That cute Xmas puppy could cost over $1000 a year

That cute Xmas puppy could cost over $1000 every year of its life

Wednesday 19 December 2012. WELLINGTON. Stop and think before you get that cute puppy or kitten as a Christmas present. That kitten or puppy could cost thousands of dollars in its lifetime and will need ongoing daily nurturing and care.

“Think about how it will be looked after, when will it be de-sexed, vaccinations, health checks, how much it will cost on a daily basis and whether it will still be loved when it grows out of the cute kitten or puppy stage,” said Dr Wayne Ricketts, veterinary resources manager of the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA.

He noted the average cat will cost upward of $466 a year on food, veterinary services and healthcare according to research by the NZ Companion Animal Council last year.

“But, the average dog will cost more than twice that, at $1,047 a year, according to the same research – and that puppy will need exercise and attention to avoid behavioural and health problems, every day, not just occasionally,” Dr Ricketts explained.

Veterinarians know that pets are a far greater commitment than many people realise. Feeding, cleaning, grooming, health care and veterinary services, such as de-sexing, health checks and vaccinations, are all necessary and ongoing costs throughout a pet’s lifetime.

“Too many unwanted pets end up in SPCA shelters and veterinary clinics as the New Year turns into the work and school year. And worse, litters of unwanted kittens and puppies are found in dreadful circumstances, for example in rubbish skips and tips, rivers and streams, or abandoned on the side of the road” he said.

“Potentially several thousand kittens can be produced from a single unspeyed cat and her unspeyed female kittens in a single year, so please - make sure pets are de-sexed as a matter of course.

“Where cats become stray or feral they have a devastating effect on our native wildlife.

“So let’s give a thought to the long-term nature of pet ownership, and only bring those pets into the family that will be cared for responsibly for their whole lives,” Wayne Ricketts said.

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