Owning a pet can be so beneficial in so many ways. Animals can bring comfort, help ease anxiety, offer company when you’re lonely, bring fun and joy to your life, and even serve as a sense of purpose as something to take care of.
However, impulsively adopting a pet can be a mistake if you’re not financially prepared for the responsibility. Pet care can get costly, so it’s best to work out a budget to plan for the expenses before you commit to an animal. When you’re drawing up your budget, here are a few things you might have forgotten.
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Pet Insurance
Vet bills can add up pretty quickly, especially in the early years of your pet’s life. Things like vaccinations and neutering can be expensive, but having pet insurance can help you to reduce or even completely eliminate vet bills, which can be an immense help and well worth the monthly fees.
You’ll need to look for the best pet insurance plans and pick something that suits your budget. Of course, more expensive plans usually offer better coverage, but you’ll need to weigh that up by looking at your budget.
Medical Expenses
If you choose not to get pet insurance, you’ll need to be prepared to cover all your vet bills. Even if you do have insurance, some policies have particular exclusions or limitations on coverage, and you’ll need to make sure you’re clued up on what’s covered and what’s not.
Consider issues like worm infections, ticks and fleas, and other minor fixes which are often not covered by insurance.
Replacing Destroyed Items
Puppies are destructive creatures for the most part. Of course, you’ll need to strictly train them out of any destructive behavior, but you can expect to deal with a few pairs of chewed-up slippers or even buy new bed sheets or rugs after your dog has done their business on them.
Keep in mind that a dog that is constantly destroying your home could be indicative of a deeper issue that needs to be addressed, and you might want to talk to a behavioral therapist if the problem persists as they age.
Pet Sitters or Travel Costs
We all go away from home from time to time, but what about the dog? If you have family or friends nearby who are willing to take care of them for free, you’ve got a bargain, but this is not the case for many people.
You’ll need to include pet sitter costs in your travel budget to ensure that they’re well cared for when you’re on vacation. If you’d prefer to bring your pooch on holiday with you, you’re certainly going to be paying for that too.
Lost Security Deposits
Back to the topic of destructive dogs, many pet owners have faced the consequences of this in the loss of their security deposit.
If your puppy has scratched up walls or doors or chewed on any fixture of your home, you might just lose that deposit (or a portion of it) and need to take the loss when you move out of your home.
