Pets- How Much Do They Cost You? Per Year

We dont own any pets, but I am curious as to how much everyone pays for them.
To make things simple, if you can provide the cost per year, just ballpark is fine.

Many thanks!

Comments

  • +12

    Food $200 , vet $100 , Unconditional love $Priceless.🐱

    • What pet?

      • +2

        🐱🐱🐱🐶

        • +1

          Are those cats or hamsters? :P

        • +2

          @sjp1808:

          Looks like 3 pussies and a dog to me…

        • +1

          @sjp1808: wait, what…i thought he has 3 rats and one hamster?

        • +1

          @pointless comment: Should have gone to specsavers ;)

    • Love your unconditional love.
      But the food & vet, it's not per year?

      • +1

        per year.. per pet

        • +4

          $200 seems really low… do you feed them cardboard?

  • +5

    2 medium dogs. Get a 20kg $100 bag of premium food every 2 months, pet insurance is $30 a month, heartworm tablets is $100 every 3 months, fresh bones $10 a week, vaccinations are $100 each a year. Then vet bills for accidents on top minus the unsurance reimbursement.

    • Thats $2k a yer + vet - insurance….
      How do you get insurance?

    • Yup mine is pretty much the same - I have a golden Retriever

      However i use the heartworm + Flea tablets.. I get these Sentinel Spectrum For Dogs 22-45kg Blue (X 1): $83.96 (6 months pack)

      • i have a Golden and Staffy X Kelpie. I get the Panoramis for Medium dogs off ebay, around $85 which does both dogs for 3 months.

  • +4

    My 1 medium dog eats around 200kg of meat every year in addition to probably 150kg of dry food and copious snacks, also causes me to wear through about 3 pairs of shoes per year.

    • That's a lot of meat!! And food. Grocery shopping must be fun. How much does your dog weigh.

      • From recollection only 23kg. No fat on him though.

    • 3 pair of shoes!!! I'm guessing it's leather shoes?

      • +1

        Nope. Runners. Some of them might have had a small amount of leather on them. What I mean by wear is tread worn dangerously smooth.

  • $0.00

    • +16

      I'm guessing you have a pet rock?

      • +14

        Yes!

        His name's Rocky, and he's very… quiet.

        • +3

          So he's not an Oz rocker? From overseas? Perhaps from Estonia?

        • +2

          Pls post a OzB deal for Rocky :-)

  • +2

    My pet is quite expensive. She wants an expensive dinner once a week and wants me to take her to interesting places.

    Once a year, she requires expensive jewelry and in exchange she gives me a picture of herself. How much does it cost to euthanize your pets?

    • +1

      Mum's don't count as pets.

    • I was on board up till that last bit. Went 0-100 super fast!

  • Depends on age, my old dog was $150 or so a week in vet bills for ages, as well as everything else. Then there is $2000 operations too. Cancer really isn't cheap.

    Much cheaper not to have pets.

    • $150 or so a week - how much on food and how much on vet? Far out!

  • +1

    Neapolitan Mastiff crossed, roughly $4000 a year.

  • +2

    2 cats: $1000 per year for food and litter, $200-$500 per year for vet. Toys and accessories- this varies depending on how quickly they become bored..

  • +2

    Thanks for sharing guys. Now I know how much I've saved. Of course I miss the joy of a cuddly creature at home. For this, dog parks are good LOL.

  • +1

    Had a yabby for about 4 years, she would go weeks without eating in winter, went away for 3 weeks, all good when we got back.

    I used to do water changes once a year. Easiest pet to own. Probably cost a bag of peas per year to feed.

    • Only one yabby? Most unusual, well, to me at least.

      • +2

        She ate the 3 others within 2 weeks. We got them at the same time as feeder yabbies for my barra but he died when dad decided to do a water change and left him in a bucket and basically boiled him. Dad also eventually killed my bream too. How he killed 2 really hardy fish is beyond me.

        • +1

          If you like big fish then consider a cod. The are very hardy. Best thing is they have heaps of personality. A cousin caught and kept one for his young children. The cod would always approach the glass rather than swimming away which is what most fish do.

  • +2

    German Shepard, somewhere in the region of $2000-3000/yr

    • +1

      Worth every $!

      No idea how much mines adds up to, don't care either.

    • Don't you mean he ate your socks !!?

