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15 Hidden Costs of Pet Ownership
By Susan Doktor MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Owning a pet is a financial commitment, and many people don’t anticipate all of the expenses associated with owning an animal.
We’ll help reveal the real costs through highlighting 15 expenses that you might overlook — or at least underestimate their financial impact. Going into pet ownership with your eyes open can help you plan costs, and even save yourself a little money.
Table of contents
- Adoption fees
- Spay cost
- Flea and tick prevention
- Heartworm prevention cost
- Microchips
- Pet licensing fees
- Grooming services
- Pet insurance
- Emergency vet fees
- Pet deposit
- HOA fees
- Pet travel cost
- Replacing damaged items
- Dog walker, daycare or boarding
- Obedience class or private trainer
- Hidden costs of pet ownership FAQs
- Summary of our guide to the hidden costs of pet ownership
1. Adoption fees
Some pet owners still find their furry friend online or in local newspapers, via the ”free-to-a-good home” method of acquisition. But increasingly people adopt through reputable shelters. And these institutions invariably come with adoption fees. The charges help these non-profit outfits offset expenses ranging from rent and pet food to veterinary care.
Adoption fees range widely, anywhere from $50 to $600. Be ready to pay more for a puppy or kitten than for a senior animal. If you happen to find a purebred pet at an animal shelter, it may come with a higher price tag.
What you typically get for the money is a pet that’s been examined and vaccinated by a vet. Sometimes the animal is microchipped, in case it’s stolen or wanders away from home. In addition, many pet shelters include spaying or neutering in the adoption fees.
Buying a pet from a breeder will cost more than using a rescue organization. Costs vary by the breed and particular breeder. Be prepared, though, to pay $1,000 or more for a purebred animal.
2. Spay or neuter cost
If your new pet doesn’t come spayed or neutered, vets and animal advocates recommend having the relevant procedure done. “Fixing” a pet not only eliminates the risk of an unwanted pregnancy for your animal, or another in the neighborhood. It also limits some unwelcome behaviors when the pet is in heat, and helps your pet live a longer and healthier life by reducing or eliminating the risk of certain diseases.
The cost of spay or neuter surgery for cats and dogs ranges from as little as $50 to as much as $500. Price factors include the pet’s sex, age and size (fees for smaller animals are often higher, because the surgery can be more delicate and time-consuming).
You can save money by having the procedure done at certain health clinics. You can also obtain a Friends of Animals certificate to help cover the cost.
3. Flea and tick prevention
They may be small, but fleas and ticks can be a mighty pain to your pet. The cost of preventive medication is considerable, and it rises if your pet is larger. Depending on where you live, vets typically recommend keeping your pet on one of these preventatives year-round.
The treatment costs in the neighborhood of $15 to $25 per month. But that’s a lot less than it will cost to treat a flea or tick infestation once it occurs. Some brands combine flea and tick prevention with ingredients that fight heartworm, a parasitic menace that afflicts dogs and sometimes cats.
Discuss best option for your pet with your vet. You may be able to purchase the preventative from your vet’s office. It’s usually cheaper, however, to buy it from a pet store or online retailer. (The latter are especially cheap if you sign up to have the treatments auto-shipped to you on a regular basis.)
4. Heartworm prevention
Heartworm is a serious disease that infects about one million dogs a year. Cats can also be infected (though it’s less common for that species, especially for indoor animals).
Pets get heartworm after they’re bitten by disease-carrying mosquitoes. Giving your pet heartworm prevention medication is among the most critical healthcare responsibilities.
If you provide oral medication, it’s typically as a monthly at-home treatment. Semi-annual and annual injections are also available from your vet for an additional cost. Vets recommend you treat your pet year-round with heartworm preventatives.
According to The American Animal Hospital Association, heartworm prevention medicine costs between $5 and $15 a month. But that’s nothing compared to the expense of treating a pet that has heartworm — which costs between $400 and $1,000. Curing heartworm typically requires several shots and visits to the vet over a number of months.
5. Microchipping
According to the American Humane Association, approximately 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year. Microchips and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology helps you to reunite with your pet if it winds up in the pound or a good citizen finds the animal.
