This article talks about the heavy costs of owning a pet. Whether it is a cat or a horse, they caution against impulse buying. According to the article the cost per year for a large dog is $875 for basic needs and for a cat the yearly cost is around $670. These prices however do not include emergency trips, which can cost thousands of dollars or the cost of owning during their first year. This is important for people to realize before buying a pet because while you may want the pet for its company, a low budget may hurt the animal later on. Maybe animals are relinquished every year because their owners do not take care of them and their expenses. People can also choose to euthanize their animals because they cannot afford emergency veterinary costs – even if it is for a simple fix.
As an owner of two dogs I can relate with this article when they say it is not cheap to own a pet. As an owner you want to provide the very best for your animals to ensure they stay healthy and fit. Skipping out in one aspect may lead problems in another area. For example, buying cheap food may lead to severe digestive problems or obesity. Do you think more people would reconsider buying a pet if they knew how much it actually costs to take care of them?
Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/your-money/27wealth.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Animal%20Lovers,%20Beware%20Of%20Ownership%20Costs%20%20%20%20%20&st=cse
It`s sad that people often take hasty decisions to adopt a pet when they later can`t afford one. However,we also need into account the fact that if we did not adopt such pets, their lives might have been even more miserable. Each year 6-8 million dogs are killed and most pet store puppies come from puppy mills, mass-breeding operations in which ill, suffering dogs are kept in deplorable conditions.Therefore while we discuss about hasty peoples` misinformed decision to adopt pets, we also need to consider the fates of these poor animals if we did not take them in our homes.
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