  • Japanese Akita
    $100 food every 4-6 weeks
    $50 shampoo and groom every 4 weeks
    $15 treats every 2 months
    $50 flea control 6 months
    $100 worming tablets 6 months
    $150 vet annually
    $50 pet insurance monthly

      • +4

        Shut of your internet and do it too.

      • +3

        Marcsie, my dog forgives you for this comment…
        because thats what dogs do :)

        • -2

          Look who's barking !

        • @Marcsie:
          YOU
          … and up the wrong tree.
          the OP asked a question.
          you have not contributed in any way.
          so go make yourself useful somewhere else.
          case closed.

        • @Hiroko: Sorry, I didn't mean to upset anyone here, coz I have been travelling to many third world countries, and it really break my heart to see starving people over there with some only make $1 per day :)

      • You mean sponsor a few charities for free money

      • +2

        good on ya for doing that!

  • +1

    Medium sized dog 10-15kg range costs approximately $1000- $1500 a year

    Food (premium like black hawk OR mostly raw meaty bones and vegetables) $7-10 a week ~$360 -500 a year
    Insurance $400-$600 a year (optional but recommended)
    Vaccinations/vet $150 a year
    Worming and flea control sentinal spectrum $160 a year, more if you need tick control (e.g. bravecto and interceptor spectrum is $200 + $120 a year)
    Grooming, if you get a low-shedding dog would be around $60ish each time 3-4 times a year another $250 - or can buy clippers and do it yourself

    Can be a lot cheaper with supermarket brand food & home grooming (or a shedding dog if you like vacuuming)

  • +2

    1 Cat.

    ~$700 a year including - premium dry food, wet food (fresh raw meat), vaccinations/vet, worming/fleas, kitty litter, toys.

  • +4

    My pet lions cost a fortune to feed, especially as they'll only eat fillet steak. However we haven't had any burglars since we got them.

    • +12

      That is your problem, get more burglars and spend less on food.

    • haven't had any burglars that you know of.

  • +2

    Wow. Dogs and cats are expensive.

    All I'm keeping at the moment are fish in a relatively large tank (500L). The start up cost is around 1.5k for the tank, powerful lights, filters and other gadgets.

    The main bulk of the running costs is the electricity bill, which is around 150-200 a year. Although depending on your setup, this can be significantly less.
    Food is around 80 a year
    Chemicals around 50 a year

    • +1

      Buy a solar panel and a deep cycle battery and run them of that the lights and pump are already running on DC current…

  • Free.
    Buy a monster dog and simply feed it your neightbour's pets, or if annoying, your neighbours.
    Free.

  • +5

    2 dogs - 1 is a Great Dane / Bull Mastiff cross who is now 13/5 yrs. old. 2 is a bitzer apx. 7 yrs. old - both are rescue dogs who had terrible lives ( they both came from seperate places ) . Now they are wonderful & so full of love.
    They aren't cheap to keep - food, vet bills, kennels when we go away - but we wouldn't have it any other way. They give back far more than money needed to spend on them, & they're worth every part of it. The house is so empty without them in it with their doggie talk to let you know what they want& their total love towards us. Dogs would lay down their life to protect you.

    • +1

      This. Exactly this.

      • Thank you. We're obviously on the same wave length.

    • Nice sharing.
      Good you have two. That's part of the reason why i don't have pets now. I must have two and that's a bit much for hubby :-)

  • +2

    These two things has saved me tons of money for an old dog (rescue) with heart condition requriing regular medication and vet visits:
    http://www.greencrossvet.com.au/HealthyPetsPlus/
    http://www.petceutics.com.au/

  • +1

    pet gf?

    • How Many?

      • too expensive to have too many

  • +1

    Food is usually quite affordable. Kibble can be bought in bulk quite cheaply and depending on the feed, fulfills their nutritional requirements. Plus a lot of families supplement with snacks or scraps. Pet care can, and will, add up without insurance. A periodic shot + checkup + de-sexing (can be non-negotiable depending on where you live, often your responsibility) + emergencies + worming/flea treatments can easily be 1-2k annually.

  • Can't find any company who will insure our dogs for medical emergencies or everyday check-ups - we're in Perth. Probably as they are classed as " Old".
    The criteria for insuring your dogs seems to be only by purchasing a young dog. We have only ever taken on the abused rescue dogs in dire need of T.L.C. & the result of it has proved so worthwile . Do any of you know an insurance company who would cover their vet expenses ?

    • +2

      i had a look earlier on "Medibank" pet insurance. It covers depend on the conditions. Based on what u have written, I dont think it can be covered.

