Pets: A cost-benefit analysis
As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up on a farm - an environment where one learns that it’s best not to get too attached to an animal of any species. Steers become steak, hogs become bacon, and pet-like critters such dogs and cats wander off or get into vicious fights with opossums and raccoons. That’s the reality of farm life.
We never had an animal that lived inside our home, and I was raised to believe that four-legged friends belong outdoors at all times.
Matt first mentioned his desire to adopt a pet several years ago. I immediately dismissed it as a crazy idea and didn’t give it much thought until a work friend that I admire mentioned that she and her husband had adopted a pup from a local animal shelter, and they were really enjoying him. We had just moved into a house with a nice, fenced-in yard, and I liked the idea of ‘rescuing’ a mutt, so I started looking online for dogs that needed a good home. Matt and I talked about the “start-up” expenses (kennel, leash, collar, tags, etc) and ongoing “maintenance” (annual vet checks, food, boarding) and decided to go for it.
A few weeks later, Gretchen came into our lives.
That was two years ago.
Life with a dog has been different than I thought it would be. I thought that I would have a detached relationship with a pet, but she’s totally become a family member. I spoil that mutt to such an extent that I don’t recognize myself. For example, I was certain that I would be the doggie disciplinarian - but it was me, not Matt, who relented and allowed her on the furniture after a mere two weeks , reneging my own ‘no dogs on the couch’ rule. And I’m the one that cooks up special doggie meals with dinner’s chicken, carrot, and rice leftovers.
Who knew that I’d be such a sucker for floppy ears?
Soaring gas prices, the wedding, and our general desire to become more thrifty has got me looking carefully at all of our expenses, included those associated with Gretch. Matt pays for vet visits and dog food, so how is it possible that I spent $400 last year on our dog? The only thing I buy for her is treats and toys.
I spent $400 on treats and toys for my dog. Woof!
This year we’ve taken a different approach to Gretchen’s entertainment budget. We pay $30 a year for access to the dog park, and toy spending has been cut by 70% (after two years of trial-and-error, we’ve finally discovered a handful of toys that are not easily destroyed, and tennis balls and kongs are pretty cheap), and I’ve quit hitting the pet aisle every time I go to Target or the grocery store.
Combined we will probably spend about $700 in 2008 on care and feeding for our dog, and perhaps another $200 - $300 for kennel care when we travel. Does Gretchen provide us with $1000 with of utility?
Absolutely.
Would I say the same thing if she had a health problem and cost us five or ten times that amount?
I’m not sure. Guess we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.
At the end of the day, animals are a luxury and a responsibility (and not an accessory) and should not be taken in without careful consideration - but the unconditional love of a pet provides value in ways that can’t be quantified.
Stumble it!
July 16th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I have a similar story. Never had pets, but the husband wanted one, and I ended up being the one who turned to mush.
We were talking about the cost-benefit analysis of Roo recently. It takes about $20 in food per month, plus maybe another $20 in treats and toys (max, it’s often less).
What else could we get for under $50 a month? A dinner out and a movie? A new game? Roo provides us with hours and hours of entertainment. (Seriously, we’re fascinated by him.) People complain about the cost of pets, but he has a ridiculously low hourly entertainment rate.
And while we don’t get to be as spontaneous as we once might have been, we save a lot of money in the long run because of it.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:50 am
We just got our dog (my first ever) three months ago and we totally spoil her.
Between obedience classes, first year costs, and the expensive vet who’s so reassuring, we’ll easily spend more than $1000 on Maeby this year.
Fortunately, I was realistic in my estimation of how much a pet would cost, so this hasn’t been a surprise and she’s been completely worth it.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:27 am
When I got a kitten several years ago I incurred many more costs than I anticipated. Linus was a Humane Society cat. After purchasing all the necessary start-up items I thought I was done spending for awhile. Wrong! He got sick twice in the first two months that I owned him and had to go to the vet and get medication.
His scratching was destroying things, so I spent tons of money on toys, scratching pads, sprays, mats, anything I could think of to stop him from clawing furntiure. In the end I paid to have him declawed (and felt terrible about it).
