Before you start thinking about what to name your next dog or what breed you’d like, you should first think about everything that goes into owning a dog or other pet.
The United States is home to around 70 million pet dogs and around 80 million pet cats.
That is a lot of pets, and it’s why it seems like everyone has one.
Actually, most RVers have some sort of pet too – dogs, cats, turtles, and even parrots.
But, according to the ASPCA, about 7.6 million animals enter animal shelters each year, and one-third of them are brought in by their owners.
Yes, that means that millions of pets are sent to a shelter by their owners.
Why do so many pet owners give up their animals?
Well, according to a survey done by Petfinder, people relinquish their pets because they are moving, they own too many pets, the cost of pet maintenance is too high, and more.
Another finding from this survey is that 47% of dogs and 40% of cats are between the ages of 5 months and 3 years. Most dogs and cats are only owned between seven months to one year. This means that people are getting rid of their pets pretty quickly.
Lastly, 33% of dogs and 46% of cats that were given up had never been brought to a veterinarian. This is because many people do not realize how much time and money pets require!
Now, I absolutely love pets.
I have two dogs of my own, and, while some may disagree, they are members of our family. We bring them everywhere we go, we love cuddling with them, we regularly (almost daily) go on long hikes with them, we take them to the vet annually, and we just had multiple tumors removed from one of our dogs (so we understand what high vet bills are like).
But, many people take up owning a dog without fully thinking about everything that goes into owning one.
This can lead to surrendering the pet to an animal shelter. And, sadly there are approximately 2,700,000 pets euthanized each year.
I know that owning a dog or cat can be very appealing (they can be great companions), but before you assume you should own one, you should be realistic about your ability to care for a pet.
Related: 12 Things You Need To Know About Traveling With A Dog
Before you think about owning a dog or cat, think about the below:
Do you have the time for a pet?
Owning a pet, whether it’s a dog or even a cat, requires you to spend at least some of your time with them. In general, owning a dog will take up more time than other types of pets. You can’t just crate your dog all day long and never take him or her out for walks or to run around outside.
Many people end up getting rid of their dogs because the dog has to be left alone for too much of the day. If you have to leave your dog inside for the majority of the day, it may use the bathroom inside of your home, destroy your couch, and so on.
Pets need to spend time with others, so before you get one, you need to make sure you can spend plenty of time with them.
Are you ready for the responsibility?
Owning a dog or other pet comes with a lot of responsibility.
You’ll have to find someone to watch yours pets when you go on vacation, you’ll have to think about what you’ll do with your pets if and when you’re gone for the day, the costs (discussed further below), and more.
A pet will require many hours of your day, and it’s not something that you can just shrug off.
Your pet’s livelihood depends on you, and they look forward to seeing you each day. You should look forward to spending time with them as well.
Do you realize that one day your pet will no longer be a baby?
One day, that puppy or kitten you brought home won’t be so tiny anymore. It may grow into a huge dog, even if the breeder told you otherwise.
I know many people who were told by a breeder that the dog they purchased would only be 15 or 20 pounds, yet they are 50+.
And, sadly many people give up their pets because they say they just aren’t as cute anymore.
Well, WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?!
Animals do age, and so will your puppy or kitten.
Getting a pet just because it’s cute isn’t a good reason. Your pet will get bigger and maybe not as cute, and you need to think about the next 10 to 20 years with them, not just the super cute baby months.
Are you prepared for it to be more difficult to find a rental?
Owning a dog usually means that it will be more difficult to find a rental, as the average landlord usually does not allow pets, especially dogs. This means that you may have to search further away for a rental that suits your needs, pay a monthly pet fee, and more.
According to the statistics I cited earlier from Petfinder, each year over 100,000 pets are surrendered to animal shelters, many of them euthanized, because the owner did not realize how hard it could be to move with them.
While it’s not impossible, you will have to try harder and it may even require more money to find the best rental.
Can you afford owning a dog or cat?
Dogs and cats are expensive.
Many people don’t understand the total cost of owning a dog or cat and only think about the cost of pet food.
