Animal pragmatism

Don't be seduced by the puppy eyes or frantically wagging tail - pet ownership is an expensive business that requires plenty of thought. But if you do take the plunge there are financial supports available to help the relationship last, writes Caroline Madden.

IN THE US and the UK, record numbers of pets are being abandoned by owners who can no longer afford to keep them because of the credit crunch. As of yet, there are no indications that the phenomenon has reached these shores. But with the cost of living rising inexorably and the economy taking a turn for the worse, it's more important than ever to do your sums before taking the plunge into pet ownership.

It's all too easy to fall for a frantically wagging tail or a pair of adoring brown eyes, and gloss over the boring details like how much this little bundle of joy is going to cost to look after. So it's only when the first flush of puppy love dies down that most people realise the full financial implications of becoming a pet owner.

"Most people have an emotive response to getting an animal," says Orla Aungier of the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA). "They don't consider the costs or time involved."

As the panel shows, it costs more than €1,500 a year to care for a mid-sized dog. Given that dogs live for an average of 16 years, this mounts up to a major financial investment over their lifetime. In the case of a medium-sized healthy dog, you can expect to spend in the region of €20,000 to €24,000 during their life, according to the DSPCA.

One of the most common things that prospective pet owners overlook is their annual holiday. Who will take care of the new furry family member when you jet off for two weeks in the sun? Relatives may be none too thrilled to find Rover or Fluffy dumped on their doorstep, and boarding kennels are increasingly expensive. Boarding fees typically range from €8 to €13 a night for cats, and €12 to €20 for a dog, which bumps up the cost of a holiday quite considerably.

"Each summer both ourselves and the pounds are inundated with unwanted dogs that we know are dumped because of holidays," says Aungier. "Owners are unwilling to pay the fees or have left it so late they can't get kennels."

"Another thing that people forget is damage that dogs especially can cause," she continues. "If you leave a young dog unattended or don't provide necessary exercise, they can become bored and cause damage in the home - chewing furniture, digging up gardens.

"We have had dogs dumped or returned to us because of the cost of damage to their property. Of course it can be avoided by training and a suitable home environment."

Before getting a dog, it's vital to be realistic about how much time you will actually be able to dedicate to training, exercising and playing with them. If you can't fit "walkies" into your daily routine, then you may have no choice but to pay a professional dog walker to do this for you. But if want your dog walked five times a week, be prepared to pay as much as €4,800 a year for the service.

Veterinary fees are potentially the biggest expense of all, but they often come as a surprise. "Without doubt vet fees are a cost that many owners never consider especially if they take a young, healthy dog," Aungier observes. "They never think that their dog is going to get sick or injured."

"If you're struggling with mortgage repayments and you're struggling with bills, if you've suddenly got an injured dog and you're going to be hit with an €800 or €900 bill, I think that could be quite daunting," she says. "I think there will be situations where people simply can't cope."

Given that one in three pets needs veterinary treatment each year, pet insurance is highly recommended and doesn't cost the earth. Annual premiums with Allianz Petplan range from €114 for a cross-breed cat, to €240 for a "select breed" of dog (such as bulldogs and St Bernards), and can be paid on a monthly basis. A discount is available for microchipped pets, as they are easier to find if they are lost or stolen.

One of the most expensive conditions to treat is diabetes, which according to Allianz is occurring more and more frequently in dogs because of bad diet and weight problems. Diabetes can cost in the region of €2,500 a year to treat, which would make a serious dent in a pet owner's budget if they didn't have insurance.

Allianz pet insurance also covers animal behaviour therapy. So, for example, if a cat or dog is overly aggressive or suffers from separation anxiety, they may need expert therapy. One session can cost as much as €150, a fee that even the most devoted owner might baulk at if their insurance policy didn't cover it.

The insurance policy also has the added advantage of providing third-party cover, which means that if your four-legged friend decides to attack someone, or causes accidental injury, for example by running out in front of a cyclist, at least you won't end up out of pocket.

As any pet owner will know, Murphy's law applies when it comes to animals - whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. For example, a dog belonging to an Allianz customer devoured 20 chocolate coins earlier this year, and had to go to the emergency hospital to have its stomach pumped, as chocolate is poisonous to dogs. This treatment would have cost about €400 if the owner didn't have insurance.

The Irish Blue Cross (www.bluecross.ie) animal care charity strongly recommends that pet owners take out insurance, particularly if they own high-risk breeds that are prone to certain medical conditions. However, a spokeswoman for the charity, Bernadette Doyle, says that although pet insurance can cost as little as €11 or €12 a month, people on low incomes often have more pressing demands on their finances and simply can't afford it.

So what do you do if your uninsured pet limps home pitifully with a bad injury and you're faced with the prospect of unmanageable vet bills? Before resigning yourself to a trip to the local animal shelter, investigate all the alternatives, because assistance is available for people in this situation.

For example the Blue Cross provides low-cost services to hard-pressed pet owners. It operates mobile veterinary clinics at 10 locations in Dublin every week. At least 10,000 treatments and vaccinations are carried out at the mobiles each year. The clinics are intended for genuinely needy pet owners unable to afford private veterinary fees. "We ask for a very small donation at our clinics if people can afford it," says Doyle. "We never turn anyone away."

The clinics are run by volunteer vets and helpers who can provide basic first aid, and if the pet requires further treatment they can be referred to private practices for surgeries and tests through the Blue Cross subsidised referral scheme. "Essentially they end up paying just one-third of the cost," says Doyle. The charity also provides reduced-cost neutering and microchipping services for pet owners in need.

With supports like this available, abandoning a pet really should be the very last resort. But Doyle's advice is to think long and hard about the time and costs involved before getting a pet in the first place.