Having the means to keep your pet happy and healthy in these credit-crunched times can be quite a challenge. We discuss some simple ways to cut down on costs without cutting back on the essential care pets need.
Pets can be costly, but there are still ways that you can get value for money throughout your pet’s life. If you already have a pet but find that you are shelling out hundreds of pounds a month for grooming, food, medication, and so on, there are some easy ways to cut back. Equally, if you are looking to acquire a new pet, you may be able to do so without the anticipated expenditure.
Getting a new pet
Do your research
When you have decided to add a new pet to your family, research the breed you have in mind before you buy. Some breeds of dog, for example, are prone to specific health issues; meaning they are likely to incur related healthcare costs in their lifetime. Forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes; if you know about potential costs beforehand, you can protect yourself by finding an insurance deal that covers the specific needs of your pet.
It’s also worth finding out if your chosen breed of animal will need extra care, thereby incurring extra costs. Prepare yourself for additional costs such as grooming or individual feeding requirements. Border terrier dogs, for example, need their coats professionally ‘stripped’ every few months or so – a cost you may not be prepared to meet.
Buying your pet
If you are looking to get a dog or cat, it’s always worth considering re-homing one from an animal shelter instead of buying from a pet shop. In addition to the fact that you’ll be improving the quality of an animal’s life, you’ll save money by doing so. Pets from shelters tend to already have received their shots, and to already have been spayed and neutered – essential things that can be very expensive to arrange yourself. If you are picking up a dog or cat from a charity, sometimes you won’t be required to pay anything at all, except perhaps a donation to that charity.
When buying a dog you can also save hundreds of pounds by opting for a mongrel instead of a pedigree. Not only are mongrels cheaper to buy in the first place, they are also cheaper to care for throughout their lives. Pedigrees often cost more because of specialist food and grooming, breed-related health problems, and so on. Non-pedigrees tend to be more robust, and cost less to insure too.
Caring for your pet
With a little frugality caring for your pet needn’t be a huge financial burden. Consider your outgoings for your pet each month and try cutting down on surplus costs.
Feeding
Be careful not to over-feed your pet. It can be tempting to treat your dog with the family leftovers every night, but it’s important not to let pets become overweight. Pets, like their human counterparts, can suffer from obesity – bringing on costly weight-related illnesses like heart and circulation trouble. Additionally, some pet insurance policies won’t cover you if it seems that you have not taken proper care of your pet.
Save on pet food by buying in bulk. A large bag of dry food from your local supermarket or pet shop will save you money in the long-run by feeding your pet for longer. You can also save money by buying cheap meat from your butchers or local market stall to feed your dog; they’ll enjoy it just as much as tinned branded dog food.
Instead of buying separate pricey treats for your animals, feed them a healthy and economical alternative – leftover fruit and vegetables. Your guinea pig or rabbit will be just as happy chewing on the end of a carrot as a store-bought treat (perhaps happier).
Toys
You can save money by giving your pets home-made toys rather than expensive pet-shop trinkets. For example, cats love anything they can swing a paw at, and will get lots of amusement and exercise from tassels tied to door-handles or make-shift scratching posts. Similarly dogs love anything that’s squeaky or that they can chew on – you might find cheap dog-toy alternatives, such as children’s toys, at your local charity shop. Try to resist buying your pets lots of different toys, as they will probably become bored of them.
Healthcare
Make sure that your pet has the shots it needs. They can be costly, but it is cheaper in the long-run to pay for these than for treating illnesses that result from your pet not being protected.
Some medication is cheaper to buy online rather than from your vet. If you know the name of the specific medication your pet needs, you may be able to buy it cheaper from sites such as Best Pet, Pets At Home, or Pet Remedies.
Provide your pet with the exercise they need. This will decrease the risk of them becoming ill and requiring an emergency (and expensive) trip to the vet. Take dogs for plenty of walks, and allow caged animals freedom to roam every now and then where possible.
Another way you can avoid vet bills is to take simple precautions such as not letting pets near hazardous substances. Many emergency vet visits result from a pet being accidentally poisoned. For example, dogs can be poisoned by a chemical found in chocolate – so take care not to let them consume any of this.
Pet-sitting
There are ways to save on this expense, too. If you are planning on going on holiday in the UK and would usually pay for your pet to be housed in a kennel while you are away, consider taking your pet with you instead, where possible. Many holiday facilities are now dog-friendly so there’s no need to leave your pooch behind.
If it’s impossible to bring your animal with you, consider enlisting the help of friends, family, or neighbours. They may be more willing than you think to care for your pet while you are away. In the instance you can’t find anyone available or willing to help out, there are pet-sitting groups you can join either in your local area, or on sites like Pet Sitter Swap - which is free to use after an initial £9.99 fee. In this way you may be able to find someone in your area to pet-sit for you for free, and you can return the favour by pet-sitting for them someday.
Insurance
It may be tempting to cancel pet insurance policies at times when the purse-strings are tight, as it can seem like an unnecessary expense. However, if your pet does fall ill or become injured, potential costs for treatment can easily run into the thousands. If you shop around for the best insurance deal for you on the market, you’ll save yourself the worry of being unable to meet the cost of hefty and unexpected vet bills.
Always remember, however, to read the small print on policies you take out. Often those that offer the cheapest deals have high excesses or lots of exclusions.
It’s important to take into account what kind of cover your pet might need – depending on the animal’s age, condition, breed, and what kind of illnesses it is likely to suffer from. If you have a smaller pet such as a hamster you may find it less necessary to buy insurance, as these kinds of animals are less likely to incur astronomical vet bills.
If you are still hesitant about buying pet insurance, it may be a good idea instead to put aside some money each month into a savings account. This way you will at least be prepared should your pet meet with the worst.
If you are on a low-income it may be possible to apply for help with your pet-care costs. You may be eligible for help from charities such as the RSPCA, PDSA, and Blue Cross. Cats Protection may be able to provide financial assistance if you are having your cat neutered, for example, and Tailwaggers Club Trust can award grants to those in need.
