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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think having a pet is not affordable these days?

198 replies

cadburyegg · 29/05/2019 21:59

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?

OP posts:
Arlenia · 30/05/2019 20:14

@DefenBaker

Do you know the poem ‘Refugee Blues’ by Walt Whitman? One of the verses is:

‘Saw a poodle in a jacket fastened with a pin,
Saw a door opened and a cat let in,
But they weren’t German Jews, my dear, but they weren’t German Jews.’

archive.ppu.org.uk/learn/poetry/poetry_against1.html

ChoudeBruxelles · 30/05/2019 20:17

We have 2 dogs and a cat. Older dogs insurance has gone up considerably as he’s got older but I’ve managed the amount that it costs by reducing the max they’ll pay out and excluding some conditions.

Food is not too bad. Kennels/battery costs a lot when we go away.

justforareply · 30/05/2019 20:26

My DDog has definitely saved me money. I work half time and on my days off I used to wander round shops or a shopping centre. Now I whizz to do food shopping and come back and walk the dog and keep her company and do home based things more. I've not been to a mall this year (!!!) so no impulse buying and I have found that most charity shops in Cotswolds allow dogs (she a tiny dog who is carried in shops)
Even if JL starts allowing dogs near me, I don't think I'd tote her round a shop for more than 20 minutes or so

adaline · 30/05/2019 20:32

Pets eat meat, which of course has an environmental impact.

But you also have to consider what benefits they bring to people's lives. Mine has massively improved my mental health. It's got me out walking everyday. Trips are planned around the dog and they mean we don't use the car as much (good). It also means we can't afford foreign holidays so we don't fly anymore (good). Holidays are in the UK (good) and a reasonable distance from home so we're not travelling with the dog for hours (good).

Until humans go vegan, don't fly anywhere or drive long distances and stop reproducing, I think pets are probably the least of our problems in terms of the environment.

adaline · 30/05/2019 20:34

@justforareply JL are dog friendly now :)

GreyofSunshine · 30/05/2019 20:40

@adaline

Plenty of pet owners still holiday abroad. I'm cat-sitting for some currently.

In America alone, the emissions associated with feeding cats and dogs each year is the equivalent to those from 13.6 million cars. That just the emissions from food. In the US, pet cats also kill around 4 billion birds and 20 billion small mammals each year.

Are pets the single worst thing for the environment? No, of course not. But that doesn't mean they aren't harmful or that their impact is insignificant.

Bonkersblond · 30/05/2019 20:46

My dog costs the same as a monthly gym membership, she gets me out every day unlike the gym membership which never got used after the initial few months.

HotChocolateLover · 30/05/2019 20:47

I missed out on last week’s maintenance because my ex-husband had to have his dog put to sleep. So the answer to your question is, no, pets are not affordable for everyone. It’s not the first time i’ve Missed out because of one of his animals either 😤

MrsExpo · 30/05/2019 20:48

I have an elderly pony and a dog. Both are cared for, well fed, insured and see a vet as and when needed. I buy my clothes from charity shops, and drive an old car. It’s about priorities . The animals bring me enormous joy and I’m happy to make sacrifices to keep them.

neversleepagain · 30/05/2019 20:56

When dc were young and I was a sahm a pet wasn't a possibility as we had no spare cash. When I went back to work and money wasn't tight anymore we got our dc a kitten. Said kitten is almost one now and costs us, on average, £80 with food, vet bills, insurance, cat sitter when we go away. I think that is a lot of money for an animal when you consider that it's less than the monthly income for a vast majority of the world's population.

WhiteRedRose · 30/05/2019 20:59

My dog costs me £35 a month in food and insurance.

Her vaccinations cost me £99 for life.
She herself cost me £120.
She will die before her lead, toys or bowl ever give out - because I paid well for them knowing they would last long past her lifetime.

katseyes7 · 30/05/2019 21:05

l have three house rabbits. And admittedly, at times, when l was on benefits, it was a struggle.
They're all insured. Which means that if we have an emergency, l can just pay the excess up front, and then the vets claim direct from the insurance company. l have the monthly plan at the vets which covers nail clips and vaccinations.
They're relatively cheap to feed - my friend grows veggies from seed and that's a big help through the growing season.
Quite honestly, though, they've been my lifeline. l've done without myself to make sure they're ok. lt's worth it for the love and joy they bring into my life. l live on my own besides my rabbits, and there's nothing nicer than coming downstairs in the morning to have them all run to the door of their room to meet me. Two of them are rescues, and it's lovely to know l've made a difference to their lives by giving them a loving home.
They kept me going when l felt l had nothing else to get out of bed for. l adore them and l love how they've improved my quality of life. They're worth every penny.

MatchSetPoint · 30/05/2019 21:06

My dog died last year he was a massive lump, I miss him like mad but we have found ourselves at least £150 a month better off, It’s definitely made me think about how expensive pets are if you look after them properly.

Gth1234 · 30/05/2019 21:40

A hamster, cage, and tubes - so much fun for £40

It's amazing how they move all straw into the tubes, and turn around in such a tiny space.

it doesn't have to be a dog or cat.

Cath2907 · 30/05/2019 21:48

I have a dog. He is bloody pricey. He is a fussy eater so has expensive food, there is insurance, jabs and check ups, 6 weekly grooming, toys, the dog walker. I dread to think what he costs me, less than the kid but more than the garden! I can afford it and didn’t get him without pricing it up!

Original poster
cadburyegg · 30/05/2019 21:51

For those pp's asking about how we spent what we did on rabbits, per month:

£15 x2 for insurance
£20 on timothy hay (rabbits need to eat decent quality hay)
£10 on pellets and veg

The insurance didn't cover dental work

OP posts:
AlaskanOilBaron · 30/05/2019 21:52

Can someone explain to me very carefully the 'pets are not green' angle?

My dog eats grub-based dog food (nearly carbon neutral) and table scraps. She doesn't fly, she doesn't buy clothes or shoes, and she doesn't require her own bedroom in our house.

She'll never buy her own house or have children of her own (I had her ovaries ripped out!).

What's the problem?

batvixen123 · 30/05/2019 22:14

orangeshoebox - that's the study mentioned in the article linked to already. It was not peer reviewed and other scientists have questioned its reliability.

AlaskanOilBaron · 30/05/2019 22:17

OK fair enough but I found a grub-based dog food.

Apart from this I am utterly confused because my dog eats probably about 1/4 the calories of a human, so I don't understand the maths here when you factor in that dog food is made of meat not graded for human consumption.

Darbs76 · 30/05/2019 22:19

I have a dog. He’s definitely not cheap. I work 3 days, one from home, two long days in the office. So I pay for doggy daycare those 2 days, £40 a week. His insurance is £46 a week, gone up by 400% after claiming large sum in year 1. His food isn’t cheap either. However I waited years to have him, I knew I’d have the costs above so I factored this in to the timings of getting him. He’s worth all that and more. But what annoys me so much is people who get pets on a whim, especially dogs then get rid of them 6 months later when they can’t afford them or they destroy the house as they are left home alone 8-10hrs a day. My dog is a member of our family, my children adore him (as do I). They’d never ever forgive me if I did that. I always say it would be over my dead body I rehomed him and I 100% mean it.
So not unaffordable. Depends on income and priorities. I don’t smoke or drink or eat out much.

Maneandfeathers · 30/05/2019 22:20

Mine cost an absolute fortune but I happily go without new clothes, nights out, holidays etc to keep them.
Every last one is insured as I couldn’t afford massive bills either.

Darbs76 · 30/05/2019 22:21

Forgot to add on the grooming cost - £40 every 7 wks

ButtercupGirI · 30/05/2019 22:24

I reckon it is alot cheaper if you don't buy insurance, not needing a dog walker/seater and can cope with less expensive food.

Mine approx cost each month:
Insurance £40
Food £30
Dog walker £60

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