Planning for your new pet

Responsible pet ownership

How exciting! You’ve decided to bring home a cute little bundle of fluff to join your family! You’ve bought matching shiny collar and lead, colour coordinated bowls, bed and blankets and the most interesting looking toys - everything’s ready for your new arrival to live happily ever after with you. Or is it?

All too often, preparation for a new addition to the family stops there. People have not considered initial and ongoing vets’ bills, training, daily exercise and the constant responsibility of ensuring their pet remains happy and healthy. When they realise the costs of owning a pet, both to their wallet and their lifestyle, essential health checks can become neglected and Fluffy the Cute has suddenly become Fluffy the Expensive and Unwanted. If he’s lucky, he ends up at one of the already overstretched rescue centres or, if not, neglected, abandoned by the side of the road or even worse.

So what are the basics you must consider before getting your kitten/puppy?

The first step is vaccination. All puppies and kittens must be vaccinated against a number of potentially fatal illnesses and the initial cost of this is approximately £50 for dogs and £60 for cats. Thereafter, yearly boosters are essential to keep your pet protected and will cost approximately £35 for dogs and £40 for cats.

Microchipping is strongly advised for both kittens and puppies. This is a one off cost in the region of £16 and can avoid the heartache of permanently losing your pet in the event of straying.

Phew. So what else? Worming is a vital part of healthcare for both puppies and kittens and costs approximately £3 for each tablet; the total cost is dependent on weight. In the first year, puppies must be wormed for the first time at approximately 8 or 9 weeks at the same time as their first vaccination. Then, every month up until 6 months, then every 3 months thereafter for life. Kittens must be wormed at approximately 8 or 9 weeks when they visit for their first vaccination then every 3 months thereafter for life. Both dogs and cats must be wormed more often if you have young children.

To avoid Fluffy carrying little passengers, flea treatment is the next consideration. It costs in the region of £24 for puppies and £19 for kittens for a 3-month course and must be done monthly to maintain protection against fleas and ticks.

As finance is often a major consideration for owners, insurance can be a wise investment. If an unexpected illness or accident occurs, the vet’s bills can be high - remember, with animals it’s always wise to expect the unexpected!

Do you have enough time and energy to give your puppy/kitten? Bear in mind, they will not be allowed out of the house for at least the first 4 weeks of their new life with you. Vaccinations are done in 2 stages, 2 weeks apart. A further 2 weeks after that your pet will be allowed out of the house. This can seem like a long time as little Fluffy is a lively, inquisitive youngster and needs plenty of attention and stimulation to keep him busy and avoid him exploring the sharpness of his teeth/claws on you, the other members of your family and your home!

It is also very important to remember that your pet will probably not come to you house trained and will need gently and consistently teaching where it is acceptable for him to go to the toilet. This can be time consuming and sometimes frustrating, especially in winter, but with kindness and patience, Fluffy will learn.

Unless you plan to breed from your puppy/kitten, spaying/neutering is the next thing for a responsible owner to think about. This avoids not only unwanted litters, but also potentially fatal illnesses in later life: testicular cancer in male dogs, womb infections and cancer of the mammary glands in female dogs. Also, spaying/neutering reduces the chance of your pet straying whilst looking for a mate. Spaying costs approximately £185 for dogs and £58 for cats. Neutering costs approximately £135 for dogs and £44 for cats.

It is very important for Fluffy the puppy to have socialisation with other dogs and people to ensure he is a well-rounded and confident individual and a pleasant member of society. Puppy parties are a lovely way to introduce your puppy to his new friends and their owners and can be attended after the first vaccination. Once he’s completed his course of vaccinations, training classes are the next important step. It is your responsibility both to him and those around you to ensure he is obedient and well trained and not antisocial and out of control.

If Fluffy is a puppy, he will need regular daily exercise, not too much at first for a young puppy, but when he’s older a good daily walk is essential, preferably mostly off the lead, to keep his mind and body happy and healthy.

Fluffy the cat might need a cat flap if he is to be allowed outdoors and it’s worth remembering that he might bring in gifts for you. Birds, mice and sometimes the odd toad might be among the unexpected presents that make their way into your home, either dead, alive or perhaps a piece at a time.

So that’s the first year taken care of! Barring accidents and incidents, this is a rough estimate of the cost of initial basic, routine health care for your new kitten/puppy. If you think very carefully before committing yourself to a puppy/kitten, you and your pet could have years of joy together. With just a little thought and planning ahead, fewer dogs and cats would end up unwanted and homeless.