for free every year and a six monthly check up, he's nine so it's more than paid for itself Good pet ownership isn't cheap especially for older animals, but I'm not sure if should be it's a serious commitment that some people take too lightly already.

We bulk buy litter and food every 3 months, so probably averages out at about £40 per month.

We have two cats, both raised from kittens. They had their kitten injections and boosters, but nothing since as they are indoor cats & don’t go to a cattery etc. When we move, we will get them vaccinated & probs let them out.

Biggest cost was moving them from abroad when we moved back to the UK- probs cost about a grand.

We don’t pay insurance as we have a good chunk of savings and would always find the money if we needed to.

Ours cost us a lot. 2 dogs £380 a month for dog walker (not even every day), insurance, food and flea/worm treatment.
Cats are cheaper, £70 a month but we go away a lot on weekends so pay for someone to come in & change litter and sort food & water.
I assume some people happily leave pets all day or over a weekend but we won’t and that’s where the big cost is for us.

I forgot grooming so on top of that £80 for both dogs every 6 weeks & kennels £28 a night for both dogs. It’s a good job I love them lol

We have two spaniels and two cats. They probably cost us £40 a month in food, and we pay £30 insurance for them all too. I suppose it's a cost we have got used to, and the love and fun they bring to our little family completely outweighs the cost. Our son loves them all, and they all play together great too. I grew up with a house full of animals and I just think it adds so much to your life to have a furry friend or three to snuggle up with :)

They cost the earth. Literally.
Apart from service animals, no one should get a cat or dog as they have a massive carbon footprint. They are an environmentally harmful luxury the planet can not afford.
It might be lovely to have a pet as part of the family and I do get how people love them, but we need to get serious about climate change and make drastic lifestyle changes. Our children's future is in danger.

www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2017/08/02/whats-your-dogs-carbon-pawprint/#27bf028813a6

OP we always had pets growing up, vets bills were a hit bit affordable. Now because pets are all deemed to be insured vets bills are off the scale. Our guinea pig prone to a skin condition is £100 every time. We have a cat who just turned up in our garden and has been with us for years. Luckily no big vets bill yet but if she ever gets very ill it will be pts. I agree with you, pets never used to cost thousands treatment wise.

I cannot understand how someone can afford 2 DC! But I manage to have cat. sometimes it's about choices we make in life! HTH

I had a cat when I was a student and worked minimum wage at weekends. She wasn't insured insured. When I got paid I would buy my monthly travel card, cat food, biscuits and litter and tins of soup, cheap pasta and lentils. I would run out of money week 3 but I could get to university and work and the cat had everything it needed. She lived until she was almost 17 and only needed vet treatments and visits for the 18 months of her life due to her age by which time I was working and could afford it.

You are right to consider the cost of pets. I love having animals but they are a commitment.

Too many humans, RedPostBox, producing too many children. That’s much more of a problem than pets.
Too many meat-eaters, too many farm animals. All sorts of unnecessary extras overloading the planet.

@redpostbox Definitely a bad environmental decision but less so than having children surely? I dont have any kids but do have 2 cats :)

Its very expensive if you work and your dog goes to daycare:

Daycare - £400
Food - £56
Worm and flea - £25
Insurance - £44
Vaccinations - £20

So that's £545 per Month

I'd love another - no, I cannot afford it!

What on earth are you feeding those rabbits?

Too many people having children Red

My tortoise costs £1.50 a week, sometimes £3 if he’s hungry!