Saving money without compromising pet’s health
There are approximately 70 million pet dogs and 74.1 million pet cats in the U.S., according to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook.
Six out of 10 pet owners consider their pet a member of the family — but between 2006 and 2011 the percentage of households that did not take their pet to the veterinarian increased by 8 percent for dog owners and 24 percent for cat owners
With the average annual veterinary household expense hovering at $375, not to mention other costs of pet ownership, it’s not surprising that some pet owners look for ways to save. But experts caution them to do it in ways that will not endanger a pet’s health. Here, a range of experts suggest ways to keep money in your pocket while keeping your pet healthy.
“I think having access to affordable vet care is becoming more and more important,” says Nancy Longacre, executive director of the animal welfare organization PAWS Atlanta. “We are seeing more people use our services, because people are a lot more sensitive to their finances. From our perspective, it is good because we want people to take care of their pets.”
Many organizations such as PAWS offer an array of preventive care and services for pets including vaccinations, nail trimming, microchipping, spaying and neutering, and dental care. Check the Humane Society of the United States website: humanesociety.org (type “veterinary clinic” in the search field) for organizations across the U.S. offering such services.
If you don’t want to go that route, try going to a veterinary college to get discounted vet visits, says Jon Lal, founder of Befrugal.com.
Medications can be pricey too. Compare the cost of drugstores or an online prescription service to the price of getting medications at the vet, Lal says. Longacre suggests trying the website 1-800-PetMeds ( 1800petmeds.com) for over-thecounter meds as a less expensive alternative to retail.
Veterinary care/preventive care:
“You want to be careful about places that say ‘x dollars’ for boarding or day care and later tack on $5 here or $25 for your dog to play in the play yard. Find a place that has upfront pricing and is
Boarding:
all-inclusive,” says Marie Bilthouse, spokeswoman for the newly opened Camp Bow WowWoodstock in Georgia.
If you have multiple animals, though, it may make financial sense to have a pet sitter come to your home, depending on the level of activity needed for your pets. “We can do walks, run the dogs, look after cats,” Bilthouse says of their Home Buddies program.
Visit the website of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters ( petsitters.org) or Pet Sitters International ( petsit.com) for pet sitters in your area.
“People think, ‘I am going to the grocery store and buy the cheapest food,’ ” Longacre says, but she compares that mentality to giving your animal fast food every day. “They can become obese. If you spend a little and buy better food, your pet will be healthy.”
Bilthouse suggests checking Dogfood advisor.com for ratings of many brands of dog food. Also, consider the “Subscribe and Save” option with Amazon for any recurring expense, including pet food, says Lal, to get up to 15 percent off. Or buy pet food at a wholesale store like Costco.
Approach the purchases as you would for yourself and your family: Look for coupons and sales and join reward programs at pet care stores, he adds.
Shelters such as PAWS offer pet-food banks for individuals who cannot afford quality pet food. Pet owners have to complete a form in order to receive the free food, and their pet must be spayed or neutered.
“They can’t have a female in heat who is giving birth to more litters,” Longacre says. “We make sure they are being responsible pet owners. We’ll help, but they have to meet us halfway.”
Nutrition: