I nearly had to put my pet dog to sleep over rising bills – how to cut pet care costs now
RISING pet costs are heaping harrowing pressure on thousands of owners.
One in four is concerned that they can no longer afford to care for their dog or cat.
One in six owners is considering rehoming a pet, while one in eight is considering selling a pet, or giving it away to a shelter charity, according to Tesco Bank research.
You may end up spending around £16,000 over a larger dog’s lifetime, according to the PDSA, or at least £11,100 for a cat.
But you can cut your costs without sacrificing your pet’s welfare.
MEL HUNTER finds out how.
PET FOOD
IT can cost £600 a year to feed a medium to large dog. But are you paying over the odds?
In a Which? survey of dog owners, where Burns Original, £14.99 for 2kg, came top, Aldi’s Earls Complete, £2.89 for a 3kg, came third.
Nicole Paley from the UK Pet Food Association says: “Choose a ‘complete’ diet appropriate to the pet’s life-stage.
“All ‘complete’ pet foods are subject to the same stringent legislation.”
Dry food is usually cheaper.
Check the price per kilo, buy pet food in bulk online and sign up to email alerts to get deals from your favourite brand.
If you’re struggling, charities including the RSPCA, Blue Cross, Cats Protection and Dogs Trust run pet food banks, as well as Pet Aid in Scotland and Animal Support Angels and the Pet Food Bank Service in Wales.
Some may ask for proof of benefits.
VET CARE
THERE was nearly a 50 per cent rise in online searches for low-cost or free veterinary care from the start of 2022 to the end of 2023, according to the PDSA.
That’s amid concerns that pet owners are not getting a good deal from vets, following an initial review by the Competition and Markets Authority.
The best way to save money is to prevent problems, so don’t scrimp on care such as worming, flea treatments and neutering.
The charity Cats Protection offers a £10 neutering and microchipping service to people receiving certain means-tested benefits.
However, due to “unprecedented volume of requests”, with more than 100,000 vouchers issued in early 2024, some aspects of the scheme are paused.
If you are having problems affording care, talk to your vet about it, says Alison Thomas, Head of Veterinary Standards at Blue Cross.
“Be honest about any cost challenges early on and ask if there is a cheaper alternative treatment.
“Instead of getting your medication from the vet, ask them to write a prescription that you can take to an online animal pharmacy.
“Even though the vet will charge a fee, it should still work out less expensive.”
Try mypetsvet.co.uk, animeddirect.co.uk or petdrugsonline.co.uk.
Thomas says: “Some vets may also offer a payment plan so if your pet needs emergency treatment, you could pay it off over a number of months.
“They may also have schemes where you pay a certain amount a month to spread regular costs such as worming treatments and vaccinations.
“Check if it’s value for money.”
If you receive certain benefits, you may also qualify for some free or lower cost pet care via Blue Cross or PDSA.
PDSA vet Catherine Burke said: “We’d encourage pet owners concerned about being able to afford veterinary treatment, to reach out to us.
“We believe no pet should suffer due to poverty.”
INSURANCE
THE average cost of annual pet insurance is around £330 a year, according to the Association of British Insurers latest figures.
Insurance is complex, with different levels of cover. Use a comparison site to see which offers the cheapest cover for your needs.
According to confused.com, currently the cheapest comparable lifetime policy — the highest level of cover — for a cat or dog is around £5 a month, rising to around £34.
Faith Tagg, pet insurance expert at the site, says owners could consider a policy with a higher excess, paying less for the insurance, but more up front if treatment is needed.
She adds: “If you have more than one pet, a multi-pet policy could also help to keep costs down.
“It can be cheaper than purchasing two separate insurance policies.”
This is exactly what wedding photographer Jennifer Jane Shoebridge, 49, from Devon (jenniferjanephotography.co.uk) did.
“We were paying about £60 a month for our dog, Perry, but we shopped around and managed to get a policy with M&S insurance, which also included our two new cats, Jasper and Quinn.
“The level of cover was slightly lower, but good enough, and even with two extra animals on the policy, it is £20 cheaper a month.”
The cost of pet insurance is likely to increase as your pet gets older.
Consumer organisation Defaqto, which gives pet insurance policies a star rating at defaqto.com/star-ratings/pet-insurance, warns that nearly a third of dog insurance policies introduce co-insurance payments when your dog is eight years old, charging owners around 20 per cent of the overall claim amount on top of your policy excess.
Another option is stashing money in a savings account instead of taking out insurance.
It’s a gamble if your pet gets sick, but it’s an alternative way to battle rising costs.
GROOMING
A VISIT to the groomers can be pricey, with an average cost of £43 per session but you can learn to groom your dog at home.
PDSA vet Catherine Burke adds: “Brushing helps to distribute natural oils and gives you the chance to check for any skin problems that could result in a veterinary visit later down the line.”
Anxiety expert Tam Johnston, 49, from Brighton (tamjohnston.com), saves £40 a month by grooming her cavapoochon, Darcie, herself.
She says: “I learnt to do DIY grooming safely and carefully during the lockdowns thanks to online videos, and I’m putting the £40 a month into a savings account for Darcie’s vet bills when she’s older.”
‘I FEARED I WOULD HAVE TO PUT ROMA TO SLEEP IF I COULDN’T AFFORD VETS’
SONNY WHITE, 66, from Worthing, worried he might have had to put his beloved dog to sleep because he couldn’t pay for her care.
Two years ago, his eight-year-old Dachshund, Roma, lost a lot of weight.
The HGV driver had been reliant on benefits since suffering a major stroke three years earlier and was worried about the cost of taking Roma to the vet.
Then he found out about his local PDSA hospital in Brighton, which gives free care to local pet owners receiving certain means-tested benefits.
Vets there diagnosed Roma with diabetes.
She now has two insulin injections daily and regular check-ups.
Sonny says: “If it wasn’t for PDSA, I probably would’ve had to have Roma put to sleep.
“I wouldn’t be able to afford her monthly prescription of insulin, as well as syringes, blood tests, and urine tests.”
He and wife Kim, 68, have been struggling to cope with costs. Everything has gone up – energy, food, pet food.
“I’ve had to tighten my belt, watch the pennies.
“Caring for a pet is expensive, but I’d rather eat beans on toast every day than see my dogs go without.”
Sonny and Kim donate £30 a month to the PDSA as thanks for the care that Roma receives.