A microchip is a small electronic component that’s painlessly inserted under your dog or cat’s skin. A vet’s office, animal control center or shelter can scan the chip, which then yields up your contact information.
Having your pet microchipped is a quick and relatively easy way to increase the chance of your pet being returned. Vets typically charge between $25 and $50 or so for the procedure. When you adopt a pet from an animal shelter, a microchip is often included in your adoption costs.
6. Pet licensing fees
No federal law requires pets to be licensed, but it’s left up to individual states and most require dogs to be licensed annually. Cats fly under the radar and don’t need to be registered.
Dog license fees are modest — usually in the neighborhood of $25. But if you fail to license your dog and renew its license annually, you may face fines in addition to licensing fees.
7. Grooming services
Many people gravitate to long-haired dog and cat breeds — especially the ones that don’t shed. But whether they shed or not, long hair comes with extra grooming requirements. Some pets need to be groomed as often as monthly to keep their fur free of snarls and mats. Long-haired cats may even need occasional professional grooming.
For example, a full-service grooming session for a miniature poodle, including a bath, cut, brushing, and nail cut, can easily run to $70 in many areas. Larger fluffy dogs cost more to groom, and cats cost less.
You can stretch out your groomer appointments and save money by brushing your pet’s coat daily and shampooing at home.
8. Pet insurance
Next to cat and dog food, vet bills comprise the lion’s share of pet expenses. Pet parents spend about $1,000 to keep their four-legged friends healthy in the first year of owning a pet alone. Some, but not all, of these expenses may be covered when you buy a pet insurance policy.
Most pet insurance companies offer two different kinds of plans: accident-only or a combination of accident and illness coverage. They may also offer preventative care coverage through an add-on or standalone wellness plan.
The cost of pet insurance can vary widely depending on many factors, including the type of pet you own, its age, its breed and your location. Other choices you make for your pet insurance policy — such as policy limits, annual deductibles and copays — also influence the cost. Pet insurance costs on average about $218 to $594 per year for dogs and $134 to $342 for cats, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).
Pet insurance may be worth it for some, like those with pets that experience a severe medical accident or illness while enrolled in a policy, but it’s not worth it for everyone. Before purchasing a policy, review all the policy limitations, like pre-existing conditions and routine care.
9. Emergency vet fees
Unfortunately, there’s a possibility that you’ll have to pay a large sum of money out of pocket for emergency pet healthcare in your pet’s lifetime. Consider that over a million dogs alone are hit by cars each year. Treating broken bones and more serious injuries can cost thousands of dollars.
If you don’t purchase pet insurance, you should be prepared to cover these costs on your own. Many pet owners maintain a pet care savings account to be sure emergency veterinary care costs do not blindside them.
10. Pet deposits
Many landlords insist that pet-owning renters put down a deposit for their pet before allowing you to sign a lease or move into an apartment. This refundable fee is in addition to a customary security deposit and costs between $200 and $500. It covers any damage your pet may cause to your rented home or apartment and can’t be used to cover normal wear and tear.
Deposit amounts vary and depend on what kinds and how many pets you have, your pet’s size and your location. Once your lease ends, your landlord will return your pet deposit as long as your pet didn’t cause any damage.
11. HOA fines
If you live in a condominium complex or managed neighborhood, chances are you’re familiar with the raft of regulations that homeowners associations (HOAs) impose on renters and homeowners.
Not surprisingly, HOAs have restrictions on pets, including those on animal size, number and breed. Your HOA is certain to have rules about cleaning up after your pets, and most require that you keep them on a leash when outdoors on common property.
Fortunately, unlike many rental properties, most HOAs don’t charge extra for having a pet — provided you follow all of the pet rules. But if you routinely run afoul of regulations, you will likely be charged a penalty fee for your infractions. So the best way to avoid extra HOA fees is to comply with the rules.
12. Pet travel costs or boarding fees
Perhaps one of the reasons you want a pet in the first place is to have company when you go on vacation. If you plan to travel with your pet, though, be prepared to spend some extra money for the privilege.
If your pet is compact enough to fit in a small cage, you may be able to carry that onto the plane as you would a carry-on piece of luggage. Otherwise, your pet must travel in the plane’s cargo hold.
