New research conducted by a money-saving website suggests that UK dog owners will spend an average of £16,067 during their pet’s lifetime.
The study also revealed that 71 per cent of those asked admitted they didn’t take into account the full expense involved in keeping a dog when making their decision to take one home and 12 per cent have considered giving their pet away as result of the financial burden.
The study, conducted by www.VoucherCodesPro.co.uksurveyed a total of 2,348 UK dog owners, looking into their spending habits and the costs regarding their pets. Of those asked, 63 per cent had just one dog, while the remaining individuals owned two or more.
Respondents were asked to estimate how much they spent on each of their dogs during a typical year, with the average breakdown costs as follows: pet food £276; dog treats £240;grooming £180; kennels/pet sitter £106; vets Fees/Insurance £251; andaccessories£156.
With the annual cost of owning a dog proposed, VoucherCodesPro.co.uk then multiplied this number by 13, the lifespan of the average dog. When asked how much their dog had cost them to purchase in the first place, the average answer was ‘£350’; meaning that the average dog costs its owner £16,067.
Spokesperson for VoucherCodesPro.co.ukGeorge Charles said: “Hopefully, these results will give Britons who may be thinking of buying a dogsome insight into what kind of funds they would need to set aside each month in order to give their pet the home it deserves.”