  • +2

    Horse roughly $5000-8000 Per annum
    Vet fees Vaccinations, worming and check ups
    Farrier for shoe and trim
    Hay lots of hay.
    Grain Feed
    Salt on a rope
    Grooming
    Time on the weekends
    Stable boy who shovels the shit every day after school
    Float registration but hardly used

    On a bad year Add dentist, more vet bills

    Donkey entertainment for horse is free from the neighbour.
    Lots of fun and entertainment for the kids and friends - priceless.

  • own a Pomeranian. I spend $100 every 2 months on grooming. Don't get a dog with long hair if you don't want to spend that much.

  • +4

    3 chickens…

    Cost: -6 $ per week

    • +2

      minus $5.99 per kg when the chickens are fat enough to eat :D

      • +3

        I shouldve edited properly…it's -ve $6 for the eggs I get from them hahahah(scary voice)

  • +1

    Pet shrimp - next to nothing to feed but the plant decorations cost a mint

  • +1

    Have a pair of budgies atm, they go through about $8 worth if seed (2kg) maybe every 1.5-2 months. Vet visits are rare. Costs about $50 once a year. Then they just get a share if my fresh veg and fruit, maybe like $5 worth a fortnight? Toys etc maybe I'll spend $25 every 6 months? Treats are about $10 a fortnight.

    So approx $500 a year, if that.

    Not expensive to own, mind you I had a bit if an obsession and at one point had over 30 birds (they bred, built the Cages).

    • -1

      $25 every six months in toys?
      My costs me $50 a week! And that is only because that's all I'll buy. Once she destroys then she has to wait!

      • They're pretty well behaved and don't really destroy their toys. I've had bigger birds like lorries and galahs, they destroyed everything!

        • My blue and gold macaw destroys a $30-toy in about twenty minutes.

        • @Finde: yeah, that sounds about right, macaws are beautiful birds though, really a lifetime friend

  • $500 per year, per kilo of cat.

  • Snake: depends on size.
    <1m = around $250
    1-2m = around $400-$500. Or substitute up to 3/4 of them with chicken neck ($5/kg), Bringing the cost down to $$250.

    Pygmy bearded dragon: $180 for a mixture of crickets, mealworms, pellets, veggies etc.

    You dont really need to buy them anything else aside from food, You do need reptile keeper license tho (about $30 p.a.).

    Also, around $50 for betta fish. Diets include pellets and frozen blood worms :)

    • When you said snake I remember i saw a disgusting video on Facebook with a snake and a puppy. Someone placed the Puppy inside the snake's cage with no escape and no direction to run. The snake ate the pup alive. Bloody people sigh…. Wanted to murder the owner.
      Dogs have evolved to trust humans entirely and this gets thrown at them!!

      Sorry rant over lol.

      • I saw that on some Asian Facebook page last night! Made me feel ill and want to hunt them down…

  • small dog
    food 300, toys and gear 100, vet 300
    around 100 a year

  • +1

    Just for food alone it costs us roughly $682.50 for 2 cats and a dog. We've been lucky, our animals don't attract fleas too often (I've just jinxed it) and don't do any stupid sh!t to get themselves taken to the vet. One of my cats had crystals in his bladder which blocked his urinary tract; that was a $900 vet trip… then it happened again… another $900. I got him for free almost 10 years ago but he's worth $1800 in vet bills alone. I love that cat.

  • Mine called Sophia, cost me half of fortune..per life.

  • -1

    you could take my neighbours approach and let other people pay.

    Bogan Dog Keeping Tips

    1. Get the biggest animal you can (Bull Arab's are good).
    2. Don't train it in any way and do a good PR job on the wonders of "insert dog name here"
    3. Allow it to hunt and maim the local wildlife (on your neighbour's property is ideal= free protein).
    4. Leave the house all day leaving the dog to wander around to look for food ( make sure you have no gates or operable fencing).
    5. Preference a male dog and do not de-sex it, the full testicles need to be seen from a distance .
    6. When it attacks a neighbour's dog/child/car on common land (because it will) deny responsibility and act like a victim (because people don't understand you or your dogs needs).
    7. Complain that Council laws are too prohibitive for responsible dog owners (which you will not be).
    8. Sit back and watch the bloodbath as it meets fellow neighbours and native wildlife species.
  • +1

    Bearded Dragon

    $70 a year wildlife licence (some people dodge this)

    $100 a year lighting (less if you take them outside a lot)

    $10-15 a month for food (greens and crickets/worms, less if you grow/breed your own)

    Best pet, lots of personality for a reptile, very little mess, great for allergies, you can leave them for a week and they will be fine.

