Could you make the decision to save a loved one’s life if it put you thousands of dollars in debt? If the answer to that question is no, you should not adopt a pet.
Pet ownership is often touted as a way to teach responsibility, but sometimes would-be owners don’t understand how much it can cost until their animal gets sick. According to the ASPCA, around 125,000 pets are given up each year because the owner can’t afford their medical care.
Pet medicine is often cheaper than equivalent human treatment, but it can still cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. The national average cost of an X-ray is about $250. Surgery from intestinal blockage, if they eat something dangerous, can cost anywhere from $800 to $7,000. The average cost to relieve a cat’s bladder stones is $1,846, and the average cost for knee surgery in a dog is $3,289, according to Nationwide Insurance. More than half of pet owners have declined care their pet needed due to cost, according to this poll of 2,500 pet owners, performed by PetSmart Charities. The average monthly insurance cost is $62 for dogs and $32 for cats, according to PawlicyAdvisor, a pet insurance comparison site.
I currently work at a vaccine clinic for cats and dogs. I see pets all the time with rashes, open sores, odd growths and sometimes even broken bones. When we notify the owners they often tell us they’re aware of it but they can’t afford treatment. Pet insurance can cover some of this, but still leads to a monthly cost. Imagine if this was a human child. A parent walking down the street while their kid limps along behind them with a broken leg. Child Protective Services would seize that neglected child from the parent’s custody. This level of neglect would be shocking to see in humans, but for pets it just happens.
Make no mistake: Pets will get sick. Dogs chase cars. Cats fall off perches. Both eat things they shouldn’t. Tails get caught in things. A pet can fall ill for seemingly no reason, just like us. No living creature is always in perfect health, and when owners can’t afford care, the pet suffers. There are other unavoidable costs to consider when adopting a pet, such as food, toys and exercise. Everything about them requires commitments of time and money, and no matter how much you might love them, if you’re not able to provide these things, your home is not suitable.
Even if you can provide these basics, consider whether your living situation might change. Are you a college student and plan to move in the next few years? If you are, a pet can massively limit housing options when it comes time to move for your career.
Pet ownership is baked into the American dream. Two kids, a white picket fence and a dog. It’s easy to see why. Pets are almost universally beloved, and nearly everyone wants one. Having it be part of this shared cultural goal, however, means it becomes part of everyone’s to do list, even if they’re not particularly suitable as a pet owner. Pets are also much cheaper than a house or marriage so it’s commonly what couples do first.
Pet ownership is a lovely thing. It can offer relief from stress and improve one’s mental health. I have personally known people who claim their pets have kept them from suicide. Millions of pets wait in shelters needing loving homes. I want all of those pets to be adopted, and I want everyone who wants a pet to have one.
But it is not a decision to make lightly, and before making it people need to consider a variety of factors that affect quality of life for both the owner and the pet. Adopting a living creature that you are not equipped to take care of can create needless suffering, and can’t be thought of as a casual purchase or taking up a new hobby.
If you’re adopting a pet, or thinking about it, draft a budget. In the line right under food, put in a number for insurance, and at least a few hundred dollars for possible medical costs. Keep in mind that the consequences of falling short on this are just as bad if not worse than anything else on the list, then determine honestly if a pet is something you can afford.
