Owning a pet can be great. The majority of people who live with one say it has a positive impact on their mental health, according to 2021 data from the Central Statistics Office.
Having a pet costs money too and would-be owners should budget for the expense to avoid what could be a costly mistake.
Just over half of people surveyed had a pet in their home, according to the CSO figures. One in five respondents got theirs during the pandemic, and dogs are Ireland’s pet of choice with 28 per cent of households having one.
A dog isn’t the right choice for everyone, as local authority pounds and rescue centres can attest to. During the period January to November 2023, the charity Dogs Trust Ireland received 3,565 surrender requests for dogs in Ireland.
The most common age of those dogs was two years and under.
Reasons for surrender included the dog’s behaviour, the time to care for it, accommodation challenges, the owner’s finances and dog medical needs. All of these things can be costly for owners.
How much does it cost to get a dog?
Your first cost will be acquiring a dog. You’ll find almost any breed you want in online marketplaces, but this can be an expensive mistake. That three-month old dachshund for €1,300 could turn out to be a two year-old with issues. Stories are legion of buyers being scammed for hundreds if not thousands of euro with no redress.
There is no way to be certain a dog bought online comes from a good breeder, says the Irish Pet Advertising Advisory Group (IPAAG). You’ll find tips on spotting red flags on ipaag.ie. the group’s website.
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Adopt from a reputable animal welfare organisation, vets and charities advise. These professionals have a vested interest in matching you with the right dog. Adopting helps cut the number of animals in shelters and the cost is an affordable donation.
“Our adoption fee is €220 for an adult dog, or €270 for a puppy,” says Melanie Kevelighan of Dogs Trust.
All Dogs Trust adoptees are microchipped, vaccinated and will have been vet-checked, says Kevelighan. If you adopt a puppy too young to be neutered, the charity provides a voucher of up to €150 towards the cost.
“New owners also receive a starter bag of food, a collar and a lead,” says Kevelighan. You’ll get a discount on Dogs Trust online dog school, too. Training can help prevent behaviours that owners can find difficult to live with or costly to correct.
For those adopting from Galway-based charity Madra Dog Rescue, a donation of €190 for an adult dog and €245 for puppies up to six months old is recommended. Dogs are vaccinated, treated for fleas and worms and microchipped.
New owners should budget €20 a year for a dog licence or €140 for a lifetime licence.
Cost of living
Having a dog means an extra mouth to feed. The cost of food will depend on the dog’s size and the food recommended, says the Irish Kennel Club.
Dog food for Robbie, a small five-year-old terrier mix, is €330 a year, says owner Emmet who lives in Dublin 8. That adds €27.50 a month to his household food bill, not including treats.
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Emmet grew up having a dog, and he and his partner adopted Robbie from a charity in 2021. By far the biggest additional cost to their household has been the cost of having the dog minded when they are away. This will be a factor for many working households without friends and family available to help out.
“When you are budgeting to go on holidays with flights, accommodation and spending money, you have to remember you have to budget €35 a day for the dog sitter. If you are going for 10 days to two weeks, that can really ratchet up,” says Emmet.
For a 10-day holiday, with Robbie minded in the sitter’s own home, the cost is €350.
The couple use the same dog minder to look after Robbie for the two days a week when they go to the office – this adds €200 a month to household costs. Putting Robbie in a kennel for holidays at about €25 a night would be cheaper, but Robbie is an anxious dog and they value the continuity of using just one minder in a small setting. The couple can afford it, but the cost is not inconsiderable, says Emmet.
Veterinary costs
Veterinary costs are a worry for many dog owners. Their impact on dog ownership and the rate of abandonment and surrender was examined by an Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture in December.
The cost for a new hip, cataract removal or the treatment of heart or skin disease can go on for years and run to thousands of euro. The cost of certain procedures can be prohibitive and owners might have to consider not giving treatment. That’s where insurance can come into its own, vets say.