Unfortunately, that’s all most people think about, and I am always shocked by that.
You will need to think about veterinarian visits, obedience classes, housing, and more.
The average cost of owning a dog or cat can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000+ annually.
That is a lot of money!
If you cannot afford the costs of owning a pet, then you should wait to adopt one.
You need to make sure you and your family’s financial obligations are taken care of before taking on the cost of adopting a pet. Considering that the average person only saves around 5% or less of their salary each year, the cost of owning a pet ($500 to $2,000 a year) may severely impact your ability to save any money at all.
Plus, no pet deserves to be surrendered at an animal shelter. If you are upfront and realistic with your financial obligations, you can prevent another pet from being surrendered and losing their family.
Are you interested in owning a dog? Do you think that some people jump into pet ownership?
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I wish we had the time for dogs. Unfortunately we both work busy schedules and I don’t think it would be fair to not give the attention to the dogs that they would need. Hopefully once we reach FIRE we will have more time and explore then 🙂
Knowing this is so important!
I so agree with this Michelle. I did own a cat for 16 years when my children were young and I was fortunate in that it never was sick.during all that time. I realize how lucky I was when I hear friends and acquaintances talk about spending $1,000 – $3,000 on vet bills in one year. I would only get a pet if I was quite rich and not bat an eye signing a cheque for that kind of money. And yes, I often see or hear of people trying to get rid of their animan or even abandoning them on the side of the road. Awful!
So awful!
Yes! This!
I saw someone the other day saying if his dog cost him more than $500, he’d put him down. It made me so angry. If you can’t afford an animal, don’t get one. If you aren’t committed, then leave puppy adoption to someone else who is.
I travel the world full-time with my dog and I hear stories all the time about people abandoning their pets because it wouldn’t be as convenient to take them along. So not okay. Would you put your child up for adoption or leave him to be raised by family members because it wasn’t convenient for you? No? Then don’t do it to an animal either.
That is so horrible!
I’m shamefully guilty of relinquishing my beautiful baby to a shelter. My fiancé is abusive, verbally and emotionally; yes too me primarily. He’s wonderful to the cat, was just horrible to the dog, I decided, against my will this precious creature needs a warm, safe place to live, so I surrendered her to a reputable shelter. My heart is still broken over this..
. happened 2 years ago. Cats, dogs, birds, and yes snakes have emotions. If your with someone who is abusive, DO NOT BREAK THAT ANIMALS TRUST. The outcome may end up WORSE THAN YOU IMAGINED.
I totally agree and it upsets me that so many people consider pets as something that are disposable.
Just recently I saw a post on Reddit where a father had a second thought about buying his son a lizard for his birthday. The upfront cost was pretty low $60-$100, pretty reasonable for a birthday gift, but he figured out that between food, vet bills, special equipment, it would cost about $10,000 for the life of the lizard (that’s on top of the two dogs they already had).
They ended up taking him to the amusement park instead. Smart choice.
Wow, I had no idea that it would cost so much for a lizard.
Neither did I to be honest. Something about the specialized food, equipment and veterinary care. Upfront cost is low but the total cost is very high.
I have owned dogs all of my live. As a teenager I cared for four dogs and three cats. There are many things to consider before adopting a pet. The cost, care, overall responsibility. Pets need to be played with, exercise, etc. It’s not a good idea to keep them locked up all day when you are off at work. We currently have a Shiba Inu and he’s part of the family. He gets plenty of attention and playtime with the family.
Yes, exactly!
This is exactly why my husband and I have yet to adopt an animal. At this stage in our life, it just doesn’t make sense. However, I’d love to have a pet someday! When we are settled and have the time to take care of one, and also have the money for the vet bills (should we need to pay a small fortune) we will revisit the topic!
Good for you!
This is such a great post; so many don’t think through pet ownership in advance. We’re in the process of moving, and our three cats are definitely making it more complicated! (But we will manage as we won’t be renting.)
My brother has a dog he totally loves, but he also loves traveling, taking at least a month or two every year away from home. It’s not easy to find care for his dog for longer than a few days, and the dog doesn’t handle kennels well. He is lucky that our parents are often willing to take the dog in while my brother travels!
