The Real Costs of Owning a Pet

Yes, those fur-babies sure are cute. But how expensive could a tiny ball of fluff really be?

The answer, as you may have suspected, is A LOT. Check out our visual at the right for some basic numbers.

Imagine you adopt a puppy. Just this cost can range from free to hundreds of dollars. Purebred “trendy” breeds of dogs can easily go for thousands of dollars! A quick Google search for French Bulldog puppies in NYC had a list topping out at $20,000 for show-quality dogs.

Some dogs have more expensive needs than others, such as grooming. This can be optional for many dogs, but others definitely need a nice haircut every so often. Figuring $30 a month for this, you could easily be out $360 a year.

Other dogs have sensitive tummies and require special food. The latest development in dog food is all-natural and refrigerated. At around $10 for just a few servings, this is many times the cost of dry kibble.

And what if you want to go away and aren’t lucky enough to have a friend or family member who will look after your pet? Then it’s off to be boarded, where prices run from $20 a night in Mississippi to $60 or more in the northeast.

Or, forget that – maybe you’ll save some money and just take the dog with you. That still can add up, as many hotels charge an extra pet fee. It’s not uncommon for a hotel to add up to $50 to your bill for this. (There are, however, a few chains that allow pets to stay for free: for instance Kimpton at the upper end of the rate chart, and Motel 6 at the other end.)

Finally, there are the good old-fashioned “miscellaneous” costs. Does Mrs. Fluffikins need a heated cat bed? How about a studded leather collar for Buster? Or new toys, just because? In our opinion, those miscellaneous purchases are the most fun expenses to consider when owning a pet.