Overall he cost me about $600 in the first four months. I love my litle mischief maker, but he was real money pit in the beginning.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:35 am
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July 17th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
There are few things that you would have spent the same money on and recieved the same enjoyment!
July 17th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Yep it makes a difference when you end up with pets with illnesses. You can’t always predict how you will respond. If someone would have told me I’d gladly spend $4,000 in one month alone to try and save a cat I would have bawked at the number. But we did it, and gladly. Sadly he didn’t survive (cancer), but I don’t regret spending one bit of that money. Over the year and a half of his illness we probably spent a total of $8,000 and I cherish every extra day we got with him because we made that choice.
Lucky for us (sarcasm) we also have a dog that requires somewhat expensive medication everyday. So his meds alone cost us $100+ a month. Would I pay twice that to keep him? Damn straight I would.
And no we’re not insanely rich, but we do love our animals like children. So if that means no new clothes for a year (or two or three) it’s a tradeoff I’m willing to make. I definitely agree that deciding to adopt a pet is a serious decision, and it requires looking over your priorities (both financial and overall life priorities) to see if a pet really fits in there. Treating a sick pet may require you to take out a loan, cancel a vacation, etc. There were definitely points in my life where I wouldn’t have had the resources (no credit = no loan) to treat a sick pet, and I’m glad I waited to get animals until I did.
July 19th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
It’s certainly not unusual to spend more than what the pet is “worth” dollar-wise, especially when they are ill, but I think it’s worth it. I’m glad to read from the comments that others are willing to spend the money necessary to care for a sick pet.
Of course, I feel for those that just don’t have the money to care for a sick pet, but it always upsets me when people that do have the money will just put a pet down because it was too inconvenient for them, or they figured they’d just get a new one instead.
July 20th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
This post makes me smile. You sound exactly like my “better half” as he grew up on a ranch where dogs worked for a living and lived outdoors guarding the herd.
When I moved to the ranch I fell in love with an SPCA dog named “Tivo”, an Australian Cattle Dog. I never had a dog my whole dang city girl life. But for some reason I had to bring this SPCA doggie home.
We’ve have Tivo now for 2.5 years. My “better half” brought her into our home with doubts…but now he could never imagine her not inside with us.
Are there vet bills and food costs? YES. Is Tivo worth it? YES!
Dang, I love my dog.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:35 am
@dcr I totally agree with you about people that have the money to save their pet and don’t. I tried to be very diplomatic in my comment because I’ve had people jump on me in the past! In my anecdotal experience there have been people that say they don’t have the money to treat their animal, but they really do (They have money to go out for sushi all the time? And go on a trip to China? and my favorite: get cosmetic surgery [!!!!!]?) I find these people have priorities that are in my opinion, skewed. I’ve also known people that just don’t seem to value an animal’s life enough (”the vet said it’s her heart and I just don’t even want to go down that road, it’ll get expensive.” He put that cat down.). Makes me glad that we got the pets we did (even our cat that died young) because we were willing to spend the money to save or try and save them.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Loving these comments - and totally agree that you can’t put a dollar value on a pet’s worth. I love my dog like a child as well, and would spend darn near any amount to save her if she was sick or injured.
I’ve never heard a pet lover say “I wish I had just put him down” when talking about the expenses associated with vet care for an unhealthy animal. I think that the utility that animals provide their people is unquantifiable.
@squawkfox - we were just saying that we can’t remember a time when we didn’t have our dog. It’s funny, but I think that she’s the thing that make us a ‘family.’
July 27th, 2008 at 11:18 am
LOL! Good post.
After my late, great German shepherd shuffled off this mortal coil, I ran a 13-year-long Quicken report and discovered I’d spent $48,000 on her and her pal, a greyhound, over their lifetimes. That’s if you count the purchase of the Dog Chariot, a minivan I “had” to buy to cart them around.
Not long after yelping “never again,” I adopted a beautiful little Corgi. Can’t live without a furry friend!