Here’s How Much Your Pets Cost Per Year

Pets are awesome. They provide unconditional love and lifelong companionship. Our lives would be significantly poorer without them. (Well, except for ferrets. Screw those guys.)

Unfortunately, the cost of keeping a critter over its lifespan can be surprisingly steep once you factor in the purchase price, food, vet bills, pet insurance and miscellaneous equipment. For some species, we’re talking in the tens of thousands of dollars.

The infographic below was compiled by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) based on data from Animal Medicines Australia and Australian pet insurers. It estimates the average per-year cost of several popular pets – along with tips to keep the price down without sacrificing their happiness.

Here’s how the annual cost breaks down for the four most popular type of pet:

Dogs

  • Food: $622
  • Vet care: $397
  • Health products: $248
  • Grooming: $129
  • Boarding: $86
  • Cost per year: $1,475

Cats

  • Food: $576
  • Vet care: $273
  • Health products: $159
  • Grooming: $45
  • Boarding: $80
  • Cost per year: $1,029

Fish

  • Food: $15
  • Accessories: $20
  • Cost per year: $50

Birds

  • Food: $55
  • Accessories: $22
  • Cost per year: $115

There you have it: even a lowly gold fish can cost you upwards of $50 per year. For more details, check out the full infographic below. In addition to average costs, it contains useful information on pet insurance and common intestinal injuries to avoid.



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[Via MoneySmart]


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