I do agree with you! Now, for the most part-if you have an indoor animal and you're very careful about what you feed them ect... you probably won't have to spend thousands of dollars on it, but-even if your animal is in good health and you do everything you can to keep them that way, there are still going to be those suprise vet bills for things like: deworming, vaccinations and booster shots, flea treatments, toys (because you have to keep them mentally and physically challanged and happy-with cats that includes scratching posts and cat nip) and getting their nails trimed. Spaying and Neutering if neccissary.

Animals are very exspensive to have.Along with their up keep you never know how their health will be down the road.I had 2 dogs(Labs) that both broke their legs slipping on the ice at my house.It would of cost $1500. to fix and didn't know if it would happen again.My hubby and I can't go away together at the same time the cost to board them is alot of money.So people really need to realize this is a long commitment.I know I have heard that they are good for a persons health.In my case with my 2 dogs,I love them to death and spoil them,they cause me stress at times.

That's my 2 cents.

Yvonne

Well some animals can in some way be inexpensive but in my family that is not the case, all of us has a pet my cousin has 9 dogs some with medical conditions which have cost them lots of money, my aunt has 2 dogs one of which is quite sick and no vet can figure out what is wrong with it so she keeps having to have spend hundreds of dollor to have different tests done, my other aunt has 3 cat all with medical conditions, and then theres me I have 4 cats and just last week we had to take the oldest one to the vet because he was constipated, 2 days in the vet and $1600 dollors later he is now back home but will have to be on medication for the rest of his life which is not cheap. And then there is the cost of vaccinations for all of them which is going to cost us another $2000. If you look at the costs for an animal by month and not by year yes they are inexpensive, but when you add up the costs for one year for things such as food, toys, leashes, vet visits, training if you pet needs it, and boarding for when you go on a trip they are very expesive. Never the less pets bring us joy and make our lives better.

i have 9 dogs..

when people tell me in am nuts because they cost too much

i simply ask THEM how many KIDS do you have?/

well if you have two kids,, to me that is 2 too many! LOL

 how much do YOU spend on their food, clothes, doctor bills, schoold books etc..??

it all matters in what a person wants and cares about.

i never wanted kids therefore i never had them.

i ALWAYS wanted lots of dogs, so that is what i did with MY life.

Yes vet bills can be costly but sometime the ppl just go along with anything the vet says w/o questioning the vet.

there are now companies offering VET DISCOUNTS for ppl w/multiple pets and that is tons better than vet/pet insurance

so.it is all in what really matters to a person..and your view on things

human kids that cost you $$ all their life, hurt you drive you nuts

or animal companions with unconditional love and really need you?

i have no regrets at all about never having human kids so the $$ goes to MY kids that i chose

That was my point....animals are people too, and you're right, cost the same as kids can!  Good point!

Melissa.

good point. Even with all of the money that we have spent on our pets we still love them very much and will do anything for them just like we would if they were human. It doesn't matter if they are human or not we all try to do our best to give them all they need and to keep them happy and healthy.

mymartinez ???

what did you do with your 2 Labs?

have them put to death with broken legs or did you turn them over to the vet and he fixed them and got them a new family??

Animals can be very expensive if you are the type of caring person who will not neglect them when they get sick or have medical issues. I've learned lots of ways to offset the cost of pet healthcare. Pet insurance is great if you can afford it.

1.  Search for city and county rabies clinics usually held each spring and all summer long.

2.  Find a spay/neuter clinic in your state and save hundreds of dollars on that procedure alone

3.  Ask your vet if the script your pet needs has a human equivalent drug so you can price check human pharmacies before getting the Rx filled. Vet pharmacies cannot compete with the cheap prices at chain drug stores. Some antibiotics and Prednisone are two examples of meds scribed for pets that you can fill at Walmart or Costco pharmacy much cheaper

4.  Banfield (the vet company in a national chain pet store) holds weekly clinics around each state (not every store) were they waive the doctors fee and only charge for treatments and meds.

5.  All emergency clinics are very expensive, avoid it if you can but sometimes that is not possible. Most vets can give you referrals for pet health care loans to pay for your emergency situation but you must have good credit to qualify.

6. Become a part of a rescue organization, that way you don’t have to pay for the vet bills, you only have to drive the pet to and from adoptions fairs and the vets office and pay for their food out of your pocket. You can have the joy of loving an animal and helping many animals find their furever homes

It's going to cost a lot of time to save money but if you've got the time and want a pet, even poor people can afford to provide adequate health care for one small animal.

He also mentioned the dollar amount he spends to feed his dog.  Being an animal adocate, I quickly realized he's probably feeding Nala a "grocery store brand."  He is very big into health (healthy eating, exercise, etc) so I was kinda surprised to hear that comment.  Feeding your pets store brand food is like giving them fast food every day.  It's true that spending a few extra dollars for quality food keeps them healthier, longer.  Respectfully, we don't know what he feeds his dog and the Dr's have to keep their comments and recommendations as generalized as possible.  I understand that.  But, I agree, Melissa.  Pets can be very expensive.  They're an extension to almost every family (or they should be).  If one cannot afford to properly care for their pet (financially, emotionally and time wise), it's best they not have one.  All of this being said, I absolutely adore Travis, so no one assume I'm bashing him :)