Only about 30 per cent of owners in Ireland have pet insurance, Bill Cashman, a member of the Veterinary Ireland Companion Animal Society, told the Oireachtas committee.
There are limits to pet insurance, he explained. “As animals get older, we find that the coverage reduces and the exclusions increase. There are also limits to allowable annual usage,” he told the committee.
“We [vets] would all love to do everything, but there is only so much that can be paid for. The only person who can pay the cost is, indeed, the animal owner.”
The breed of your dog, its age and health will all impact the cost of insurance. To insure a young, mixed-breed dog, expect to pay about €16 per month, according to Switcher.ie. This can rise to more than €50 per month for an older, pedigree dog.
The most expensive dog breeds to insure are larger, pedigree dogs and those prone to breathing problems, joint issues, pancreatitis, heart conditions and cancer – breeds such as English and French bulldogs and pugs, according to research from UK comparison site GoCompare.
Vet fees are typically covered by up to €4,000 per year in Ireland, but not everything will be reimbursed.
Policies don’t normally cover conditions your pet was born with, or pre-existing conditions. For example, if your dog has diabetes, you will not be covered for any illness caused by diabetes complications.
The costs of preventative treatments such as an annual vet check-up, vaccinations, worming, flea control or neutering aren’t covered either.
Annual insurance for five-year-old terrier mix Robbie costs €18.60 a month or €224 a year, says Emmet. Robbie has been prescribed a canine Prozac and requires a check-up every few months. Receipts for treatment aren’t reimbursed one at a time but all together at the end of the year or the end of a course of treatment, says Emmet.
This can leave owners in the dark as to what exactly will be reimbursed until it’s all paid for.
Robbie has also had two home visits from an animal behaviourist to help his owners deal with his reactivity in some situations and with sleeping routines. The €200 per visit cost will not be reimbursed by the insurer.
When money is tight, it may be tempting to cancel your dog’s insurance, but this could lead to bigger costs if they become unexpectedly ill or need surgery.
Before getting a dog, use an insurance comparison site like Switcher.ie to check quotes. If you are changing to a cheaper provider, check the exclusions. You could also ask your existing provider for a cheaper policy. This may result in less comprehensive cover, but pre-existing conditions should still be included.
Pet dog cremation when the time comes ranges from €250 to €450.
Pet premium
Among their reasons for surrendering their pet to the Dogs Trust in 2023, 345 owners cited a change in their accommodation, the Oireachtas committee heard. Landlords who accept dogs are increasingly difficult to find and those who do may add a premium to your rent.
Many new build-to-rent developers have woken up to the opportunity and actively welcome pets – but at a cost. There is a monthly per-pet rent of €75 at Brickfield Square in Drimnagh. This contributes to the additional cleaning and maintenance required, it says. Node in Phibsborough charges €75 for pets “to ensure they have a comfortable stay too”.
If you’re bringing your pooch to an Airbnb or dog-friendly hotel, expect to pay an additional cleaning fee of €20 or €30.
Pets for the rich?
The overall cost of pet ownership may be becoming more difficult for some, with the cost-of-living crisis chiefly impacting low-income households.
In September 2022, for example, St Vincent de Paul reported paying the €20 dog licence fee for a pensioner struggling with utility bills.
However, those with higher disposable incomes are spending more on their pets than ever, according to pet industry publication, GlobalPETS.
Ireland is home to half a million dogs, according to Euromonitor International figures. In 2022, Irish pet owners spent an estimated €158 million on pet food, according to Euromonitor, and a further €81 million on various pet care and leisure products.
The majority of people who live with a pet (87 per cent) said the animal had a positive impact on their wellbeing and mental health, with only 2 per cent saying their pet had a negative impact, according to the CSO study.
Adopted-dog parent Emmet says the cost to his household is worth it. “Robbie brings energy and fun to the house. He gets you out and about. He puts you in a really good mood. If you are ever down, he’s there for you.”
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