The Real Cost of Owning a Pet in the UK in 2019

It’s pretty hard to find a person who doesn’t like dogs. Or cats. Or African pygmy hedgehogs. And obviously, we won’t mind owning a cutie as our best friend. But whatever animal breed you adore, your unconditional love for them is not enough to make this pet a part of your life.

Actually, the decision of having a pet is probably the second important in your life after having a baby. Both relate to living creatures, who need your daily care and guidance for more than a decade. Good treatment never comes for free. It will drain a lot of resources including your time, energy, and money.

Today we’ll talk about the latter one. Can you really afford to get a pet? That’s a tough question which can be answered only after calculating an approx cost of a lifetime pet maintenance. Around 98% of future pet owners underestimate those costs, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

What’s Seed Money For a Pet Purchase? 

Down payment varies a lot depending on a kind of animal you’d like to buy and its breed. It’s possible to adopt a pet from a nursery for free or you can acquire a Samoyed dog for £7,000. At the same time, the average puppy will cost you somewhere from as little as £120 to £900. Almost the same applies to cats: the price varies between £250 and £1,000.

Thus, it makes sense to buy an expensive pet only if you’re super-rich or have an intention to take part in animal exhibitions or earn money from it in another way. For example, some rare breed owners start their own blogs and share their experience of having such a pet with others. Ironically enough, starting such a venture is almost free compared to the pet’s price, as now you can use a local business website builder to start an online blog without involving any industry experts.

One-Time Pet Expenses 

The first instalment is merely a beginning. Shortly after the purchase, you’ll need to make a number of one-time payments to ensure your pet a happy and prosperous future.

For those who don’t want their pets to have offspring, the price of spaying or neutering will comprise £60-180 (120 on avg.)

The pet also has to pass the initial medical exam and get vaccinated. This costs around £30-60. In case of your pet having some health issues (it’s very common for adopted animals), be ready to pay several extra hundreds of pounds.

You’ll need to buy a so-called “pet owner starter pack”, which includes a microchip, collar, carrying crate, bedding, litter, toys, food & water bowl, etc. The basic kit of all this stuff is priced about £200.

If your new mate is a dog, it should undergo at least basic training. For this, you’ll have to pony up £100 more.

Summing up all these items, the total one-time payment will be somewhere near £400-500.

Annual Pet Expenses

There are 12% of people who believe that the total lifetime cost of a pet is less than £500. As you can see, they are completely ignorant. This sum is only an entrance fee to join the club of dedicated pet owners, the major expenditures are still ahead.

Each year, you’ll have to buy food, toys, and medicines. Moreover, you’ll pay for recurrent vet visits, pet transportation, old equipment renewal, and pet care services. Of course, you can save some money by neglecting something from the list, but that will be pretty unfair for your best friend!

Thus, annual expenses for pet food in the UK will comprise £200-400. Toys, bedding, and care products will cost in-between £200 and £500. Pet insurance price varies from £250 to £500. The rest of the expenses will depend on a pet type and your choice of service providers, but the very average cost of pet maintenance is around £1,700.

Haven’t got freaked out by these numbers? Congratulations! You can afford a pet and finally make your dream come true. If not, don’t feel bad about that. There are still plenty of ways to take care of our little friends by volunteering in a local shelter, join rescue groups, or finding homes for stray animals in your area.