If you choose the cargo hold route, a fee will be assessed, based on the size and weight of your pet and its crate. Crates must meet specific guidelines, so it’s a good idea to ask your airline what their crate criteria are. In addition, some airlines require you to submit recent health records to demonstrate that your pet is up-to-date with its vaccinations before it can board.
Traveling by train, when feasible, is a less expensive (and often less traumatic) option. The cheapest of all is to limit your pet-included vacations to destinations within driving distance. Additionally, if you stay in a hotel with your pet, there will most likely be an additional pet fee per night –if the animal is accepted at all, that is. If you cannot travel with your pet, boarding it at a facility would be another expense.
13. Replacing damaged items
Even well-behaved cats and dogs forget their manners on occasion, with costly consequences. They chew up the proverbial pair of slippers, have an accident on the rug or knock over your antique lamp.
Puppies and kittens are the worst offenders, but some adult pets can also wreak havoc in your home. That’s especially true of animals that are under stress.
It’s difficult to estimate the cost of keeping your home in good repair when you raise a pet. Some people can live with stains and scratches, and others can’t. Be prepared for some damage, but consider proper training to minimize it.
14. Dog walker or daycare
All dogs need exercise to be healthy. Unless you live in a home with a fenced yard, you should shoot for two dog walks a day at minimum. But if you’re a full-time commuter and can’t get home to let your dog out that frequently. Hiring a dog walker or enrolling your pet in full-time daycare may be necessary.
Nationally, dog walkers charge about $20 for a 30-minute walk, but all walkers set their own rates. If you work five days a week for 50 weeks out of the year, dog walking could wind up being your largest pet expense at $5,000 per year. A full day of doggie daycare costs about as much as hiring a private dog walker.
15. Obedience class or private trainer
Training your dog to be a polite family member takes time and patience. You can enroll in puppy classes or manners classes for adult dogs. The average cost of obedience classes runs between $150 and $300, depending on the duration of the class.
But behavioral issues aren’t limited to young’uns. Problems like aggressiveness, destructiveness and separation anxiety may appear throughout a pet’s lifetime. Some issues require private sessions with a professional dog trainer or pet behaviorist. Private trainers cost quite a bit more than group training classes: on average, about $140 per hour, according to the home services marketplace Thumbtack.
Hidden costs of pet ownership FAQs
What is the annual cost of pet ownership?
The annual cost of pet ownership depends on several factors, including your dog's size, health condition, and frequent grooming. You should expect to spend about $1,000 per year. Your first year with your pet could cost much more.
How can I save money on pet costs?
There are many ways for budget-savvy pet owners to limit the expenses of caring for a dog or cat. The first is to adopt a pet rather than buying through a breeder because it costs much less. Providing your pet with preventive medical care is next on the list — take your pet to the vet annually to prevent many serious health problems. Many pet owners save on professional grooming costs by shampooing, cutting their hair and trimming their nails at home.
How important is it to have pet insurance?
Opinions on pet insurance differ, of course. Whether pet insurance is worth it or not often depends on the animal.
In some cases, as a Money.com analysis suggests, pet insurance might not pay off financially if your pet has a normal medical life free from conditions that require expensive treatment. However, it may be worth it if your pet suffers from an illness or accident after you purchase a policy.
Remember that each policy has different limitations, and routine care is not covered unless you purchase a wellness plan. When you need to use your policy, you'll be required to pay your vet bill and file a claim for reimbursement. Additionally, be prepared to pay your copayment out of pocket — typically about 10% to 30% of the cost.
Summary of our guide to the hidden costs of pet ownership
The love we share with our pets is priceless. But owning a pet costs money. Many of us don’t think through the considerable financial impact of pet ownership.
It’s not all about biscuits and tennis balls. Much of the hidden costs of pet ownership are related to medical care — emergency vet visits, pet insurance, spay or neuter surgery as well as flea, tick and heartworm prevention.
Other expenses include dog walkers, boarding, travel, adoption, training and landlord costs. You and your pet will be happiest if you bear all the pet ownership costs in mind as you budget for what, with any luck, will be a long and rewarding relationship.