Yes, your brother is lucky! For us, it’s near impossible to leave our dogs. They are super attached to us since we work from home and spend every moment with them. Glad we chose RV life!
I couldn’t agree more with your advice. There are many options to weigh before taking on the responsibilities of bringing home a pet.
Groovy Cat is our only remaining cat. He’s lonely since his brother and sister are gone. As much as we’d love to get him a sibling to play with, there will always be one remaining. When we travel it takes planning to make sure his needs are met. My long term sitter/friend relocated and I won’t have just anyone watching him. My other two babies were very sick at the end and watching them deteriorate was heartbreaking. Plus we spent thousands on vet bills (which I would do again).
Thanks!
Yes, pets can be expensive and time-consuming. It drives me crazy having a dog some times. But, my wife and son love our pug, Max.
I had my first dog with my wife — another pug named “Pugz.” We got her at a Phillies game when the SPCA was there. They nicknamed her “Pug” McGraw after late Phillies pitcher Tug McGraw (who is also country star Tim McGraw’s father). Anyway, I grew to love her.
When the poor thing got cancer in 2011, we paid $5,000 to have her go through chemo and she miraculously survived. She was cancer free for 5 years until we had to put her down on the day of my son’s 1st birthday party. Very sad day, but we put on a strong face for our son and managed to have a fun day for him.
If you’re going to get a pet, be ready to fall in love. Once that happens, it will be tough to not pony up the money for big treatments and surgeries. Also, consider pet insurance. Just my two cents.
Thanks for sharing,
Dave
Yes, exactly! We just paid a few thousand to remove tumors from one of our dogs. We didn’t even bat an eye – we love her too much to not do the right thing.
Where do you draw the line though? You might have a big budget, but my family would have to draw the line somewhere. When our cat had complications from diabetes, we were ready to plunk down $1600 to save her, but the vet said there were no guarantees, and be ready to invest several thousand more over the next few years. We loved our cat, but had to draw the line somewhere. Most people do love their pets, and will part with their savings to take care of them, but still have a realistic family budget to think about. We made the awful decision to put her down and donate the money to a local non-kill cat shelter.
Yes! Welcoming a pet into your life is no different than welcoming children into your life. Pets cost money and time and they may not be the best decision for everyone. There are more frugal ways to obtain and own a pet (like adopting from a shelter!), but pets do cost money! Is a kitty worth sacrificing $1k – $2k a year? For me it was, so I adopted Zap the Cat, but still, it’s worth thinking over.
Yes, exactly!
Having a pet is a long-term commitment, especially when cats and dogs can live 10+ years. My mother’s cat is going on 17 years and is still healthy. Cat litter, food, and vet bills add up in 17 years!
So when the hubby kept asking for a family dog (I’ve never been a dog person mind you) we made sure to discuss who would take care of him to keep certain costs down first. The type of dog we choose needs to be walked or he becomes bored and acts out (destroy shoes, etc). Instead of hiring a dog walker, we walk him every morning and also have a big back yard to let him play. He also sheds A LOT and grooming is not cheap ($60+/month) but luckily we have our kids help wash and brush him as part of their chores 😉
The bonus is he replaces us needing to pay for an alarm system and he’s really lovable 🙂
Awww 🙂
Haha yes!
Good job!
Awww!
Great post Michelle!
It is so sad that so many people think of their pets as disposable. I personally know of someone who had a young dog that was in a small cage all day. She was moving to an apartment that didn’t take animals so she was going to have him put to sleep. Lucky for him, my mom was able to take him in and had him until he passed away last year.
I have had dogs all throughout my childhood. Now as an adult, since I work long hours and don’t expect a dog to be caged or ‘hold it’ all day, I have cats (were strays). I love them to bits and think of them as family. I would never, NEVER move somewhere where they weren’t welcome. I spare no expense on food and vet care.
I wish you had to have a license to own a pet. It is a huge and sometimes costly commitment.
Yes, I wish a license was required as well! Too many people take pet ownership too lightly.