How Much Do Our Pets Cost Us?

American pet owners own 65 million dogs and 77 million cats.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals report an annual cost of $1-2000 in the first year of owning a dog, slightly less for a cat and about $2-300 for a rodent, bird or fish. This does not include day care or boarding if the owner has to travel; in these cases you are looking at $15-25 a day extra.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, owners average about $350 in vet expenses a year which is a total of $8.6 billion a year. This does not seem much when compared to an overall $36 billion spent on pets a year.

In tough times, preventive care is especially important. The upfront costs of monthly preventive medications will help prevent expensive disease treatment in the future. Annual visits to the vet will help pick up early problems rather than expensive treatment for severe problems down the track.