Having a pet in your life is a very fulfilling experience. They fill our lives with priceless love and loyalty. Yes, having a pet is truly something. However, they also take a lot of responsibility to care for, and of course, financial investment. You see, it can be quite expensive to care for a pet. Fortunately, there are ways in order to make the journey more affordable and these are the money-saving hacks that we are going to share with you in this article today. Let’s get started.
1. Decide on the pet and breed that you want to care for.
There are different animals that you can take for a pet, and once you decide on one, there are also different breeds that you can consider getting. Purebreds, for instance, are usually prone to developing medical issues due to their genes. For the purposes of this article, though, we are mostly going to focus on the most common pet choices, cats and dogs. However, most of our tips can apply to other animals too.
2. Invest in proper care.
This means that you should prepare everything that your pet may need before even taking one home. Make sure that he has a safe place to live in, healthy food to eat, and clean water to drink. You also need to consider how to give your pet enough physical exercise and mental stimulation. These factors all contribute to your pet’s future health.
3. Visit the vet regularly.
Once your pet’s home, you might be tempted to skip vet visits especially if your pet seems to be in good health. However, just like when we get sick, treatment is going to be less expensive by catching symptoms early and treating them accordingly. You don’t want to consult your vet when it’s already too late. The medical condition of your pet is already severe and it would already require surgery to help him survive.
4. Sign up for pet insurance.
Speaking of surgery, there are pet insurance plans that can help you with the expenses. If this is not enough then we also suggest looking for pet surgery financing options online. There are financial institutions that allow pet owners to borrow money specifically for pet treatment and procedures.
5. Find low-cost options.
Let’s say that the situation is not that serious. That’s great! You and your pet have been spared from a lot of pain, stress, and financial strain. However, prescription medicine can still be quite expensive in the long run. This might also require more frequent vet visits. We recommend searching for low-cost clinics in your area as well as asking your vet for generic versions of your pet’s prescription.
6. Seek help from a charitable institution.
But what if your pet really needs help and your insurance and loan still aren’t enough to cover the total costs? Don’t worry. There’s still light at the end of this tunnel. There are two options that you can still do. The first is to seek help from a charitable institution. The Brown Dog Foundation and The Pet Fund, for instance, provide financial help for pets and pet parents that are eligible for their financial assistance programs.
7. Launch a crowdfunding campaign.
The second option is to launch a crowdfunding campaign. There are different crowdfunding platforms that you can find online, but for financial assistance like this, we believe that GoFundMe will be your best bet. They can take a lot of effort to maintain and promote, but with enough diligence and basic digital marketing skills, we’re sure that it will be a big help in getting the money that you need to cover most of your expenses.
8. Get your pet properly vaccinated.
As we near the end of this article, we are going to share with you three more tips in order to keep your pet healthy and save you from unnecessary medical expenses later on. First of them is getting your pet vaccinated. This will help prevent your pet from acquiring certain diseases and significantly improve his immune system.
9. Don’t leave your pet alone for an extended amount of time.
A lot of things can happen without human supervision. Hence, if you’re going away for a while, don’t just leave your pet with food and water, leave him with a friend to care for him. There are housesitting services that you can sign up for that includes pet care. Or better yet, have a friend or family member care for him while you’re away. Actually if you are planning a vacation you can take a pet with you – most airlines make it possible to take your pet along for the ride.
10. Keep your pet indoors.
There are a lot of things that can happen while you’re pet is indoors. But the risks of him getting injured or picking up a disease is doubled when he’s outside, especially if he’s unattended. If you do want to take your pet outside, make sure that he’s on a leash and harness. Keep safe!