Who doesn’t love a fuzzy-wuzzy puppy or kitty?! Especially for the kids. So cute! Until you realize that Spike or Meow-Meow eats more canned food than they stock in Changi prison during the New Year countdown. Thanks to unprepared owners, local animal shelters are starting to look like gas chambers. So before you bring that pet home, you’d better know the costs:
Getting Your Pet: Buy or Adopt?
Buying a pure bred dog or cat is the most expensive option. These range from $1000 – $5000, with $1500 being the most common number. Many are dumber than mongrels, and more susceptible to disease. But who cares? You can put them on a silk pillow and give them embarrassing names.
Adopted pets are cheaper. It’s also more humane, since you’re saving them from death row. These cost around $200 – $500. If you adopt from the SPCA, you only need to pay for the medical fees incurred (during the animal’s stay):
|
Male Dog |
$145 |
|
Female Dog |
$155 |
|
Male Cat |
$50 |
|
Female Cat |
$65 |
|
Local Rabbits |
$10 |
|
Purebred Rabbits |
$50 |
|
Small Mammals (Rodents, mostly) |
$10 |
*Prices based on estimates
Adopting may not be an option if you have a particular breed in mind. The shelters have what they have.
Food for Your Pet
If you buy wet (canned) food, expect to pay around $4 a can. The average dog or cat will eat two to three of these a day, so you’re paying about $224 – $336 a month. It’s supposedly healthier than dry food, and costs a lot more.
If you use dry food, it comes in huge sacks. You’ll probably get a hernia just lifting it off the ground. But dry food sacks are just $30 – $50 each. Most cats and dogs go through these at a rate of one a month. I don’t care what you’ve read on other forums, trust me: it’s one a month. Not one every 6 weeks. Not every 2 months.
If you also buy treats, these cost around $7 a pack, and you’ll probably buy one a week. That’s an additional $28 a month.
Grooming
Mobile grooming services will come right to your door, and they charge about $150 – $300, depending on the type of pet. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay about $10 for a round trip (to get your pet to the groomer’s and back).
Most pet owners are happy to have it done at home, since it means keeping your pet out of a potential flea pit. Maybe arrange for someone to sit in with the groomer, if you have to go to work.
Different animals have different grooming needs. Short-haired dogs and cats are usually groomed once a month, or once in six weeks. Long haired dogs and cats may have to be groomed twice a month. I shave once a week.
Vet Services
Did you know at one point in the early 2000’s, there were less than a dozen vets in Singapore? Probably because there are easier ways to make a living besides being arm deep in animal guts, and having your forearm used as a scratching post from nine to five.
|
Vet Services |
Fees |
|
Consultation |
Around $40 |
|
Vaccination |
$50 |
|
Spaying for Cats |
$100 – $150 |
|
Spaying for Dogs |
$150 – $500 (varies based on breed) |
|
Spaying for Rabbits |
$50 – $150 |
|
Heartworm / Distemper / Parovirus Test |
$50 |
|
Microchipping |
$50 – $80 |
*Prices based on estimates
You can bypass the cost of spaying by adopting a pet that’s already spayed. The other costs are mandatory; prepare to pay for them within the first year of getting a pet.
Microchipping, by the way, refers to the cost of implanting and activating a microchip in your pet’s ear (for dogs and cats). It works like a “Find my ipet” app. Except if your pet bites or scratches someone, the AVA knows how to find you as well.
Price Breakdown
This is the average price breakdown (1st month) of buying a pedigree dog:
|
Purchases |
Approx. Cost |
| Purchase Cost of Pet (Pedigree Dog) |
$1,500 |
| Vet Consultation |
$40 |
| Spaying |
$150 |
| Vaccination |
$50 |
| Microchipping |
$80 |
| Heartworm Check |
$50 |
| Dry food (1 month) |
$30 |
| Grooming (End of month) |
$200 |
| Equipment (leash, bowl, etc.) |
$150 |
| Total |
$2,250 |
*Prices based on estimates
After that, pet maintenance will be around $270 a month (dry food, vet check-ups, and grooming). So think it over before buying; adoption will shave $1k right off that bill. And while they may cost more than a PC or game console, pets are healthier diversions for children.
Image Credits:
Puplife, animalbing.com, adilugosi.blogspot.com, findavet.us, jkbrooks85
Are you a pet owner? Tell us about your pet costs and pet peeves in the comments!