  • We spend around $750 on our dog:
    $300 for food (small dog 4kgs)
    $400 for a vet annual plan (free vet visits, includes annual vax, includes monthly flea and worm treatment and free baths)
    $50 for council rego and other small bits

    • 4kg? I'm sorry sir, that's actually a cat.

  • Need a poll

    • +1

      Yes I meant to do it at first. Spent 2 minutes and didnt know how to do it so here I am, free form….
      Sorry…

  • One thing that you will need to consider is that vet bills will be extremely variable depending on both yourself and the breed of pet (dogs in particular).

    I say this because you may be super cautious with your pet and take it to the vet at the first sign of trouble, this can go both ways really as you may be able to prevent a more expensive bill later down the track (tick bite for instance) or you may end up paying through the nose for something which your pet was going to easily fight off themselves without vet intervention. Vets will often want to keep pets in overnight for observation (although some have no overnight staff which seems a bit odd). Paying for an overnight stay when you could perhaps more closely monitor the animal yourself at home is something you need to weigh up, and do ask the question "is there a staff member on duty overnight?" which should make the decision easier.

    Another thing to consider is how willing are your friends and family to take care of your pet whilst you are on holiday or are away for whatever reason (work, sickness etc). Keeping pets in paid care is expensive and if you can palm them off to friends or family for free for a few days or even weeks it will likely save you a bunch. Remember that pets can sometimes die in someone else's care as they may not be quite as careful as you (leaving gates open, feeding cooked chicken bones etc).

  • Unfortunately if one of my dogs was on your property , you could be saying " good bye" to at least a few dozen eggs & a Sunday roast. - Hope your property is fenced should the chooks go walkabout.

  • +1

    Cherry - Long Haired Chihuahua cross unknown (small dog 6.5kg)

    Average over 16 years including vet bills - $718

    1st Year
    Desex + Vaccines = $150-$200
    Collar, lead & bed = $50-$70
    Food + Treats = $200-250 (dry & wet grocery brand food, also fed with left over dinner)

    2 to 10 Years old - no vet visits
    Food + Treats around $200-300 per year
    Emergency Hospital cause she decided to lick a cane toad = $150 total
    Treats = $40-$80 per year
    Toy = $30 per year
    2 Beds = $100 total
    Lead = $10 total

    10 & 11 Years old
    Annual checkup + vaccines + express anal glands + pentosan injection (joint repair) at vet = $230-$270 per visit (one visit each year)
    Dental Clean under general anaesthesia (first and last time) - $500. Her teeth were super white and clean.
    Food = $250-$330 per year (dry & wet seniors veterinary brand)
    Toys = $30 per year
    Operation – Removed fatty lumps at 3 spots of her body and she had cherry eye in both eyes (yes Cherry had a cherry eye operation) $1000-$1200

    12 to 15 Years old
    Seniors up check-up (1 visit every 6 months) $230-$270
    Pentosan injection $31 (1 visit every 3 months)
    Food = $250-$330 per year (dry & wet seniors veterinary brand)
    Dental sticks/bones = $70 per year
    Lead = $9 (replaced after 10 years)

    16 Years old and still going strong
    Went to see the vet yesterday $227 – Short Senior Pet Check-up i.e. not an annual vaccination (blood work + pentosan injection + medicated shampoo).

    She has never gone to the groomers as I have always cut her hair, she still has around 70% of her eye sight, 60% of her hearing, walking up and down stairs are limited, refuses to go for a walk around the neighbourhood, dog park is more of a stare off then play. She is an old lady but cost has never been cross my mind as she is part of our family.

    http://imgur.com/DIcok7k

    • +1

      Cherry is one of the family members.

  • Blue and gold macaw. Cost to buy from a good breeder - $5000.
    Approximately $20 per week in fresh vegetables.
    Approximately $15 per week of nuts in shells
    Approximately $10 per week in pellets.
    Approximately $50 per week in toys (very destructive)
    Several hours per day of interaction.

    Therefore approximately $5000 per year without vet bills. Generally fairly negligible though. $60 checkup every six months.

    Incredibly affectionate and intelligent pets.

    Also average life span in captivity is 90+ years so she really is my mate for life.

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